Introduction
The 2025 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), held in Vancouver, Canada, marked a pivotal moment in the global League of Legends competitive landscape. With ten elite teams from five major regions clashing under the Fearless Draft format, MSI 2025 showcased not only mechanical brilliance but also strategic evolution. From Gen.G’s dominance to Bilibili Gaming’s redemption arc, the tournament delivered high-stakes drama, regional pride, and a glimpse into what Worlds 2025 might hold.
Tournament Format and Structure
MSI 2025 retained the two-stage format introduced in previous years:
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Play-In Stage (June 27–30): Four second-seeded teams from EMEA, APAC, CN, and AME regions competed in a double-elimination bracket. The top two advanced to the Bracket Stage.
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Bracket Stage (July 1–12): Eight teams—six prequalified and two from Play-Ins—faced off in a double-elimination format. All matches were best-of-five, played on Patch 25.13.
The Fearless Draft system, which prevents teams from reusing champions across a series, continued to reward deep champion pools and adaptive strategies.
Qualified Teams
Bracket Stage Seeds
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Gen.G (LCK #1)
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T1 (LCK #2)
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Movistar KOI (LEC #1)
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CTBC Flying Oyster (LCP #1)
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Anyone’s Legend (LPL #1)
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FlyQuest (LTA North #1)
Play-In Qualifiers
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Bilibili Gaming (LPL #2)
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G2 Esports (LEC #2)
Play-In Stage Highlights
The Play-In stage delivered immediate intensity. G2 Esports narrowly edged out FURIA 3–2, while Bilibili Gaming swept GAM Esports 3–0. In the qualification matches, BLG dismantled G2 3–0, securing the first Bracket spot. G2 rebounded with a 3–2 win over GAM, clinching the final slot.
Key takeaways:
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BLG’s early form hinted at a deeper run.
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G2’s resilience under pressure reaffirmed their status as Europe’s most battle-hardened squad.
Bracket Stage: Upper Bracket
Round 1
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Gen.G 3–1 G2 Esports: Gen.G’s macro control and laning dominance overwhelmed G2.
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Anyone’s Legend 3–1 FlyQuest: AL’s jungle-mid synergy between Tarzan and Shanks proved decisive.
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Bilibili Gaming 3–1 Movistar KOI: BLG’s bot lane, led by Elk and ON, dismantled KOI’s defensive setups.
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T1 3–2 CTBC Flying Oyster: Faker’s clutch plays in Game 5 sealed the series.
Round 2
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Gen.G 3–2 Anyone’s Legend: A back-and-forth series with Gen.G’s top laner Kiin emerging as MVP.
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T1 3–0 Bilibili Gaming: T1’s clean sweep showcased their preparation and adaptability.
Bracket Stage: Lower Bracket
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FlyQuest 3–0 G2 Esports: NA’s top seed outclassed G2 in objective control.
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CTBC Flying Oyster 3–1 Movistar KOI: CFO’s mid-jungle duo HongQ and JunJia dominated the tempo.
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BLG 3–2 FlyQuest: BLG survived a scare, with Knight’s midlane performance turning the tide.
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Anyone’s Legend 3–1 CFO: AL’s experience and composure proved too much for the Pacific hopefuls.
Semifinals and Finals Preview
Upper Bracket Final
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Gen.G vs T1 (July 10): A classic LCK showdown. Gen.G’s structured playstyle meets T1’s explosive mechanics.
Lower Bracket Final
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BLG vs Anyone’s Legend (July 11): A rematch of LPL titans. BLG seeks revenge after their earlier defeat.
Grand Final (July 13)
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TBD. The winner of Gen.G vs T1 will face the lower bracket victor.
Standout Players
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Kiin (Gen.G): Dominated top lane with versatile picks and lane control.
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Faker (T1): Proved once again why he’s the GOAT, especially in clutch moments.
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Knight (BLG): Delivered consistent carry performances in high-pressure games.
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Doggo (CFO): Earned a pentakill on Caitlyn, becoming a fan favorite.
Regional Implications
MSI 2025’s results will directly impact Worlds 2025 seeding:
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Winner qualifies for Worlds.
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Runner-up region earns an additional seed.
With LCK teams in both semifinals, Korea is poised to secure a fourth Worlds slot. LPL’s depth remains formidable, while EMEA and AME showed flashes but lacked consistency.
Strategic Trends
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Fearless Draft mastery: Teams with deeper champion pools thrived. Gen.G and T1 showcased the ability to flex picks across roles.
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Bot lane priority: Elk, Ruler, and Gumayusi consistently influenced outcomes through lane dominance and teamfight positioning.
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Jungle pathing evolution: Canyon and Tarzan redefined early-game impact with aggressive invades and vision control.
Broadcast and Viewership
The event featured multilingual streams and co-streams across Twitch and YouTube. English talent included CaptainFlowers, Chronicler, and Sjokz. Viewership peaked during Gen.G vs T1, with over 2 million concurrent viewers globally.
Conclusion
MSI 2025 reaffirmed the global depth of League of Legends esports. While Korea’s dominance continues, China’s resilience and NA’s resurgence added layers of intrigue. With Worlds 2025 looming, MSI served as both a proving ground and a preview of the battles to come.