Over the years, China has steadily evolved into a global esports powerhouse, complete with professional teams, state-of-the-art arenas, and even TV dramas and reality shows centered on competitive gaming. The country’s massive gaming culture has transformed esports from a niche pastime to a dominant force in both sports and entertainment. Among all games, League of Legends (LoL) stands out as one of the most popular. At its peak, the game reported over 180 million active players in 2022, with Chinese gamers accounting for more than half of that number.
This year marks the 15th iteration of the League of Legends World Championship, one of the world’s largest annual esports tournaments. The 2025 games will be hosted across Beijing and Shanghai, with the finals in Chengdu on November 9th.
China has previously claimed the championship title three times, in 2018, 2019, and 2021. But Korean teams have dominated for the past three years, with the Chinese finishing as runners-up in the last two. The tournament has become a national spectacle, and this year’s quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals will be livestreamed in IMAX theaters across more than 100 cities nationwide.
A total of 16 teams from 4 regions—LPL (China), LCK (South Korea), LEC (Europe), and LCS (North America)—will compete for the title. Representing China are Bilibili Gaming (BLG), Anyone’s Legend, Top Esports, and Invictus Gaming (IG). BLG, last year’s runner-up, secured the first seed by defeating Top Esports. The fourth seed, IG, must now defeat T1, Korea’s reigning champion team for the past two seasons, to officially advance into the World Championship.
The T1 vs. IG play-in match, scheduled for next week, has already set Chinese social media abuzz—and it’s not even part of the main tournament yet. Faker, T1’s legendary mid-laner and widely regarded as one of the best players in LoL history, commented after landing in Beijing: “They [IG] are returning to the World Championship stage after a long time, so we need to be especially careful about that.”
While IG is perhaps one of the most popular and well-regarded esports teams in China, many Chinese fans still remain skeptical. As one netizen joked, “IG’s chances of winning are about the same as the Chinese national football team beating South Korea.” For context, China’s football team has earned a notoriously bad reputation for underperformance over the past decade.
With tensions running high and this year’s official slogan, “Earn Your Legacy,” all eyes are set on whether China can reclaim its former dominance and write a new chapter in LoL history.
Cover image via China Daily.
