The fifth day of the 2025 League of Legends World Championship left Western fans hoping for more.
G2 Esports gave LEC fans reason to be hopeful after a strong performance against Billibili Gaming (BLG), while FlyQuest’s expected win over Team Secret Whales was dominant enough for LTA North — now LCS again — fans dream of a Knockout Stage run.
At the same time, Hanwha Life Esports handed 100 Thieves a heavy defeat in what could be one of the organisation’s final matches at Worlds, leaving little room for a comeback. Gen.G showcased its full strength against longtime rival T1, controlling the game from start to finish and demonstrating why it is still the favourite to lift the Summoner’s Cup.
As the Swiss Stage progresses, all eyes are now on Western teams to see if they can gain momentum and make a deep run in the tournament or leave the BO5s to Eastern teams.
Dominant Performances in the Midst of Chaos
In a Swiss Stage loaded with upsets, the West needed a result to remind the world it still mattered — and FlyQuest delivered.
The LTA North representatives controlled the pace of the game from the start. Team Secret Whales made repeated mistakes that allowed FLY to roam freely around the Rift, extend its lead, and secure objectives. When Gabriël ‘Bwipo‘ Rau’s Sion began to scale, Team Secret Whales could not recover. FlyQuest kept its composure and stayed in command, moving one step closer to the Knockout Stage while Team Secret Whales fell further behind, now one match away from elimination.
Less than half an hour later, fans were treated to an iconic match between Gen.G and T1. But if some had hoped for an explosive game, others had predicted a classic LCK game, where First Blood does not happen until the 20th minute — and it was the latter.
T1 struggled to find openings, and Gen.G punished every mistake. By midgame, Gen.G had built an insurmountable lead and controlled every fight, making it almost impossible for the reigning World Champions to win.
With this win, Gen.G move onto 2-1 and reestablishes itself as a finals-level contender — while T1’s road looks steep and unforgiving.
Reclaiming Legacy or Leave it in Jeopardy
While BLG struck first — with an aggressive draft, early kills, constant pressure — G2 had drafted a scaling comp and was waiting for the right moment to push back.
From the beginning of the game, BLG’s growing lead made it difficult for G2 to turn the tables. Yet a mistake from BLG around the second dragon fight gave G2 some crucial leeway in the game. The European team then took over the control of the Rift a few minutes later by collecting the Chemtech Soul.
Still, the team may be the LEC’s last chance to prove legacy matters — and it is not the only organisation whose legacy must be cemented at Worlds
For 100 Thieves, today’s match might have been its penultimate match in competitive League, as the organisation announced it will exit LoL Esports after 2025, closing an era that began with them joining LCS in 2018.
The stakes felt personal. 100 Thieves’ journey now risks fading out in silence. But, by contrast, HLE has not made a statement at the event. By 20 minutes into the game, HLE’s lead was undeniable. The organisation’s teamfights over the map and for objectives felt like inevitabilities, not possible turning points.
Yet another Sion in the top lane was unstoppable, with Choi ‘Zeus‘ Woo-je pushing past expectations and claiming the record of most kills on a Sion in an international match. For HLE, as a whole, this win seemed to be a warning other competitors. But for 100 Thieves, this was a painful reminder that its time may be running out faster than predicted.
Tomorrow promises explosive matches as the first BO3 elimination matches of Worlds 2025 kick off from the Swiss Stage, with teams fighting to stay alive and avoid an early exit. All matches will be streamed live on League of Legends’ official esports Twitch and YouTube channels, alongside accepted co-streamers.
