T1 ended their year in the best possible way, writing a new chapter in League of Legends history by claiming their sixth World Championship title after defeating KT Rolster in the Worlds 2025 grand final. The biggest Telecom War ever, featuring a five-game thriller, drew a peak of 6.7 million viewers across all platforms (excluding China), according to data collected by Esports Charts.

The grand final became the most-watched series of the tournament by a wide margin, drawing 87% more viewers than the second most-viewed match—T1’s semifinal series against Top Esports. Though the peak fell just 2.94% short of the record set by Worlds 2024, it still secured Worlds 2025 as the second most-watched esports event in history.

South Korea Number One

Korean-language broadcasts once again led global viewership, exceeding 2 million peak viewers and setting a new record for League of Legends esports in the region. Vietnam also recorded unprecedented numbers, surpassing 1.2 million concurrent viewers for the first time.

In contrast, English-language streams saw an 8.3% year-over-year drop, while Spanish broadcasts experienced a notable 48% decline. Thai streams, meanwhile, reached their highest levels since 2019.

Beyond traditional platforms, Worlds 2025 broke several streaming records:

More Viewership Numbers

While the grand final’s numbers are exceptional, overall tournament metrics showed moderate declines from the previous year. Average viewership fell by 13%, and total watch time dropped by 29%. Analysts attribute the shift to a shorter Play-In stage and scheduling that favored Asia over Western time zones.

Still, the final delivered one of the most engaging viewership spikes in esports history, underscoring the enduring rivalry between Korea’s two powerhouse teams and the unmatched global appeal of the Worlds stage.