The 2025 Worlds Main Event kicked off on Wednesday, with many matchups unfolding largely as expected, and 100 Thieves defeating BiliBili Gaming. After the first day of the Swiss Stage, the 16 remaining teams are already looking ahead to tomorrow’s matches, where teams with a 1-0 record will face each other, as will those at 0-1. Among all the intriguing matchups for this second day, one stands out in particular: T1 versus CTBC Flying Oyster.

A long-awaited rematch

Although it’s only a best-of-one that isn’t eliminatory or qualifying, T1 and CFO meet again in a highly anticipated rematch following their memorable series at MSI 2025, where T1 edged out CFO 3-2 in an extremely close best-of-five. This rivalry highlights the stark contrast between the two teams: CFO, the young and ambitious squad representing the LCP as emperors, and T1, the legendary Korean team that may shake but never falls at major world events.

In their first clash, Chiu "Doggo" Tzu-Chuan’s pentakill on Caitlyn in game three was a standout moment, while Choi "Doran" Hyeon-joon delivered a masterclass performance and was named series MVP. T1 found themselves on the back foot down 1-2 but turned the tide with games four and five worthy of their prestige, led by Ryu "Keria" Min-seok’s flawless engages alongside the leadership of Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok and Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyeong. The series was filled with multiple dramatic comebacks.

Two teams off to a strong start

CFO impressed in their opening Worlds match by sweeping Fnatic, with Shen "Driver" Tsung-Hua’s dominant Sion toplane performance against Óscar "Oscarinin" Muñoz exemplifying the overall skill gap in CFO’s favor across all positions. This team embodies raw energy, potential, and mechanical talent, especially with 18-year-old Tsai "HongQ" Ming-Hong, the tournament’s second youngest player, stepping into the spotlight as a budding mechanical genius poised to showcase his skill against Faker in this generational clash.

T1 arrives after a solid Play-In phase, defeating Invictus Gaming 3-1 and then securing a comfortable victory over FlyQuest. They represent stability, experience, and resilience—qualities that have defined their legacy, especially on the Worlds stage. The last time T1 lost to a Taiwanese team at Worlds was back in 2017 during group stages against ahq eSports Club, underscoring their obvious consistent longevity.

Duel of generations: Faker vs HongQ

This match is a duel of generations: young prodigy HongQ at 18 versus legendary veteran Faker. It could mark a turning point for the Taiwanese’s career as he has the chance to reveal his mechanical genius to the world against an iconic figure. This really creates a fascinating contrast between youth and experience, and some could look into HongQ's eyes and see the same potential Faker had thirteen years ago. Being named Rookie of the year in LCP, HongQ's first year among tier-1 professionals already allows him to be compared to Caps' early years. And now, his wish has become true as he told Sheep Esports in his latest interview: "It will be a lot of fun to lane against Faker."

On top of that, their MSI series also demonstrated why T1 cannot be taken as the outright favorite at this year’s Worlds. CFO embodies the rise of a new generation of players capable of challenging the established order. Their youth, raw talent, and capacity to upset make them a legitimate threat. At least, this series is finally the opportunity to prove the LCP is able to compete among the very best, and signal the competitive global stage has never been this open before.