LoL: T1 claimed their first-ever KeSPA Cup after defeating Hanwha Life Esports

T1 claimed their first-ever KeSPA Cup championship after defeating Hanwha Life Esports 3–2 in the grand final held on December 12 at the Sangam SOOP Colosseum. Since the tournament’s inception in 2015, this marks T1’s long-awaited debut title in the competition. This victory also represents T1’s second title of 2025, following their Worlds championship win just a month ago, and the first KeSPA Cup trophy for every player on the current roster. For Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, the win adds yet another milestone to his legendary career — his first-ever KeSPA Cup lifted in his very first appearance at the event.

Prior to the final, Faker shared his motivation for the series: "I really want to win this one. Gumayusi (Lee Min-hyeong) has been performing well on their team, so I think it’ll be an exciting series. If we can lift the KeSPA Cup trophy, our fans will be happy — and it’d be the perfect way to start the upcoming season."

Traditionally viewed more as an exhibition or preseason showcase — often boycotted by top pros preferring using the time to rest, and used by teams to field academy lineups — the KeSPA Cup took on a renewed importance this year. With the 2026 Asian Games approaching and this event serving as a selection prerequisite for national team consideration, almost every major LCK team revealed its 2026 roster for the first time, turning the tournament into a globally watched preview of the upcoming competitive season.

The tournament had never generated this much international buzz. This was largely thanks to the inclusion of international rosters, such as Team Liquid and Cloud9, who were invited to compete with their new 2026 lineups, along with two all-star squads from Japan and Vietnam. With broadcasts airing on Disney+ across eleven Asian countries and in the United States starting from the knockout stage, there’s now a clear sense that the competition could be heading toward significant global growth in the years to come.

Coming off a reverse sweep against Dplus KIA in the previous round, T1 once again found themselves in a tense five-game series — only this time, they were nearly reverse swept. Still, the team’s composure and veteran experience under high pressure once again proved unshakable.

In Game 1, T1 pulled ahead after a 25-minute teamfight in the top jungle, where Kim "Peyz" Su-hwan’s Varus was instrumental in widening the gap. They knocked down HLE’s mid turret at 27 minutes and continued their push to destroy the Nexus for the opening win.

Game 2 saw T1 maintain their momentum, scoring early victories in both bot and mid skirmishes. A successful fight near the top raptors gave them a decisive edge, with Mun "Oner" Hyeon-jun’s Xin Zhao leading multiple strong engages. After securing Rift Herald and a 9,000 gold lead, T1 wrapped up the game in just 24 minutes to go 2–0 up.

After dropping Games 3 and 4, T1 regrouped for Game 5. A midlane gank led by Oner’s Nocturne set up Faker’s Viktor to pick off Kim "Zeka" Geon-woo’s Kassadin. Another quick engage saw Oner strike again, while Peyz’s Zeri outdueled Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyung’s Lucian to extend the lead. At 18 minutes, a massive fight erupted near HLE’s tier-three mid turret, where Peyz’s Zeri scored a quadra kill — sealing the momentum. Moments later, T1 stormed down the base and destroyed the Nexus just 22 minutes in, clinching the championship after a grueling five-game thriller.