T1 Claims Historic First KeSPA Cup in 3-2 Grand Final Over Hanwha Life Esports
In a rollercoaster best of five grand final at the Sangam SOOP Colosseum, T1 captured their first KeSPA Cup title by edging out Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) 3-2 on December 14, marking their second trophy of 2025 after Worlds glory just a month earlier.
This victory was a first for the entire current T1 roster, including Faker’s long awaited debut and trophy lift after a decade away from the event.
Pre final, Faker shared his fire: “I really want to win this one… 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”
Elevated by its role as a qualifier for 2026 Asian Games national team spots, this KeSPA Cup featured full 2026 LCK rosters and international squads like Team Liquid and Cloud9, broadcast across Asia and the US on Disney+.
Game 1: Peyz’s Varus Powers T1 to 27 Minute Win
T1 struck first, leveraging rookie AD carry Peyz’s Varus (3/1/5 KDA) in a pivotal 25 minute top jungle team fight that opened HLE’s mid turret at 27 minutes for the Nexus destroy.
T1 dominated stats with 12-5 kills, 59.4k gold to HLE’s 49.5k, 10 towers to 2, and with superior objectives including 5 dragons and baron.
Game 2: Oner’s Xin Zhao Fuels Crushing 24 Minute Rout
T1 poured it on, with jungler Oner’s Xin Zhao (10/0/6) securing early bot mid skirmishes, Rift Herald, and a 9k gold lead for a 27-6 kill fest and 53.4k gold edge.
Peyz’s Aphelios (9/2/7) shone as T1 claimed 8 towers to HLE’s 2, sealing the 2-0 lead with Keria being MVP for both of the first maps.
HLE Comes Back: Games 3 & 4 Even the Series
HLE flipped the script in the marathon Game 3 (35:52), where Zeka’s Taliyah (14/1/9) carried to a 32-20 victory, 79.2k gold, 9 towers, and objectives like baron and multiple chemtechs. Zeka took the Game MVP.
Game 4 (32:50) saw HLE’s Gumayusi Yasuo (17/5/10) dominate for 41-28 kills, 73.3k gold, and key barons, forcing Game 5 at 2-2.
Game 5: Peyz Quadra-Kills to Glory in 22-Minute Stomp
T1 came out hot in decider fashion with Oner’s Nocturne ganks fed Faker’s Viktor picks, while Peyz’s Zeri (11/0/6) had a game changing quadra kill near HLE’s tier-3 mid turret at 18 minutes, storming base for a 23-1 obliteration, 50k gold lead, and 11 towers.
HLE crumbled (1-23-1 kills), with Zeka’s Kassadin (0/7/0) and others zeroed out with Peyz Finals MVP with a 36/15/42 tournament line.
Since: October 29, 2025
