Meanwhile, G2 Esports and KOI bow out of the competition.
Stakes are getting higher at the 2025 League of Legends (LoL) Mid-Season Invitational, with four teams battling for survival in the lower bracket while four others fight to remain at the upper bracket of the competition.
In the end, it was 
Gen.G and 
T1 that remain in the upper bracket after defeating 
Anyone's Legend, 3-2, and 
Bilibili Gaming, 3-0, respectively. Meanwhile, 
FlyQuest eliminated 
G2 Esports, 3-0, and 
CTBC Flying Oyster took down 
Movistar KOI, 3-1, in the lower bracket round 1.
Here’s how the matches went down:
Upper Bracket
Gen.G edge out Anyone’s Legend 3-2
The LCK and LPL champions clashed in an all out five-game nailbiter, where Gen.G came out on top against Anyone’s Legend, 3-2.
In the first game, teams were keeping up with each other in the early game. However, AL found scrappy plays that resulted in successful team fights for the Chinese team, while Gen.G struggled to find their footing. And in just 27 minutes, AL destroyed Gen.G’s Nexus to take the first game.
In the second game, Gen.G went for a scaling team composition and deliberately slowed down the pace of the game, despite gaining an early game gold lead. The South Korean team cornered AL, not allowing them to take any free kills or objectives without a trade. However, the Chinese team refused to back down, taking soul point, but at the cost of Gen.G taking Atakhan. In a last resort attempt to turn the tides, AL forced a Baron, and although they got the objective, they were nearly wiped out in the map, with only one member standing. This allowed Gen.G to take their Nexus in a 28-minute encounter.
The third game was a much closer match, where the lead would sway from one team to the other throughout. However, in a crucial team fight, Gen.G were able to find an opening, and once again nearly wiped out AL in the map. This gave the South Korean team a slight gold advantage, which they took advantage of. Eventually, Gen.G destroyed AL’s Nexus in 34 minutes.
Backs against the wall, AL went all out in the fourth game, gaining an early gold lead. And although Gen.G tried to earn more gold through kills, a fight in the Dragon pit that swung in AL’s favour stopped their attempts for a comeback. With momentum on their side, AL continued to find wins in the side lanes until they overpowered their opponents. And in 30-minutes, AL won the fourth game, pushing the series to Silver Scrapes.
In the fifth and final game, Anyone’s Legend managed to turn heads with a four-man takedown around the 15-minute mark, but it did little to shift the state of the game. The gold lead stayed firmly in Gen.G’s hands, and their response was immediate, securing a third Dragon and wiping out AL in a decisive ace.
With no need for a fourth Dragon, Gen.G closed out the match with ruthless efficiency, smashing through the base and ending the game in 28 minutes to win the series and book their spot in the MSI 2025 upper bracket final. This win also extended Gen.G's win streak this year to 21 consecutive victories.
T1 sweep Bilibili Gaming 3-0
In a match that was touted as a rematch of the 2024 Worlds Finals, T1 and Bilibili Gaming once again clashed on stage. Once again, it was T1 who prevailed in a dominant showing that resulted in a 3-0 sweep.
T1 moved like clockwork in the first game, clinically taking over the map and overpowering BLG in all lanes, and keeping their lead throughout most of the game. BLG fought back in side skirmishes and some team fights, but couldn’t do much against T1’s champions that have scaled early and well into the late game. And after a 28-minute encounter, T1 destroyed BLG’s Nexus to win the first game.
BLG looked better at the beginning of the second game, where they had the advantage until the mid-game, taking five kills against their opponents, with no answer from T1. However, the reigning World Champions kept their macro clean, not allowing their opponents to run away with an impactful lead. As the game extended, T1 found ways to slowly overtake their opponents. Eventually, after a 33-minute encounter, T1 destroyed BLG’s Nexus to win the second game.
The third game’s intensity heightened, with BLG taking the early game lead, and doing all they can to keep T1 from overtaking them on every turn. However, T1 were steady, once again overtaking BLG after the 24-minute mark. And after another 33-minute matchup, T1 destroyed BLG’s Nexus to win the third game and secure the series.
T1 and Gen.G are facing off at the Upper Bracket Final on 10 July at 8:00 AM SGT/ 5:00 PM PST.
Lower Bracket
FlyQuest eliminate G2 Esports 3-0
In Game 1, the North American side set the tone early, securing a solo kill in mid and pulling off a Baron steal that handed them early control in the classic NA vs EU showdown. Eventually, FlyQuest closed out the game in a 38-minute encounter.
Game 2 saw them double down on their unconventional style, locking in Garen top and Bard support. G2 opened strong with early kills and lane pressure, but FlyQuest weathered the momentum, scaled up, and turned the game in their favour after a hard-fought 38-minute battle.
By Game 3, FlyQuest were fully in control. A top-side duo of Yorick and Trundle gave them dominance across the map. G2 struggled to keep pace as FlyQuest outmanoeuvred them in both team fights and side lanes. The final game was swift and clinical, the fastest of the series, as FlyQuest closed it out in style in just 28 minutes.
FlyQuest will face BLG at the Lower Bracket Round 3 on 9 July, 8:00 AM SGT/8 July 5 PM PST.
CBTC Flying Oyster overpower KOI 3-1
CFO continued to look absolutely strong in their first elimination match at the Bracket Stage. In the end, they defeated KOI to eliminate all LEC teams from the tournament.
The first game was a back-and-forth encounter, with moments of brilliance from the Europntea team.
CFO continued to play well through the second game, with securing kills and objectives despite the kill lead. KOI found better footing in the early game, but CFO’s map control and mid-game skirmishing once again proved superior. With tighter execution around neutral objectives and a decisive Baron, CFO pulled ahead and closed the game cleanly. After a 33-minute encounter, CFO once again took down KOI’s Nexus to win the second game.
Unwilling to yield just yet, KOI fought for their tournament lives in the fourth game. Punishing the LCP champion’s mistakes, KOI found a way to pull ahead with a 5,000 gold lead in the mid-game and continued to win objectives across the map. A fight at the Baron pit was the decider, after KOI were able to take the objective and eventually destroy CFO’s Nexus in a 27-minute encounter.
In the fourth game, CFO played steadily in the early game, prioritising map objectives to gain a slight gold advantage. And although they found an opportunity to punish CFO’s fed Aphelios, they remained behind throughout the match. The LCP Champions found ways to punish the LEC Champions throughout the match and continued to have the upper hand in the game. Eventually, CFO closed out the game after destroying KOI’s Nexus after a 31-minute game, to win the fourth game, and the series 3-1.
CBTC Flying Oyster will face Anyone's Legend at the Lower Bracket Round 3 on 8 July, 8:00 AM SGT/ 7 July 5 PM PST.
Meanwhile, G2 Esports and Movistar KOI bow out of the competition in 7th-8th place, taking home US$130,000 in consolation.
