Introduction: The S15 season has officially kicked off, and most players have been following the recent confrontations closely. The matches in all major regions have concluded, and the teams for the World Championship are all decided. What disappoints fans the most is the fierce battle for qualification spots—two of the hottest teams from the LPL and LCK regions face off. After a BO5 series, one team will inevitably be eliminated from the Worlds early. As the date approaches, the ticket prices for the 14th have become increasingly outrageous. Some netizens even shared anonymous gifted tickets, with resale prices hitting 8,000. When tickets first went on sale, there was hardly any rush to buy; the 388-yuan tickets were easy to get. Meanwhile, some players compiled the head-to-head record between Rookie and Faker, revealing that Rookie’s win rate is as high as 83%.

Ticket prices for IG and T1 are becoming increasingly ridiculous.

Most players are quite familiar with the T1 team. As a top-tier squad from the LCK region, their achievements in recent years have been outstanding. They have reached the World Championship finals for three consecutive years and won the championship twice in a row, consistently ranking among the world's best. Their popularity and hype are also at the top. According to viewership data released by the LCK region, it’s clear how dominant T1 is. All of the top five hottest teams in LCK this season are T1-related matchups: the top four are against Gen.G, and the fifth is against DK, leaving no room for other teams.

Similarly, IG’s popularity this season is also very high. With official investment, IG has acquired several top professional players. The return of TheShy and Rookie has boosted their fanbase dramatically. During the first split, their viewership data was far ahead of others, and by the third split, they became the most followed team overseas in the LPL region. This time, they secured the fourth seed from LPL and will compete against LCK’s T1 for a spot in the main event. The hype around this match is unprecedented. Additionally, the venue is relatively small, causing ticket prices to skyrocket, with even official free tickets being issued.

First, let’s look at the current ticket prices. Tickets originally priced at 388 yuan now sell for around 4,000 yuan. Due to real-name verification, some even send ID documents by mail. Additionally, some have shared invitations for the League of Legends World Championship qualifying matches, which are free anonymous tickets. After scanning the QR code, attendees must register with real names before entering. These tickets are highly sought after, with prices ranging from 4,000 to 8,000 yuan and still climbing. If nothing unexpected happens, ticket prices could surpass 10,000 yuan. It remains uncertain if the organizers will change the venue, as the 2,000-seat small arena cannot accommodate so many fans.

Looking at IG’s recent Korean server training sessions, it seems the players have relaxed a bit after securing their spot. Rookie, who has shown average form in playoffs, continues to train daily. His head-to-head record with Faker is notable: they have met six times in total. In small matches, Rookie holds a 5-1 lead, including encounters in the S4 OGN Spring, S8 Intercontinental, S9 MSI group stage, and S9 Intercontinental tournaments. However, they have never faced each other in a BO5 series—this upcoming match will likely be their first professional BO5 showdown.

Farewell thoughts

The hype for this match will be unprecedented, possibly even surpassing the attention given to the final itself. Both teams are World Champions and feature numerous star players. The ticket prices alone reflect how passionate the fans are. The original 388-yuan tickets have been marked up dozens of times, and prices might climb even higher. Such a matchup is truly rare and priceless.

What do all of you viewers think about this situation?