The 2025 League of Legends World Championship Swiss stage is now on day three. Following two days of matches, two out of three LPL teams have reached 2-0 and moved on to the promotion rounds. Top Esports claimed victory over G2 and then comfortably defeated 100 Thieves, securing two straight wins. AL also triumphed over two teams in a row. The LCK's favorites for the title have joined Top Esports in the 2-0 group, and both teams only need to win one more BO3 to guarantee advancement to the playoffs.

Even GEN was taken down, confirming the saying about the panda’s strength in international matches. The all-Chinese roster BLG, after a shocking loss in their first match, switched their jungler to Dumbbean against FNC, ramped up the pace throughout, and led the team to an easy win for their first victory. After the second day’s matches, the third round of draws began. Among the four teams in the 2-0 group, two are from the LPL. Before the draw, many feared an internal LPL clash, but Baolan stepped up and changed the outcome.

The two LPL teams perfectly avoided facing each other: Top Esports will face KT, while AL will meet CFO. If they maintain their previous form, both Top Esports and AL have a high chance to advance early to the knockout stage. The 1-1 group is chaotic, with LCK’s T1, HLE, and GEN all holding 1-1 records. Additionally, strong teams like G2, FLY, and the all-Chinese BLG are likely to encounter LCK opponents.

Unexpectedly, in the 1-1 group draw, Baolan continued to make an impact. LCK’s GEN and T1 were paired for an intra-region battle, while BLG faced a slightly weaker G2. HLE drew 100 Thieves, which was a favorable outcome, and FLY was matched against Vietnam’s TSW. When the draw results came out, LCK’s official commentators at the live broadcast visibly broke down, exclaiming: “Ahhh, Baolan is giving us so much pain.”

LCK fans also felt the impact deeply; on forums, Baolan was hailed as the savior of the LPL. Some extreme fans even harshly criticized Baolan as the worst support in history. It’s clear that Baolan’s performance in the internal matches really troubled the LCK. However, the blame partly lies with LCK themselves: T1 failed to beat CFO, and GEN lost to AL. Had either team won, the chance of an internal LCK clash in round three would have been much lower.

Finally, in the 0-2 group, after being heavily beaten by HLE and GEN, KkOma’s team finally drew a weaker opponent. PSG will face VKS, and in the European region, an internal battle between FNC and MKOI means one team will be eliminated. Judging from the draw, the LPL clearly has the best possible bracket, perfectly avoiding internal clashes in the 2-0 group, giving both teams a chance to reach the quarterfinals together. BLG also managed to avoid LCK teams.

A brief forecast for the upcoming matches: Among the four LCK teams, KT is the weakest, and their 2-0 record is mostly due to good luck in the draw. If Top Esports performs normally and doesn’t underestimate their opponents, they should win. AL’s chances against CFO are also high, as they crushed LCK’s top favorites in the first two matches and are currently at their peak. However, CFO isn’t weak either, so AL will need to play carefully.

In the 1-1 group, which is still BO1, FLY should have no trouble against TSW. The match between GEN and T1 is unpredictable, as both teams have a chance to win depending on their form that day. After learning from their earlier mistake of underestimating opponents, BLG is now playing seriously and should be able to defeat G2. The match between 100 Thieves and HLE is clear-cut, with no suspense. In the 0-2 group facing elimination, MKOI has a strong chance in the European internal battle, and PSG is also expected to win.

Conclusion:

The possibility of an upset in BO1 is high because a single mistake can cost the match. BO3 is different; even if a team loses one game, they have room to recover. Also, the global ban-pick system heavily favors teams with deep champion pools, making it harder for weaker teams to cause upsets. Still, Top Esports and AL must not underestimate their opponents or they risk losing unexpectedly.

So, what do you think — can both LPL teams advance?

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