First Stand 2025 is just around the corner and League of Legends fans worldwide are excited to see which region will win the first international title of the year. This new early-season tournament brings together the top 5 teams from LCK, LPL, LEC, LCS, and PCS for a week-long showdown in Seoul, South Korea.
With a $1,000,000 prize pool, the Fearless Draft format, and some of the strongest rosters we’ve seen, First Stand 2025 is going to be explosive. But who has the best chance to win? Let’s break down the power rankings and see which team will take home the first-ever First Stand title.
First Stand 2025 Format
- 5 teams (1 from each region) compete.
- Round Robin Stage: Each team plays 4 best-of-three (Bo3) series. Last place is eliminated.
- Knockout Stage: Top 4 teams advance to a single-elimination bracket where every match is best-of-five (Bo5).
- Fearless Draft: Once a champion is picked in a series, it can’t be picked again. Draft strategies matter even more.
- Winner gets a second MSI 2025 Bracket Stage slot for their region, skipping Play-Ins.
League of Legends: First Stand 2025 Power Rankings
It’s the start of the LoL major event of the year where the top teams from each region come in fresh, untested, and trying hard to make a statement. Strategic depth matters more than ever with the Fearless Draft shaking up champion picks.
1. Top Esports (LPL)
- Region: China 🇨🇳
- Roaster: 369 (Top), Kanavi (Jungle), Creme (Mid), JackeyLove (Bot), Crisp (Support)
Top Esports (TES) enters First Stand 2025 as one of the strongest teams in the world after their LPL Split 1 Playoff win. With a superstar lineup and legendary ADC JackeyLove, they have the firepower and experience to take down anyone.
Strengths:
- A dominant laning phase mainly from JackeyLove and Creme.
- Kanavi’s world-class jungle pathing can tilt any matchup in TES’s favor.
- Strong team fighting, thanks to Crisp’s great shot-calling as support.
Weaknesses:
- They can struggle against high tempo teams that pressure them early.
- Their drafting can be questionable against tough teams from Korea and Europe.
If TES plays to their full potential, it’s hard to see anyone stopping them. They are the favorites for First Stand 2025.
2. Hanwha Life Esports (LCK)
- Region: Korea 🇰🇷
- Roaster: Zeka (Mid), Viper (Bot), Zeus (Top), Peanut (Jungler), Delight (Support)
Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) is another championship contender coming in with former world champions Zeka and Viper. The synergy between these two has been great, as Zeka’s aggressive mid-lane play opens up the map for Viper to carry in later fights.
Strengths:
- Viper is one of the best ADCs in the world—if he gets ahead, it’s over.
- Zeka’s playmaking on melee mids like Akali and Sylas can single-handedly win games.
- LCK’s structured playstyle suits them, which makes them difficult to punish.
Weaknesses:
- Clid has been inconsistent in the jungle, leading to some shaky early games.
- Their macro play isn’t always crisp, and they sometimes rely too much on individual skills.
HLE has the talent to take First Stand 2025, but their success depends on if Peanut can keep up with the aggressive junglers in the tournament. HLE plays the long game—if they can survive the early aggression from teams like TES, they can turn games around in the late game.
3. Team Liquid
- Region: North America 🇺🇸
- Key Players: Impact (Top), UmTi (Jungle), APA (Mid), Yeon (Bot), CoreJJ (Support)
Team Liquid (TL) is representing the Americas region with a mix of senior leadership and young talent. Even though the LCS has struggled on international events, TL has one of the best team environments, and CoreJJ remains a legendary support with the ability to turn games around.
Strengths:
- CoreJJ is a master of vision control and engages, which allows TL to play a disciplined style.
- Impact’s experience in the top lane makes TL extremely stable in the best-of-five series.
- Yeon has been a rising star, and if he pops off, TL can go the right path.
Weaknesses:
- Their early-game aggression is lacking, so it can be a problem against fast-paced teams like TES and HLE.
- APA’s mid-lane champion pool is sometimes too predictable.
TL is a dark horse in this tournament. If CoreJJ and Impact lead well and Yeon steps up, they will possibly surprise many teams.
4. Karmine Corp (LEC)
- Region: Europe 🇪🇺
- Key Players: Canna (Top), Yike (Jungler), Vladi (Mid), Caliste (Bot Laner), Targamas (Support)
Karmine Corp (KC) has built a solid roster that can challenge top teams, but they are more unpredictable than the usual European powerhouses. If they find consistency, they are good enough to shock the tournament favorites.
Strengths:
- Vladi is a strong mid laner with great roaming potential.
- They play a very aggressive early game to surprise slower teams.
- Targamas is an underrated support who can make clutch plays.
Weaknesses:
- Their macro decisions in the mid-to-late game are shaky, and against top teams, this could cost them.
- Their jungle pressure is inconsistent, which will likely be a problem in early-game skirmishes.
Karmine Corp can take down anyone if they play their cards right, but will they be able to maintain consistency?
5. CTBC Flying Oyster
- Region: PCS (Taiwan) 🇹🇼
- Key Players: Driver (Top Laner), Rest (Top Laner), JunJia (Jungler), HongQ (Mid Laner), Doggo (Bot Laner), Kaiwing (Support)
CTBC Flying Oyster (CFO) is the best team from the PCS, but they have a tough road ahead against LPL, LCK, and LCS forces. While they have the mechanics to compete, their macro play and coordination must be flawless to stand a chance.
Strengths:
- JunJia’s jungle pathing is intelligent, and he can carry early-game momentum well.
- Rest is an underrated top laner who can hold his own against elite competition.
- CFO love team fights, this only factor can turn them into dangerous squad to face.
Weaknesses:
- Their laning phase is weaker compared to top-tier teams.
- Their drafts sometimes lack adaptability, making them easy to counter-pick.
CFO can cause an upset, but winning the entire tournament would be a miracle run. They are not favorites and have less chance to deliver any good performance against the best champions. Doggo will be the player to watch from this side as he has shown talent in previous international stage.
First Stand 2025 Schedule & How to Watch
The action kicks off on March 10, 2025, and will run for a full week of high-stakes League of Legends at LoL Park in Seoul, South Korea. Here’s how it’s all going down:
Round Robin Stage (March 10-14, 2025)
- Each team plays 4 Best-of-3 (Bo3) series.
- The bottom team is eliminated, and the top 4 move on.
Knockout Stage (March 15-16, 2025)
- Semifinals (March 15): 1st vs 4th, 2nd vs 3rd (Best-of-5)
- Grand Final (March 16): The winners battle for the First Stand title (Best-of-5)
Where to Watch
Want to watch First Stand 2025 live? Riot’s got you covered with multiple streaming options:
- Twitch: Riot Games Official Channel
- YouTube: LoL Esports Channel
- LoLEsports.com: Watch Here (Sign in for exclusive Drops!)
The drops for First Stand include a 2025 Esports Capsule for Pentakills and Baron steals.
2025 Esports Capsule for every Pentakill and Baron Nashor steal, another Esports Capsule if a series goes to Game 5 in the Knockout Stage. Further, you can watch the Grand Final and get the First Stand Brand emote: “I Am FUMING.”
