Six-time League of Legends (LoL) Worlds champions T1 have added another major trophy to their collection. The team won its first KeSPA Cup title on Sunday, December 14, after defeating Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) in a thrilling best-of-five (Bo5) grand finale.
T1 secured a 3-2 victory over HLE in a series that attracted attention from League of Legends fans around the world. The match also marked T1’s first official meeting with former ADC player and Worlds MVP Minhyung “Gumayusi” Lee since his departure from the team.
A thrilling series
T1 quickly took control of the final after winning the opening two games. The early advantage made the team look like the clear favourite to lift the KeSPA Cup title.
However, HLE refused to give up. The team responded by winning Games 3 and 4, forcing the final into a decisive fifth game.
The momentum shifted again in Game 5. T1 dominated from the opening minutes and eventually destroyed HLE’s Nexus after just 22 minutes. The final score of 23-1 underlined T1’s commanding performance in the deciding game.
“I’m very happy to win the KeSPA Cup with the new roster of [T1] players this year,” said T1 captain and mid-laner Sanghyeok “Faker” Lee during the post-game interview.
Faker also looked ahead to the 2026 tournament season. He said the team wants to improve its performances and compete for more championship trophies across different competitions.
The victory gives T1 another reason for confidence as the team prepares for the next stage of the competitive League of Legends calendar.
Newcomer ADC ‘Peyz’ brings home Finals MVP
T1’s new ADC player Suhwan “Peyz” Kim also enjoyed a memorable debut tournament with the organisation. The 20-year-old was named Finals MVP after helping T1 overcome HLE in the championship series.
Peyz joined T1 as the successor to Gumayusi. His aggressive, attack-focused style played an important role throughout the tournament, particularly during several intense team fights.
The young ADC previously made history by becoming the youngest bot laner to win a Korean League of Legends championship title at the age of 17. His latest performance added another milestone to his growing career.
“I’m very happy to win the MVP title during my first-ever tournament with T1,” Peyz said during his acceptance speech.
He also promised to return with an even stronger performance during the upcoming tournament season.
For T1, the KeSPA Cup title represents another achievement for one of the most successful organisations in League of Legends history. The team will now turn its attention to the 2026 competitive season, where it will look to build on its latest success.
Fans can also look forward to tournament highlights and selected replays through the competition’s official distribution channels.
