On July 18, 2025, at 12:00 UTC, team T1 will face Movistar KOI in the playoffs of the Esports World Cup 2025. The best-of-3 match will take place on the LAN stage in Saudi Arabia and will determine another semifinalist of the tournament. At stake is not only prestige but also a chance to compete for a significant portion of the $2,000,000 prize pool. We have analyzed the current form and recent performances of both teams to provide a prediction for this series.

Current Team Form

T1

The Korean giant approaches the match as the clear favorite. Despite losing in the final of the Mid-Season Invitational 2025 to Gen.G, the team showed strong form throughout the tournament. Victories over Anyone’s Legend, Bilibili Gaming, and CTBC Flying Oyster confirmed the team's competitiveness. In their last five matches, T1 secured three wins and two hard-fought losses to Gen.G, who are ranked first globally. With this form, T1 is poised to reach at least the semifinals.

Movistar KOI

Movistar KOI comes into this matchup after competing in the group stage of EWC 2025, where they managed to defeat CTBC Flying Oyster and GAM Esports in bo1 series but fell to Hanwha Life Esports. The team is inconsistent, and their overall form raises questions: in the previous MSI tournament, they lost three out of five matches. Despite some standout moments, Movistar KOI has yet to display the level of play expected in the playoffs of a top-tier tournament.

Match Prediction

Considering the current form, roster stability, and international experience, T1 are the favorites in the upcoming match. Their experience in bo5 series and victories over stronger opponents give confidence that they will handle Movistar KOI in the bo3. A confident win for the Korean team with a score of 2:0 is expected.

Prediction: Expected score: T1 2:0 Movistar KOI

Odds provided by Stake are current at the time of publication.   

Esports World Cup 2025 takes place from July 16 to 20 in Saudi Arabia, with a prize pool of $2,000,000. You can follow the news, schedule, and results of the tournament here.