The competition in the Chinese region started earlier than in other regions, and now the second round is already underway. Today, two matches from the upper bracket quarterfinals of the VCT 2025: China Kickoff were played, and we’ll share the results with you below.

FunPlus Phoenix vs TEC

The first match featured a clash between FPP and TEC. Although both teams were considered mid-tier based on their season results, FunPlus Phoenix had significantly more experience, both against Chinese and international teams, which proved to be the decisive factor in this match. After a hard-fought battle, FunPlus Phoenix secured a 2-1 victory and advanced to the next stage.

BiliBili Gaming vs XLG Esports

The second match was more intriguing as it pitted one of the regional favorites, BiliBili, against ambitious newcomers XLG. Despite it being XLG's first year competing on the tier-1 scene, their lack of experience didn’t hold them back. They put up a strong fight against the favorites but couldn’t seal the deal. After an intense three-map series, BiliBili emerged victorious with a 2-1 score.

Outcomes:FunPlus Phoenix and BiliBili Gaming advance to the upper bracket semifinals, where they will compete for a spot in the final on January 20. TEC and XLG Esports drop to the lower bracket, where they will soon face elimination matches.

The VCT 2025 China Kickoff is being held from January 11 to 25 in a LAN format at the VCT CN Arena in Shanghai. Twelve partnered teams from the VCT program are competing for two invitations to Masters Bangkok and valuable China Points, which are crucial for qualifying for the World Championship.