The MSI is approaching, with the Play-In stage starting on 27 June and the Bracket stage on 1 July. It’s the perfect opportunity to take a look at the forces involved in this second international competition on Riot Games’ League of Legends competitive calendar. Here are Hotspawn’s MSI Power Rankings.
MSI 2025 Power Rankings
1. Gen.G – Near Perfection, again
Gen.G are looking like the heavy favourites coming into this MSI. Not only did they stomp the best league in the world (18-0, only 5 games dropped in the first half of the season), they’re also the competition’s title holder. Even if they are not perfect, they are undoubtedly the team that comes closest to being so, with Chovy in particular never ceasing to personify perfection. But there are a reason why they are not quite there yet.
Photo Credit: LCK
Mainly, the botlane. While the topside has been imperial, the botlane hasn’t always shown the best signs. Often punished in the 2v2, Ruler seems far from his individual standards of 2023. Duro, meanwhile, is growing in confidence, but this will be his first international experience… A baptism of fire when you’re part of a team that would only be satisfied with the final victory. Will GEN’s struggles against HLE in the Road To MSI be the first sign of a downturn or will they meet the expectations as the #1 of the MSI Power Rankings?
2. T1 – DOFGK On The Rise
The second LCK representatives are the reigning Worlds champions. And unlike Gen.G, T1 seemed to struggle to find their own identity and their feet on the meta during the regular season. This was mainly due to the soap opera Gumayusi-Smash, which inevitably had a negative impact on the team. But also to a Doran far from filling the void left by his predecessor, and a Keria losing steam.
Photo Credit: LCK
As if to symbolise their rebirth, it was these two who sounded the revolt of the five-time world champions in the Road To MSI. T1 stopped KT Rolster in their tracks before sweeping HLE, the same team that had had three match points to defeat the invincible Gen.G. Faker and his team again waited for the best moment to wake up, raising expectations in their favour… If LoL’s recent history has taught us anything, it’s to never count T1 out before an international competition.
3. Anyone’s Legend – A breath of fresh air in the LPL
For anyone unfamiliar with the LPL in 2025, seeing an unknown name such as Anyone’s Legend above Bilibili Gaming would come as a surprise. AL is also the most consistent Chinese team this year, as Fearless Draft is particularly suited to their style and the limitless creativity of their illustrious coach Tabe.
Photo Credit: LPL
Tarzan won his first title after seven finals, more than deserved for the jungler who was even awarded FMVP. It will also be an opportunity to finally see Shanks perform internationally, a blessing for any LPL fan who knows his potential. If the Chinese league is struggling to perform on the international stage against South Korea, perhaps this kind of breath of fresh air was necessary to reach new heights.
4. Bilibili Gaming – Three Revenges To Take
On the other hand, BLG are not coming in with the same momentum as last year. In Split 1, they were knocked out of the playoffs fairly early on before making further changes in the jungle with the arrival of Beichuan. While the newcomer got off to a good start — thanks in particular to much better synergy with Knight — he soon seemed to lose steam in playoffs.
Photo Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
Too often overplaying his hand, he cost BLG many victories. He risks being a burden for his team against such a strong array of junglers – surely one of the best palettes we have had in an international competition. The same goes for the botlane, which was far from its best on this split, although it is well known that international competitions are Elk and ON’s favourite playgrounds. After so many corrections inflicted by the LCK, it’s time to show that BLG has learned the lessons.
5. Movistar KOI – The West’s best hope?
Photo Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games
MKOI might be the West’s best hope at MSI. Firstly, because the competition seems to be much tougher in the LEC — with at least 4 teams contesting the top — than in NA overall. But also because each player raised his individual level of play to climb from the top 4 to the championship title in a single split.
The Spanish team had to beat the title favourites Karmine Corp twice in playoffs to lift the trophy, showing the full extent of their spirit and ability to clutch decisive games. They’ll need to keep up the momentum and their lane swaps’ science, which could even surprise the very best, if they are to live up to expectations.
6. Fly Quest – Can they once again shake the best?
Image Credit: Riot Games
FlyQuest left a lasting impression in last year’s Worlds quarter-finals, shaking the LCK giants (2-3 against Gen.G). The strength of this team lies in their creativity in the draft, and last year they learned that this can also be a threat to the best teams in the world.
In a Fearless format, they could well be the team that causes the most problems to the Asian powerhouses. With an Inspired more than capable of looking the best junglers in the eye and two illustrious carries who have gained more experience after their rookie year in 2024, the LTA North champion remains a contender capable of holding its own against the top five of the MSI Power Rankings.
7. CTBC Flying Oyster – Still Standing
Image Credit: Moon Suwon/Riot Games
The only First Stand team still standing in the second international of the year. Unlike their counterparts in the first split of 2025, CFO retained their crown in the second. Despite getting off to a flying start – 7-0 in the regular season – the Flying Oysters struggled in the playoffs, barely defeating GAM in the final.
Their strength are clear: a talented 17-year-old rookie midlaner in HongQ, the complementarity of their two toplaners, and the experience of their jungler Junjia. That said, their real shining point was the bot lane, as Kaiwing and Doggo are often a win condition for their team. They undoubtedly hold the key to CFO’s success.
8. G2 Esports – Upside Down
G2 was the first team to lock in MSI qualification. Photo Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games
For the first time in their history, the Samurai are arriving at an international event with the status of Little Thumbs. G2 Esports lost for the second time this year in the LEC final, going out on a limb with another heavy defeat (1-3) against those they were supposed to beat on paper. The team has simply lost its way. Labrov is far too inconsistent, Caps is struggling to find his place in the meta, BrokenBlade’s creativity is no longer as successful, and SkewMond is too predictable. But what is lacking in this team and propelling them to the bottom of our MSI Power Rankings is their teamfighting. It is an indelible feature of season 15, and it should be hard to break away from it at MSI.
9. GAM Esports – Vietnam’s glory
Photo Credit: GAM Esports/LCP
Vietnam’s most successful team returns for the MSI after a dry spell during their first split in the LCP. Where some might have expected the meeting of the Asian leagues to hit Vietnam, the country’s main strength stands strong after making a few adjustments, notably to the AD Carry position with Artemis taking over Easylove’s spot. But the main reason why this team reached the final, in addition to upsetting CFO (2-3), lies on the topside. With Kiaya prioritised both on the map and in the draft — to keep him comfortable — the team’s main focus is on him in general. He is well supported by veteran Levi, who will be a major asset in this MSI thanks to his experience. It’s hard to see them making it out of play-ins, though it will be interesting to see how they measure up against the top #2 seeds.
10. Furia – Take as much experience as you can
Credit: Riot Games
For FURIA, the situation is delicate. First, they were not expected at this MSI: although they seemed to have settled into second place in the LTA Sul, paiN Gaming had beaten them twice in play-ins and in the upper Bracket. However, FUR ended up defeating them in the best possible way in the Grand Final, with a dominant 3-0 victory. With the exception of Jojo and Guigo, all the other players in this team will be making their first appearance at an international tournament. They’ll have to have an in-form top laner, because like GAM, this is a team that’s very much focused on enabling its toplaner. But I think they’ll be there primarily to gain experience, and I can’t see them holding off GAM or G2 in play-ins.
Ethan is an esports fanatic — not a Fnatic fan, don’t get him wrong. He previously worked for a French media outlet called Eclypsia, as well as Sheep Esports, for whom he covered a variety of scenes: from FC 24, R6, and RL to CS:GO, VAL, and more. But the main reason Ethan started writing in esports was to have the opportunity to work fully on his one true love: League of Legends. And that’s precisely what he is doing at Hotspawn. Be warned, his articles can sometimes ooze a little too much of his lack of objectivity towards the French scene and players…
