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We continue to watch the regional battles of League of Legends in the 2025 season. It has reached China, where the playoff stage is getting ready to start.
The LPL 2025 Split 2 Knockout Stage (that's what the playoffs are called here) will feature 8 teams, including TOP Esports and FunPlus Phoenix. They will fight for 2 tickets to MSI 2025 and Esports World Cup 2025.
Let's try to figure out which of the TOP Esports - FunPlus Phoenix pair will be stronger and advance to the next round, and which will have to continue their journey through the playoffs in the lower bracket.
Let's go.
TOP Esports Uniform
We open the analysis of the match TOP Esports – FunPlus Phoenix with an analysis of the game form of TES. In this match, they play as favorites with a coefficient of victory in the region of 1.1.
In 2022, Top Esports took the TOP-2 in their home league twice, and then competed at Worlds 2022, where they took the TOP-10. The situation is slightly worse in the new season: they took the TOP-7 in LPL Spring 2023, managing to get to the playoffs, but not winning a single game there.
- Tes Esports roster: 369, Kanavi, Creme, JackeyLove, Crisp.
The group stage was pleasant for TOP Esports, but far from perfect. TES shared the regular season Top 4 with LNG, winning the series with a score of 12-4.
In their first playoff match, TES faced serious resistance from EDG. TES narrowly beat their opponents 3-2.
TES fell to the lower bracket after a clash with Bilibili Gaming. That match ended with a 3-1 victory for the latter. The bad luck continued in the lower bracket of LPL Summer 2023. In the match for life at the tournament, TES met LNG Esports, tried to put up a fight, but were powerless, lost with a score of 1-3 and left the tournament in 4th place.
Later, TES played in the LPL Regional Finals 2023, where they tried to get to Worlds. Again, they fell just short: TES lost to WBG with a score of 2-3, thereby losing their chances of getting to Worlds 2023.
TES also had NEST 2023, where TES did not make it out of the group, finishing with a score of 2-1. The group stage of Demacia Cup 2023 was pretty easy for TOP Esports: they did not lose a single match in Group D and easily advanced to the main stage. However, once in the playoffs, the same ease was not seen for TES: TOP Esports lost in the very first match of the playoffs, losing to JDG with a score of 2-3, which is not so bad, considering the general condition of the teams during the last season.
TOP Esports had a very good LPL Spring 2024 regular season: the team played the season 13-3, thereby advancing straight to the Double-Elimination stage. In their first round of the playoffs, TES played against JD Gaming and easily crushed them with a score of 3-0. Next came BLG in the match for reaching the playoffs, and there was a real drama with a 3-2 victory in favor of Bilibili Gaming. In the match for reaching the LPL Spring 2024 grand final, TES played against JD Gaming and beat them for the second time.
In the LPL Spring 2024 Grand Final, TOP Esports played against Bilibili Gaming and lost with a score of 1-3.
In the first match of the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2024, Top Esports easily beat LOUD with a score of 2-0. In the match for the Bracket Stage, TES played against Fnatic, where they won with a score of 2-1. They debuted at the Bracket Stage with a confident victory over Liquid (3-0). Then there was a defeat to Gen.G, and then - elimination from G2 Esports and, as a result, the TOP-6.
TOP Esports also played at the Esports World Cup 2024, where they reached the grand finals but lost to T1.
TES advanced to Worlds 2024 from third place in LPL Summer 2024, where they lost to WBG. The World Championship itself started with a victory over the current world champions T1. Then there was a loss to Gen.G, and then a confident victory over Fnatic. They advanced to the playoffs after a victory over DPlus KIA. Things didn't go well in the Worlds 2024 playoffs: a 0-3 loss to T1 and elimination to the TOP-8.
The 2025 season started with the group stage of LPL Split 1, where they played in Basket A with a score of 2-1. Having reached the playoffs, they started from the first round of the lower bracket against a rather lively Invictus Gaming and won with a score of 3-1. The next match against NiP also ended in favor of TES with a score of 3-1. In the final of the lower bracket, TES beat another top opponent - JDG - closing the series with a score of 3-1. Having advanced to the grand final, TES confirmed their status as one of the strongest teams in China, defeating AL with a score of 3-1.
After winning LPL 2025 Split 1, TOP Esports attended First Stand 2025, the first international tournament of the season. There, they played what is called terribly, finishing in the top 4.
LPL 2025 Split 2 played as expected: they made it to the playoffs.
Top Esports Most Popular Champions
The most popular top lane picks remain KSante (7 matches, 85% win rate) and Renekton (5 matches, 80% win rate), followed by Sion (3 matches, 66% win rate) and Darius (2 matches, 100% win rate).
In the jungle, the ubiquitous Sejuani (9 matches, 77% wins), Vi (4 matches, 75% wins), Maokai (4 games, 100% wins) are present.
Jayce appears in mid most often (6 games, 100% wins), followed by Azir (4 matches, 75% wins), Akali (3 matches, 66% wins), Sylas (3 matches, 33% wins).
TES has a standard set of marksmen: Lucian (6 matches, 66% win rate), Varus (4 matches, 100% win rate), Sivir (3 matches, 33% win rate). There is also Draven (3 matches, 66% win rate) and Jhin (3 matches, 66% win rate).
Support pool: Nami (6 matches, 66% win rate), Yuumi (4 matches, 75% win rate), Nautilus (4 matches, 75% win rate), Heimerdinger (4 games, 100% win rate).
FunPlus Phoenix Form
We continue our analysis of the FunPlus Phoenix – TES match with an analysis of FunPlus Phoenix’s game form. In this match, they are playing as a clear underdog with a win odds of around 6.
Since their triumph at Worlds 2019, FPX have been unable to return to the podium. There was an attempt in 2021, when FPX reached Worlds 2021, but then - sadness.
FPX's last result was TOP-15 at LPL Spring 2023. They played the group stage of the spring split lousy: 4-12 and the situation is not much better now.
- FPX composition: Sheer, Shad0w, Care, Assum, Jwei.
There were no major changes at the start of the tournament. There were personnel decisions regarding management, but this does not affect the results.
Nothing has helped FPX improve their performance since LPL Spring. In the summer split, the “phoenixes” are in 14th place with a score of 4-10. It may improve, but they are not destined to get to the playoffs. In general, this is what happened: FPX did not make it to the LPL Summer 2023 playoffs, but in fairness, they were able to reach 11th place in the group, which is not so bad in principle.
Before Demacia Cup 2023, FPX visited NEST 2023, where the team traditionally plays well. This time they took the TOP-4. Demacia Cup 2023 itself ended much more sadly for FPX: the club played with a score of 2-2 in the group stage, which was subsequently not enough to reach the playoffs. As a result - TOP-16.
Things were very different in LPL Spring 2024. FPX were convincing in most of their matches, which ultimately allowed them to go 11-5 and finish top 4 in the regular season in such a competitive region.
At LPL Summer 2024, FunPlus Phoenix started from the TOP-2 in Group A, playing there with a score of 3-3. In the Rumble Stage, the team played in the TOP-7, finishing Ascend Group with a score of 3-5, which allowed them to directly advance to the playoffs. However, they failed to jump above their heads: the final TOP-8 put an end to their chances of reaching international tournaments.
FunPlus Phoenix started the 2025 season with a terrible performance in LPL 2025 Split 1, where they finished in the top 12. Things went much better in LPL 2025 Split 2, where they made it to the playoffs after several circles of hell (such is the group system in the LPL).
FunPlus Phoenix's Most Popular Champions
The most frequently included in the top are KSante (6 matches, 33% wins), Gwen (5 games, 0% wins), Jax (2 matches, 100% wins).
In Jungle they take Vi (3 matches, 0% wins), Maokai (2 matches, 100% wins), Lee Sin (1 match, 0% wins), Wukong (1 match, 0% wins).
The mid lane is occupied by Kassadin (3 matches, 100% wins), Akali (2 matches, 0% wins), Syndra (2 games, 50% wins).
On the shooters, the hackneyed Zeri (5 games, 40% wins), Sivir (3 games, 33% wins), Lucian (2 matches, 50% wins).
When picking Zeri and Sivir, Yuumi is also a must-have. The magical cat has appeared in picks 8 times and has a 37% win rate.
History of personal meetings FunPlus Phoenix – TOP Esports
In the 2025 season, the teams played each other 4 times. FPX have not won even once.
Predicted result of the match TOP Esports vs FunPlus Phoenix in LPL 2 Split 2025
I don't expect any revelations in this match. TES is a class above, and the history of personal meetings shows a clear advantage of Top Esports over FunPlus Phoenix.
Result: Top Esports wins 3-1.
