Throughout time we have watched all sorts of LoL Worlds winners. We have watched dynasties form, underdog runs rewrite expectations, and individual players carve out careers that still shape how the game is played today. When you go through each season, you can see how the level of play grew from small stages in 2011 to packed stadiums and millions of viewers. It also helps place every iconic moment in context, whether it is SKT’s dominance, Samsung’s upset in 2017, or the shock run DRX completed in 2022.
You can follow each champion year by year, see how the meta shifted, and revisit the storylines that defined the biggest event League of Legends offers. For anyone who wants the full picture, this timeline brings every Worlds Winners journey together in one place.
| Year | Finals Location | Winner | Runner-up | Score | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Elmia, Jönköping |  Fnatic |  against All authority | 2-1 | Shushei |
| 2012 | Galen Center, Los Angeles |  Taipei Assassins |  Azubu Frost | 3-1 | N/A |
| 2013 | Staples Center, Los Angeles |  SK Telecom T1 |  Royal Club | 3-0 | N/A |
| 2014 | World Cup Stadium, Seoul |  Samsung White | Star Horn Royal Club | 3-1 | Mata |
| 2015 | Mercedes-Benz Arena, Berlin | SK Telecom T1 |  KOO Tigers | 3-1 | MaRin |
| 2016 | Staples Center, Los Angeles | SK Telecom T1 | Samsung Galaxy | 3-2 | Faker |
| 2017 | National Stadium (Bird’s Nest), Beijing | Samsung Galaxy | SK Telecom t1 | 3-0 | Ruler |
| 2018 | Munhak Stadium, Incheon |  Invictus Gaming | Fnatic | 3-0 | Ning |
| 2019 | AccorHotels Arena, Paris |  FunPlus Phoenix |  G2 Esports | 3-0 | Tian |
| 2020 | Pudong Football Stadium, Shanghai |  DAMWON Gaming |  Suning | 3-1 | Canyon |
| 2021 | Laugardalshöll, Reykjavík |  EDward Gaming |  DWG KIA | 3-2 | Scout |
| 2022 | Chase Center, San Francisco |  DRX |  T1 | 3-2 | Kingen |
| 2023 | Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul | T1 |  Weibo Gaming | 3-0 | Zeus |
| 2024 | The O2 Arena, London | T1 |  Bilibili Gaming | 3-2 | Faker |
| 2025 | Dong’an Lake Sports Park Multifunctional Gymnasium, Chengdu | T1 |  KT Rolster | 3-2 | Gumayusi |
Worlds Winners 2011 – Fnatic
The first World Championship took place at DreamHack Summer 2011 in Jönköping, Sweden. Eight teams attended the tournament. Fnatic beat against All authority 2-1 in the final and took home 50,000 dollars.
Fnatic 2011 roster:
- Top: xPeke
- Jungle: Cyanide
- Mid: Shishei
- Carry: LaMiaZeaLot
- Support: Mellisan
Shushei stole the show and earned the event’s MVP. His AP Gragas and forward style set the tone for early mid lane play and carried key fights.
He died on April 28, 2025 at age 36 after a battle with cancer. The news drew tributes across League, from former teammates to Riot staff.
Riot’s Worlds 2025 anthem, “Sacrifice” by G.E.M., closed with a tribute shot of Shushei lifting the cup. It was a brief scene, and it said everything about where the sport began.
Worlds Winners 2012 – Taipei Assassins
Season 2 landed in Los Angeles with a prize pool at $2,000,000 that immediately set a new standard at the time. The final at USC’s Galen Center delivered a legendary moment in early LoL history when Taipei Assassins outplayed Azubu Frost 3-1 and claimed the one million dollar first prize. It showed how quickly the competitive scene was growing and how serious the level of play had become.
Taipei Assassins 2012 roster:
- Top: Stanley
- Jungle: Lilballz
- Mid: Toyz
- Carry: Bebe
- Support: MiSTakE
TPA’s run built momentum quickly. They swept NaJin Sword 2-0 in the quarterfinal, then edged past Moscow Five 2-1 featuring Alex Ich in the semifinal, before closing the final against Frost 3-1.
TPA’s victory mixed clean mid control from Toyz with crisp map play, and it proved that a well-prepared team from outside Korea, China, and Europe could win the biggest stage.
Worlds Winners 2013 – SK Telecom T1
The game had take a huge step forward, when returning to Los Angelas. For three weeks, the city hosted a packed schedule that peaked with a final at a sold out Staples Center. SK Telecom T1 looked unstoppable and swept UZI’s Royal Club 3-0 to claim their first Summoner’s Cup.
SK Telecom T1 2013 roster:
- Top: Impact
- Jungle: Bengi
- Mid: Faker
- Carry: Piglet
- Support: PoohManDu
SKT arrived as Korea’s third seed but clear favorites after winning Champions Summer. At Worlds they dropped only a handful of games and finished with a 15-3 record, closing the final in one sided fashion. Their early game pressure, clean team fighting, and disciplined vision control made the sweep feel inevitable.
Worlds goes arena scale. Playing the final in an NBA arena and drawing over 32 million unique viewers worldwide proved that League’s biggest event could stand alongside traditional sports in scale.
Worlds Winners 2014 – Samsung White
We saw Samsung White turn pure dominance into a championship run during a month long tour through Taipei, Singapore, Busan, and Seoul. They dropped only two games the entire event and closed the tournament with a 3-1 win over Star Horn Royal Club in front of more than 40,000 fans at World Cup Stadium. It remains one of the most controlled Worlds victories ever recorded.
After Samsung White swept Samsung Blue 3–0 in the Worlds 2014 semifinal on October 11, 2014, in Seoul, Bae “dade” Eo‑jin walked across the stage and handed his trademark “General’s Jacket” to Heo “PawN” Won‑seok. It read as respect and a quiet torch pass, the veteran acknowledging the younger mid who had just led White past Blue.
Riot even slipped the jacket into PawN’s championship Talon skin, a small detail that turned a gesture into part of the game’s history.
Worlds Winners 2015 – SK Telecom T1
Europe hosted Worlds in 2015 with matches across Paris, London, Brussels, and a Halloween final in Berlin. SK Telecom T1 beat KOO Tigers 3-1 at Mercedes-Benz Arena and secured their second world title. This gave them the top cut of a 2.13 million dollar prize pool. It marked the point where SKT’s dynasty started to feel untouchable.
Paris, France – Le Dock Pullman
Brussels, Belgium – Brussels Expo
London, United Kingdom – SSE Arena, Wembley
Berlin, Germany – Mercedes-Benz Arena
SK Telecom T1 2015 roster:
- Top: MaRin
- Jungle: Bengi
- Mid: Faker
- Carry: Easyhoon
- Support: Bang
SKT went 15-1 across the entire event, the most dominant Worlds record at that time. SKT became the first team in history to win the Summoner’s Cup twice, which turned their story from a one time run in 2013 into the start of a true dynasty.
Top laner MaRin earned tournament MVP, thanks to his carry play on champions like Renekton, Rumble, and Fiora, even though not many of todays fans know his name.
Worlds Winners 2016 – SK Telecom T1
In 2016 worlds returned back to the U.S. This time it took us on a roadtrip through San Francisco, Chicago, and New York before landing at Staples Center again. SK Telecom T1 and Samsung Galaxy pushed each other to the limit in a tight 3-2 final, and SKT came out on top to defend their title and take a third Summoner’s Cup. The prize pool passed five million dollars, making 2016 the biggest Worlds yet.
SK Telecom T1 2016 roster:
- Top: Duke
- Jungle: Bengi/Blank
- Mid: Faker
- Carry: Bang
- Support: Wolf
Faker anchored the run and finished the tournament as MVP, becoming the first player to collect three world titles and a Worlds MVP on top.
Miss Fortune support was pulled out at Worlds 2016 when ROX Tigers used it into SKT’s Zyra, creating one of the most unexpected bot lane strategies of the event. The pick worked because Miss Fortune directly shuts down Zyra: she outranges her, clears her plants instantly, and forces her into constant danger.
The real power spike came at level 6. Ashe could land an arrow, and Miss Fortune could follow with Bullet Time for near guaranteed kills on the immobile Zyra. Even with low gold, her ultimate added big teamfight damage, making the pick both surprising and perfectly tailored for that matchup.
Worlds Winners 2017 – Samsung Galaxy
China hosted a massive four city tour across Wuhan, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and the Bird’s Nest in Beijing. Samsung Galaxy shocked the field by sweeping SK Telecom T1 3-0 in the final, ending SKT’s hold over the international stage and giving the Samsung organization its second world title.
Samsung Galaxy 2017 roster:
- Top: Cuvee
- Jungle: Ambition
- Mid: Crown
- Carry: Ruler
- Support: CoreJJ
Bot laner Park “Ruler” Jae hyuk earned tournament MVP after starring in the deciding series, and Samsung took the largest share of a prize pool of more than 4.5 million dollars as viewership records climbed past 50 million unique viewers.
Ruler lifting the Summoner’s Cup
Faker’s tears on stage after the loss became one of the defining images of the tournament, a visual marker of the moment Samsung Galaxy ended SKT’s run of world titles and reset the balance of power at the top of League of Legends.
Worlds Winners 2018 – Invictus Gaming
South Korea set the stage for worlds in 2018, but China came out victorious. Invictus Gaming turned the tournament into a breakthrough moment for the LPL. Their 3-0 sweep over Fnatic at Incheon Munhak Stadium ended a five year streak of Korean champions and showed how quickly China had risen in power. IG’s fast paced style left a mark on the meta that lasted long after the trophy ceremony.
Invictus Gaming 2018 roster:
- Top: TheShy/Duke
- Jungle: Ning
- Mid: Rookie
- Carry: JackeyLove
- Support: Baolan
Jungler Ning earned finals MVP after a dominant series that gave IG control from the opening minutes. The tournament carried a prize pool of more than 6 million dollars and drew record viewership, with around 99.6 million unique viewers and a peak of roughly 44 million concurrent during the final.
Worlds 2018 is remembered as the year China finally broke through. IG’s win marked the first time an LPL team lifted the Summoner’s Cup and the first time since 2012 that a non Korean squad won Worlds.
Fnatic entered the final as the hope of a resurgent West after topping their group and destroying EDward Gaming and Cloud9, but IG shut the door in three fast games. The result signaled a power shift, with the LPL taking center stage in League of Legends esports.
Together with 2017, the opening ceremony of Worlds final 2018 is considered to be one of the very best.
Worlds Winners 2019 – FunPlus Phoenix
Europe welcomed Worlds again visiting Berlin, Madrid, Paris at AccorHotels Arena. FunPlus Phoenix ran through G2 Esports with a clean 3-0 sweep to claim their first title and secure a second straight championship for the LPL. It felt like a confirmation of China’s place at the top.
FunPlus Phoenix 2019 roster:
- Top: GimGoon
- Jungle: Tian
- Mid: Doinb
- Carry: Lwx
- Support: Crisp
Tian’s Lee Sin led the way and earned finals MVP, while Lwx went deathless across the entire best of five, one of the cleanest Worlds finals stat lines to date.
The final drew massive numbers, reaching 44 million peak concurrent viewers and an average minute audience of 21.8 million, confirming Worlds as one of the biggest events in esports.
Worlds Winners 2020 – DAMWON Gaming
Shanghai hosted Worlds 2020 under strict COVID rules. With 22 teams from 11 regions, most of the tournament ran inside the Shanghai Media Tech Studio without fans. The lack of crowd noise put a spotlight on every decision and reminded everyone how unusual the year had become.
The final stood out because it was the only match with a live audience. That single shift in atmosphere made the ending feel bigger and gave Worlds 2020 its own personality. It showed how competitive League can adapt while still delivering the kind of moments you watch the event for.
The final then moved to Pudong Football Stadium, where 6,312 spectators watched DAMWON Gaming defeat Suning 3-1 to claim the title.
DAMWON 2020 roster:
- Top: Nuguri
- Jungle: Canyon
- Mid: Showmaker
- Carry: Ghost
- Support: BeryL
DAMWON topped Group B with a 5-1 record. Then they swept DRX 3-0 in the quarterfinals, beat G2 Esports 3-1 in the semifinals, and closed the final 3-1 against Suning. Canyon controlled early games and neutral objectives and earned Finals MVP for his work.
Worlds 2020 was different because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event had to adapt to strict health guidelines, travel limitations, and a near-total absence of live spectators.
Viewership remained incredibly strong throughout the tournament, proving that even during lockdowns and travel restrictions, Worlds continued to be one of the most unifying and watched events in esports.
Worlds Winners 2021 – EDward Gaming
We saw another major shift when COVID restrictions forced Riot to move Worlds from China to Reykjavík. All games played out in a closed studio with no live audience, removing the usual stage energy teams rely on. That silence gave the event a colder tone and turned every match into a direct, pressure heavy test.
The restrictions also kept the VCS out for the second straight year, which left a clear gap in the competition. The whole tournament carried a quieter tone than usual, but teams still delivered a strong level of play despite the circumstances.
Even with these setbacks, Worlds 2021 still delivered a strong competitive run and reached huge global viewership, showing that the tournament could stay successful despite the pandemic’s limitations.
EDward Gaming, the LPL’s first seed from China, beat defending champions DWG KIA 3-2 in the final to claim their first world title and the third Worlds trophy for the region.
Mid laner Scout earned finals MVP.
EDward Gaming 2021 roster:
- Top: Flandre
- Jungle: Jiejie
- Mid: Scout
- Carry: Viper
- Support: Meiko
Worlds Winners 2022 – DRX
Worlds 2022 stretched across Mexico City, New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco, creating a rare four city run. Each stop added its own feel, and the road to the Chase Center final gave the entire tournament a more open and unpredictable flow.
DRX beat T1 3-2 in that final in front of roughly 18,000 fans and a peak audience of about 5.1 million viewers. It was the first international title for the organization, the first time a play in team lifted the Summoner’s Cup, and the first world championship won by an LCK fourth seed.
The event was even featured in the Guinness World Records as the most watched League of Legends event.
A record that was soon beaten.
DRX 2022 roster:
- Top: Kingen
- Jungle: Pyosik
- Mid: Zeka
- Carry: Deft
- Support: BeryL
DRX barely made it to Worlds after squeezing through the LCK regional qualifier, then surprised everyone with a perfect 5-0 start in Play-Ins. They carried that momentum into the main event, topped their group, and pulled off a huge reverse sweep against defending champions EDward Gaming in the quarterfinals.
The miracle run continued with a 3-1 win over LCK summer champs Gen.G, setting up a five game showdown against T1 in the final.
Kingen dominated the series and earned MVP, putting the finishing touch on one of the most unexpected tournament runs the game has ever seen.
Worlds 2022 became the moment Deft chased for almost a decade. He carried the tag of being one of the strongest players to never lift the trophy, and most people thought his window had closed. Then DRX put together a run that felt unreal.
When DRX finally raised the Summoner’s Cup, it wasn’t just another championship win. It closed the chapter on years of heartbreak for Deft and turned his story into one of the most meaningful runs the game has ever seen. It felt like the entire community watched a veteran refuse to let go of his dream, and the payoff became one of the defining memories of Worlds 2022.
The final also delivered one of the rawest moments ever seen at Worlds. Keria, Deft’s former teammate and T1’s support, broke down after the 3-2 defeat. The photo of Faker standing behind him spread quickly and hit hard, because it looked like he was seeing his younger self in Keria’s reaction. Fans connected with that idea immediately, since Faker has lived through the same kind of heartbreak that shapes a player long before trophies do. That single image ended up defining Worlds 2022 and showed how even the greatest names in League of Legends carry their own heavy losses.
Keria devastated after the loss, not knowing what was to come.
Worlds Winners 2023 – T1
South Korea brought Worlds home again with stages in Seoul and Busan and a new combined Play In plus Swiss system. T1 closed the event at Gocheok Sky Dome by sweeping Weibo Gaming 3-0, securing the organization’s fourth title and reminding everyone that their legacy still stands strong.
T1 2023 roster:
- Top: Zeus
- Jungle: Oner
- Mid: Faker
- Carry: Gumayusi
- Support: Keria
Zeus walked away with finals MVP.
T1 finished 3-1 in the Swiss stage, then ran an all LPL gauntlet in the knockout bracket. They beat LNG Esports 3-0 in the quarterfinals, stopped JD Gaming 3-1 in the semifinals, and closed out Weibo’s run with a clean 3-0 in the final.
The series set a new esports record with about 6.4 million peak concurrent viewers worldwide.
Worlds 2023 was framed as T1’s redemption arc and Faker’s homecoming. The same five man roster had lost both MSI and Worlds finals in 2022, then slid during LCK summer 2023 when Faker missed time with a wrist injury, which sparked rumors that this might be their last run together.
Instead, they recovered in time for Worlds, beat every Chinese team they faced in best of fives, and finally lifted the Cup again seven years after T1’s last title. Faker became the first player to win four World Championships, while his younger teammates delivered what many outlets called League’s greatest storyline, breaking the so called Korean finals curse in front of a home crowd in Seoul.
Fakers legendary Shurima shuffle on Ruler
Worlds Winners 2024 – T1
The 2024 edition sent the field back to Europe with matches in Berlin, Paris, and London and a 2.25 million dollar prize pool. T1 survived a tight 3-2 final against Bilibili Gaming at The O2 Arena, defended their title, and became the first team to reach five World Championships.
T1 2024 roster:
- Top: Zeus
- Jungle: Oner
- Mid: Faker
- Carry: Gumayusi
- Support: Keria
The defending champions went 3-1 in the Swiss stage, then swept Top Esports 3-0 in the quarterfinals and beat MSI winners Gen.G 3-1 in the semifinals before coming back from 1-2 down against BLG in the final.
Faker drove key fights in games four and five, earned finals MVP for the second time in his career, and lifted the Summoner’s Cup for a record fifth Worlds title.
It also marked the last dance of the ZOFGK roster, as Zeus left for Hanwha Life Esports soon after
Worlds Winners 2025 – T1
China hosted the 15th Worlds with Play Ins and Swiss in Beijing, knockouts in Shanghai, and a Chengdu final. Seventeen teams played for a five million dollar base prize pool, and the event introduced Fearless Draft for the first time at a World Championship. It gave the entire tournament a fresh strategic layer and made 2025 stand out immediately.
Fearless draft explained
In the final, T1 beat KT Rolster 3-2 in a full best of five, an all Korean Telecom War on the biggest stage. The win gave T1 a record sixth World Championship and made them the first team ever to claim three straight Worlds titles, with Gumayusi taking finals MVP.
T1 played Worlds 2025 with a slightly new look. Zeus had departed after the 2024 season, so Choi “Doran” Hyeon joined the linup of defending champions. The core of Oner, Faker, Gumayusi, and Keria stayed together for a fourth straight Worlds final, while the broader T1 record book added a first ever three peat.
T1 2025 roster:
- Top: Doran
- Jungle: Oner
- Mid: Faker
- Carry: Gumayusi
- Support: Keria
If you want a full history of regional and international champions, you can look through our overviews of LCK Winners, LPL Winners, LEC Winners, LCS Winners, CBLOL Winners, MSI Winners, First Stand Winners, and EWC Winners.
FAQ: LoL Worlds winners throughout the years
Who is the most successful LoL Worlds Winners of all time?
T1 holds that spot with six championships. Their three title run from 2023 to 2025 pushed their legacy far beyond any other team in League of Legends history.
Which player is considered the most iconic LoL Worlds Winner?
Faker leads that conversation. He has four world titles, two Finals MVPs, and more deep runs than any other player who has ever touched the stage.
What is the biggest underdog run at Worlds?
DRX’s run in 2022 stays unmatched. They reached Worlds through the regional qualifier, started in Play Ins, and still beat the defending champions T1 to lift the trophy.
When did the LPL finally break Korea’s streak?
Invictus Gaming did it in 2018 with a clean 3-0 over Fnatic. That moment opened a run where China became the region to beat.
Which Worlds final had the highest viewership?
Worlds 2023 set the peak record at roughly 6.4 million concurrent viewers during T1’s win against Weibo Gaming.
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