T1 was just one loss away from missing out on Worlds 2024, having missed several opportunities to qualify. Although they have secured their spot in the international competition, their journey raises questions about their ability to defend their title effectively.
Finishing in third place in the LCK Summer Split, their performance did not inspire confidence. They faced back-to-back one-sided losses against Hanwha Life Esports, subsequently losing to DPlus KIA in the Regional Finals, and barely won the final game against KT. T1 nearly didn’t make it.
Nevertheless, they have officially qualified for Worlds 2024.
TICKET TO #WORLDS2024 LOCKED🔒@T1LoL win in game 5 to take the #LCK 4th seed! pic.twitter.com/FhFNw36mIk
— LCK (@LCK) September 14, 2024
The relief was palpable not only among team members but also among their extensive fan base and likely Riot Games, who understand the significant viewership this team generates.
According to Esports Charts, the viewership for T1 vs KT surpassed the grand final’s peak by a narrow margin, hitting 1.69 million compared to 1.62 million for Gen.G vs HLE.
This marks Faker’s ninth career Worlds qualification, maintaining an impressive record of never finishing below fourth place. The expectations for this team remain sky-high, as merely qualifying was the minimum requirement.
Upon their victory, the team showed that they were not celebrating, but rather just relieved.
SIGHS OF RELIEF FROM #T1 pic.twitter.com/32dBsRSxbP
— jade jade🐰 (@jadetokky) September 14, 2024
With three other strong LCK teams also attending the event, alongside formidable squads from the LPL and Team Liquid—a team that previously secured a match victory over T1 at the EWC—the competition is set to be fierce for T1.
Now that T1 has secured their Worlds spot, all 20 slots are filled, making them the very last team to qualify. They couldn’t have cut it any closer.
With the tournament starting in less than two weeks, T1 has limited time to refine their strategies and elevate their performance to the necessary level for another title run. However, considering DRX’s win at Worlds 2022, nothing is indeed impossible.
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