T1 and FPX set to open the League of Legends Mid-Season Cup
The full schedule for days one and two of the Mid-Season Cup has been revealed, and the competition will kick off with a match between FunPlus Phoenix and T1.
The LCK spring champion and the currently reigning World Champion are in charge of opening the highly anticipated Mid-Season Cup. On May 28 at 2 AM CST, T1 and FunPlus Phoenix are taking the stage. DAMWON Gaming and Top Esports round out Group A. Day one will feature six matches, with each team playing three games in total.

On day two, JD Gaming, Invictus Gaming, DragonX, and Gen.G are taking the stage. Group B will follow the same format with six matches starting at 2 AM CST, beginning with a clash between LPL Spring champion JDG and LCK runner-up Gen.G. The top two teams from each group advances to semifinals on May 30. Each series in the Knockout Stage will be played as a best-of-five. A champion will be crowned on May 31. Both the semifinals and finals are part of the Mid-Season Streamathon broadcast.

T1 versus FunPlus Phoenix the highlight of the Mid-Season Cup
All eight teams competing in the Mid-Season Cup are in great form, and fans can expect a good show from this squads. However, there’s one match that stands out from the rest: T1 versus FPX. In 2019, fans hoped to watch T1 and FPX play in the World Championship finals. Instead, G2 Esports would end up defeating T1 in semifinals before being cleanly swept by FPX in the final.
This year, the teams are in very different positions. FPX finished the spring split in third place while T1 claimed another LCK title. The spring’s results might affect the outcome of the match, but it won’t be a determining factor.
All eyes are on the mid lane where Kim “Doinb” Tae-sang will meet Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok. But this match won’t be about a one-versus-one test of skill. It will be all about who can roam more effectively to impact the side lanes.
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