HLE defeat CFO 2:0 and advance to the Knockout Stage at Worlds 2025

The first match of Worlds 2025 Swiss Stage Round 4 featured CTBC Flying Oysters vs Hanwha Life Esports. It was expected to be an exciting showdown — HLE are a powerhouse from the LCK, while CFO are known for their ability to surprise even the strongest teams in the world. So, let’s take a look at how it all unfolded.

Game 1 Picks:

• CTBC Flying Oysters: K`Sante, Xin Zhao, Orianna, Ezreal, Nami
• Hanwha Life Esports: Rumble, Jarvan IV, Azir, Yunara, Rakan

Game 2 Picks:

• CTBC Flying Oysters: Renekton, Trundle, Ryze, Ziggs, Leona
• Hanwha Life Esports: Rek`Sai, Vi, Taliyah, Caitlyn, Alistar

The first map was incredibly close, with HLE holding a slight advantage in the late game largely thanks to Zeka in the mid lane, who secured a significant number of kills. CFO constantly pressured HLE, forcing fights and often coming out on top. However, as the game transitioned into the late stage — an area where HLE truly excel — everything came down to a single teamfight around Baron. CFO were slightly out of position, and HLE capitalized perfectly, winning the fight and closing out the game.

The second map was incredibly tense, with CFO putting heavy pressure on HLE from the very first minutes. Everything seemed to be going well for them — solid objective control, well-coordinated teamfights, and great map movements. However, once the game reached the late stage, HLE once again made excellent decisions. Their draft allowed them to effectively target and control CFO’s backline, bypassing the frontline entirely. Each time, Doggo was the first to fall at the start of the fight, and without him, CFO simply lacked the damage to win teamfights.

This victory gives HLE their third point and secures their spot in the Worlds 2025 Knockout Stage. CFO drop to a 2–2 score and will face an elimination match tomorrow.

Reminder: The second week of the Worlds 2025 Swiss Stage runs from October 22–25. Teams that secure three wins advance to the Knockout Stage, while those with three losses are eliminated. Elimination and advancement matches are played in a Best-of-Three format with the Fearless Draft system.