The first edition of the First Stand kicks off on Monday, March 10, at 9 AM CET / 1 AM PST with Team Liquid facing Karmine Corp in the opening match, followed by Hanwha Life Esports against Top Esports. The competition features the four teams mentioned above, along with CTBC Flying Oyster, who will compete the following day against KC. Here are our traditional Sheep Esports’ Power Rankings for the five teams competing in the First Stand 2025 in which each member of our editorial team had the opportunity to contribute, and we have calculated the average placement for each team to provide you with a comprehensive overview.

1. Hanwha Life Esports (1.2)

After a successful end to 2024 in the LCK during the Summer Split and a less convincing performance at Worlds, HLE made an upgrade during the off-season by recruiting World Champion toplaner Choi "Zeus" Woo-je. The LCK Cup went very well, with HLE beating all the top LCK teams to qualify for the First Stand. Zeus is currently the best toplaner in the world by far and should be superior to all the toplaners present at the First Stand. The botlane is also well above the rest, with Park "Viper" Do-hyeon and Yoo "Delight" Hwan-joong, ensuring HLE has a stable and dominant lane.

However, it's in the midlane and jungle where Hanwha seems slightly below Top Esports. Han "Peanut" Wang-ho isn't as convincing as Seo "Kanavi" Jin-hyeok, and Lin "Creme" Jian's level in the LPL this year is higher than Kim "Zeka" Geon-woo's. While HLE is favored to win the First Stand, they will still have to fight hard to secure the organization's first international trophy.

- Ilyas Marchoude

2. Top Esports (2.0)

Top Esports are naturally in second place, widely expected to be a strong title contender in this first edition of the First Stand. As champions of the world's second most competitive league, the LPL, they completely transformed during the last offseason, crushing all title contenders in Split 1 which includes BiliBili Gaming. This dominance is largely thanks to their mid/jungle duo, Kanavi and Creme. Given their impressive synergy and ability to take over games, they could be considered one of—if not the best—mid/jungle pairs in the competition and the world.

All the other players on the team are ranked second in our tier list. The unshakable Bai "369" Jia-Hao remains a pillar, but they can also rely on their second carry in the bot lane, Yu "JackeyLove" Wen-Bo, to dominate teamfights with his DPS when needed. His new partnership with Liu "Crisp" Qing-Song has also been exceptional in lane. Together, they helped TES secure its second LPL title in history since Summer 2020, and they might lead the team to its first international trophy.

- Clément Chocat

3. Karmine Corp (2.9)

Karmine Corp’s disruptive nature is well known, and by now, everyone knows their story. Rising from LFL Div2, they are now European champions, ending G2’s dynasty and proudly representing Europe in their first international tournament. While they are logically placed third in our team tier list, it’s hard to tell whether the expectations and hype surrounding them could fuel them to potentially upset TES and HLE, the clear favorites of the tournament.

Their dark horse status is largely thanks to their toplaner, Kim "Canna" Chang-dong, who returns to South Korea with a newfound reputation as a top lane predator. It’s also due to their jungler, Martin "Yike" Sundelin, who is making his fifth consecutive international appearance, solidifying himself as Europe’s best jungler, and their midlaner, Vladimiros "Vladi" Kourtidis, who made a lasting impression in the LEC grand final by bringing Caps—Europe’s most iconic player—to his knees.

However, our editorial team remains more reserved about their botlane, with only one player not ranked third in his position: Caliste "Caliste" Henry-Hennebert. This is mainly because Sean "Yeon" Sung dominated his role in his region. Despite what could be considered one of the best splits of his career, Raphaël "Targamas" Crabbé is also in a close contest with Jo "CoreJJ" Yong-in, highlighting that TL’s botlane could be a real threat. It’s now up to KC’s duo lane to prove straight through their opening match this Monday they can shift the balance of power in their favor.

- Clément Chocat

4. Team Liquid (4.0)

After a strong showing in the LCS Summer 2024 but a disappointing final outcome, Team Liquid suffered a heartbreaking loss to FlyQuest in the grand final before being eliminated by the same team in the Swiss Stage of Worlds. Despite these setbacks, TL stuck with their roster for 2025 and bounced back by securing the first-ever LTA title with a dominant 3-0 sweep over 100 Thieves in the final. While Team Liquid may not be among the favorites for First Stand, they have experience on their side as the oldest team in the competition, with an average age of 26 years and 270 days. They also hold the record for the most international appearances among the five teams, having competed in nine global events.

If Team Liquid performs at First Stand, it will likely be thanks to their botlane, Yeon and CoreJJ. The duo is by far the team's strongest point, especially the American AD carry, who dominated his counterparts in LTA. Jeong "Impact" Eon-young will face a tough challenge given the high level of toplaners at the event. Um "UmTi" Sung-hyeon remains the biggest question mark for TL, with our editors even considering him the weakest jungler at First Stand, as Yu "JunJia" Chun-Chia edges ahead with strong performances in LCP. As always, Eain "APA" Stearns will force bans on Ziggs or Aurelion Sol and add his usual flair to the in-game chat. The team will need to surprise, but still ranks ahead of CFO. Their adaptability remains a question, having played only one BO5 throughout the split.

- Ilyas Marchoude

5. CTBC Flying Oyster (4.9)

CFO might not be entering the First Stand as clear favorites, but underestimating them would be a mistake. Their six-man roster offers flexibility, with Shen "Driver" Tsung-Hua and Hsu "Rest" Shih-Chieh rotating in the top lane with two widely different champion pools, which could be a huge asset with fearless drafts, while JunJia, their leader and best player, dominates the jungle with his very high-carry potential. Tsai "HongQ" Ming-Hong, their 17-year-old rookie midlaner, proved his talent by outplaying veterans in the LCP finals, making CFO’s mid-jungle duo unpredictable and capable of shaking up expectations. Their botlane featuring Chiu "Doggo" Tzu-Chuan and Ling "Kaiwing" Kai Wing reunites a duo that already appeared internationally during MSI 2021, reaching semifinals with PSG Talon. Doggo's aggressive playstyle makes him a serious threat.

Also, CFO enters the event in strong form, only losing a single BO3 through the whole split, and defeating Talon in the grand final, who were legitimately seen as the clear number one team in the region before the split started. With experienced veterans, rising local stars and strategic versatility, CFO won't be an easy opponent. Western team underestimating them could find themselves in trouble—this team has the potential to pull off major upsets.

- Clément Chocat