The last Western team standing at the Esports World Cup 2026, Karmine Corp delivered a stunning upset on July 18 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, defeating T1 2-1 in the tournament's first semifinal. Backed by a roaring home crowd, the French organization claimed its first-ever competitive win over the three-time world champions, having lost their two previous meetings.
A comeback story against T1
T1 opened the series in strong fashion, taking game one on the back of sharper macro play and tighter objective control. Karmine Corp answered immediately in game two, with their bot lane completely dismantling T1's despite getting little help from the jungle. In the decisive third game, a Baron fight that initially looked to favor the Koreans swung entirely in KC's favor, sealing a historic trip to the grand final.
DPlus KIA joins KC after eliminating Bilibili Gaming
In the second semifinal, DPlus KIA punched their own ticket to the final by beating First Stand 2026 champions Bilibili Gaming 2-1. Both finalists meet on July 19 in Paris for a best-of-five grand final, with the EWC 2026 title and the largest share of the $2,000,000 prize pool on the line — including $600,000 for the winner.
Riding a wave of home support, Karmine Corp will look to become the first French team to win a major international League of Legends tournament, facing a DPlus KIA side that remains undefeated since the start of the playoffs.