League of Legends at EWC 26 winners: Dplus KIA claim first Esports World Cup title

The Korean side arrived at EWC 26 with few expecting them to challenge for the trophy after an inconsistent MSI campaign, but they produced a remarkable run through the bracket, eliminating tournament favourites T1, Gen.G and Hanwha Life Esports before comfortably dispatching Karmine Corp in the Grand Final.

For Karmine Corp, the defeat brought an end to a memorable tournament in front of a passionate French crowd, having also exceeded expectations to reach the final after knocking out Bilibili Gaming.

Dplus KIA overpower Karmine Corp

Despite the partisan atmosphere inside the arena, Dplus KIA were in control from the opening game.

Superior laning, objective control and disciplined team fighting allowed the LCK representatives to dictate every map, never allowing Karmine Corp the momentum needed to ignite the home support.

The gulf between the two sides was clearest in Game 3, where Dplus KIA built a 10,000-gold advantage in just 24 minutes before closing out the sweep and securing the organisation's first Esports World Cup championship.

Bot laner Smash was named Sony MVP after starring throughout the series, finishing with an 8.1 KDA, 69.8% kill participation, 836 damage per minute and 28.4% of his team's total damage.

Dplus KIA secure Club Championship points

Victory earns Dplus KIA $600,000 and 1,000 Club Championship points, although the Korean organisation will not add to that tally later in the summer as League of Legends is its only title at EWC 26.

Karmine Corp receive 750 points and still have the opportunity to strengthen their Club Championship challenge when Rocket League begins later in the tournament.

Watch the Esports World Cup for free on DAZN

Fans can watch the Esports World Cup 2026 live and for free on DAZN throughout the seven-week competition.

This is available on the DAZN app across a wide range of devices, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and gaming consoles, or watch through any web browser at DAZN.com.

Coverage is available globally, excluding China, South Korea, the CIS region, Ukraine, Malaysia, Hungary and Finland. Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 are also unavailable in Peru.

To watch live follow these steps:

• Download the DAZN app on your preferred device or visit DAZN.com.
• Sign up for a free DAZN account, or log in if you already have one.
• Search for Esports World Cup or browse the esports section.
• Select the tournament you want to watch and start streaming live.