The League of Legends EWC 2026 has reached its conclusion in Paris, with Dplus KIA lifting the trophy after a dominant 3-0 victory over Karmine Corp in the grand final on July 19. The five-day tournament brought together 16 teams from across the world’s major competitive regions.
Dplus KIA Complete a Stunning Run
Dplus KIA entered the knockout stage without carrying the same pre-tournament expectations as teams such as Gen.G or T1. However, the Korean side delivered when it mattered most.
After defeating Bilibili Gaming in the quarterfinals, Dplus KIA eliminated Gen.G 2-1 in the semifinals before sweeping Karmine Corp 3-0 in the final. The result gave Dplus KIA its first major international championship since its previous international success in 2020.
ShowMaker was one of the biggest names in the Dplus KIA lineup, while Smash was named the EWC tournament MVP following the championship victory.
Karmine Corp Make a Historic Run
Karmine Corp became one of the biggest stories of the tournament. The European organization reached the grand final after defeating T1 2-1 in the semifinals, becoming only the second Western team to beat T1 in a best-of-three series.
Although the French organization ultimately fell to Dplus KIA, its run demonstrated that the gap between the established Eastern powerhouses and Europe’s best teams can produce major surprises on the international stage.
T1 and Gen.G Fall Short
Two of Korea’s biggest teams, T1 and Gen.G, were unable to reach the final. T1 lost to Karmine Corp in the semifinals, while Gen.G suffered a 2-1 defeat against Dplus KIA.
That left Dplus KIA to claim the biggest prize on the final day and Karmine Corp as the tournament’s runner-up.
With the League of Legends EWC 2026 now complete, Paris has delivered one of the year’s most surprising international results. Dplus KIA’s championship run, Karmine Corp’s breakthrough and the early exits of T1 and Gen.G will remain among the tournament’s defining storylines.
