That was a clear statement: In today's Grand Final of the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris, Dplus KIA made short work of Karmine Corp. Before their home crowd at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, the French team succumbed 0-3 in the best-of-5 series – three games, three decisive victories for the Koreans. Not a single close game, just three times pure dominance.
Truly bitter for Karmine Corp: The team had literally fought their way through the tournament beforehand. In the quarterfinals, LPL powerhouse AG.AL was taken out, followed by the emotional climax in the semifinals – a 2-1 victory against reigning champions T1, cheered on by their home crowd in Paris. In the end, however, they simply ran out of steam in the final.
Dplus KIA, on the other hand, delivered the biggest surprise of the entire tournament: First, Bilibili Gaming was eliminated from the competition, then they overcame defending champions Gen.G 2-1 in the semifinals, a team that had originally aimed for their third consecutive EWC title. Instead, Dplus KIA now stands at the top, clinching the grand trophy plus a $600,000 winner's bonus. Karmine Corp must settle for second place and $340,000 – with a total prize pool of around $2 million for the entire LoL tournament, it's definitely not a bad consolation prize, but not the longed-for home victory.
Despite the final defeat, a strong signal remains for the European LoL scene: Karmine Corp is now playing at the very top, beating premier teams from both the LPL and LCK. For Dplus KIA, on the other hand, the title is the well-deserved crowning achievement of a tournament week full of underdog moments.
Source: GosuGamers, Inven Global
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