Dplus KIA Completes Cinderella Run to Win League of Legends Esports World Cup 2026

Dplus KIA completed one of the biggest surprise runs of the League of Legends Esports World Cup 2026, sweeping Karmine Corp 3-0 in Sunday's Grand Final to secure the organization's first international title since winning the 2020 League of Legends World Championship.

The LCK representatives entered the knockout stage as underdogs but steadily knocked off some of the tournament's biggest contenders. After eliminating Bilibili Gaming in the quarterfinals and ending Gen.G's bid for a third straight Esports World Cup title, Dplus capped its remarkable run with a commanding victory over Karmine Corp. Veteran mid laner Heo "ShowMaker" Su lifted his first international trophy in nearly six years, while ADC Smash was named the Grand Final MVP.

Dplus Overpowers Karmine Corp in the Grand Final

Although both teams arrived in the final after upsetting tournament favorites, Dplus looked in control throughout the best-of-five series.

Game 1 remained competitive during the early stages before ShowMaker's Viktor and Smash's Kai'Sa helped Dplus take control of key objectives. The Korean side slowly extended its advantage before closing out the opener after 31 minutes with a 16-9 kill lead.

The second map followed a similar script. Karmine Corp matched Dplus for much of the early game, but a decisive fight around Baron shifted the momentum entirely in favor of the LCK squad. Dplus capitalized on its advantage, winning consecutive team fights before taking Game 2 with an 18-8 scoreline to move within one victory of the championship.

Any hopes of a comeback disappeared in Game 3. Dplus dominated from the opening minutes, building early leads across the map while Lucid and Siwoo dictated every major objective. Karmine Corp found a handful of mid-game picks but never threatened to overturn the deficit as Dplus closed out the series with a convincing 23-5 victory in just 27 minutes.

Cinderella Run Ends With Long-Awaited International Glory

Dplus' road to the championship was anything but straightforward.

The Korean squad stunned Bilibili Gaming, one of the pre-tournament favorites, before eliminating reigning Esports World Cup champions Gen.G to book its place in the final. Across the bracket, Karmine Corp authored its own Cinderella run by defeating Anyone's Legend (AG.AL) and fan favorite T1, setting up an unexpected championship matchup between two surprise finalists.

The victory ends Dplus' six-year wait for an international title and marks another milestone in ShowMaker's decorated career, reaffirming the organization as one of Korea's premier League of Legends teams.

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Championship Comes Amid Uncertainty Off the Rift

The title also comes during a turbulent period for the organization. Dplus recently confirmed that player salaries across multiple esports divisions had been delayed as it navigates financial issues tied to an ongoing acquisition. While the organization maintained the delays were temporary and communicated to players, the Esports World Cup triumph provides a major boost during an otherwise uncertain chapter.

Dplus walks away from the tournament with the $600,000 first-place prize, while runners-up Karmine Corp earn $340,000 after an impressive run that exceeded expectations.

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