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DN SOOPers Shock Korea to Win the KeSPA Cup 2026
18 Aug, 2026, 14:42
|Last updated: 18 Aug, 2026, 14:42
Before the start of the tournament, no one would have pictured them lifting the trophy. And yet, after a remarkable run of form over this past month, DN SOOPers can be proud to call themselves champions of the 2026 KeSPA Cup.
The SOOPers Are Nongshim's Fathers
In the Grand Finals of the 2026 KeSPA Cup, DN SOOPers proved yet again that Nongshim RedForce are no match for them. Though the series did have moments where it looked like NS might have something to say about the result, DN never left the door open long enough for their rivals to punch back.
For all of the talent on this Nongshim RedForce roster — including two former World Champions in Lee "Scout" Ye-chan and Hwang "Kingen" Seong-hoon — the team looked completely outclassed in the finals, leading DN SOOPers to secure the win with a statement clean sweep.
What hurts even more for NS, though, is the fact that they have now lost three matches to DN over the course of just 10 days. Three direct matches and a 7-1 game record over Nongshim across less than two weeks simply leaves no room for doubt as to the current form of this DN SOOPers squad.
DN SOOPers Rise, Rise, Rise
With teams as stacked as with proven talent as T1, Hanwha Life Esports, and Gen.G in South Korea, DN SOOPers coming away with the KeSPA Cup trophy may seem rather surprising.
The truth is that while DN did play against all of these teams throughout the tournament, they only played against the academy teams of T1 and HLE in the playoffs; although DN did sweep the main Gen.G squad 2-0 to get to the playoffs in the first place.
No matter who they played against, though, there's no denying that this DN SOOPers squad is on the rise. Despite sitting in last place of the Rise Group in the LCK 2026 Season, the team is currently on an eight-match win streak across all competitions (with an outstanding 19-3 game record in the process).
After an atrocious first half of the year for the team, the arrival of 18-year-old Jungler Kim "Sharvel" Dan-woo just two months ago became a real turning point for DN SOOPers. With a surprise trophy now under their belts, this squad is living proof that it is never too late to save your season.
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Featured image credit: KeSPA
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