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Dplus KIA Dominate Karmine Corp in Paris to Win the Esports World Cup 2026
19 Jul, 2026, 16:58
|Last updated: 19 Jul, 2026, 16:58
It's been a long time coming, but Heo "ShowMaker" Su and Dplus KIA have finally risen to the top of the League of Legends esports scene once more. The Korean side ran right through Karmine Corp in the Grand Finals of the Esports World Cup 2026, sweeping the Frenchmen in front of their home crowd in Paris.
Dplus KIA Arrive Out of Nowhere
It's been almost 5 years since the last time Dplus KIA (then called DAMWON GAMING) got their hands on a trophy. In fact, strictly under the Dplus KIA name, this is the very first title this team has earned for itself. And potentially their last, too, as the organization is in the process of selling the club.
The most impressive part, though, is that this title came seemingly out of nowhere. Dplus KIA finished in 5th place at the LCK 2026 Season Rounds 1-2, but despite not ranking among the top 4 teams in their own region coming into EWC, the squad landed at their first international tournament of the year and ran right through the competition.
And it was no easy feat, either. To get to the Grand Finals, DK took down the Kings of the LEC in G2 Esports, arguably the best team in the world, in Bilibili Gaming, and the South Korean titans of Gen.G, in that order. And then there was Karmine Corp.
The French side looked fueled by the fact that they were playing on home soil all tournament long. That is, until DK showed up. The champions never let their foot off the gas in the series, looking well in control of every single game throughout the finals, handing KC a swift 3-0 to secure the title and perhaps alleviate some of the organization's recent financial struggles in the process.
DK Smash Lives Up to His Name
ShowMaker may be the heart and soul of this team, but Shin "Smash" Geum-jae was far and away the most impressive member of Dplus KIA during their run at EWC. After finishing the tournament with a ridiculous KDA of 8.57, the DK ADC was named the EWC 2026 League of Legends MVP.
Something's Gotta Give at Karmine Corp
For Karmine Corp, EWC was a fairy tale until it wasn't. The team that took down T1 in the semifinals was nowhere to be found against Dplus KIA. The squad looked lifeless, and the game plan, if there ever was one, just never seemed to materialize.
The thing is, though, this is nothing new for Karmine Corp. Outside of MSI, KC has actually finished in second place at every single tournament they've played so far this year, making that three consecutive Grand Finals lost for the French side.
The talent is clearly there, but if Karmine Corp want to finally break through, then something needs to change. Whether that's a roster move, a coaching staff change, or a shift in their mindset, that's for KC to find out.
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Featured image credit: EWC
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