The League of Legends Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 quarterfinals ended with two major upsets. Karmine Corp (KC) swept AG.AL 2-0. Meanwhile, Dplus KIA (DK) defeated Bilibili Gaming (BLG) 2-1 in a thrilling series.

Earlier in the day, T1 eliminated MSI 2026 champions Hanwha Life Esports, while Gen.G knocked out JDG. As a result, the four semifinalists are now confirmed. They are T1, Gen.G, Karmine Corp, and Dplus KIA.

The tournament is now entering its most exciting stage. Moreover, every remaining team still has a realistic chance to lift the trophy.

Watch the match at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yKXdcvPwFk&t=2766s

Karmine Corp stun AG.AL with a dominant 2-0 victory

Karmine Corp entered the quarterfinal as clear underdogs. However, the French squad produced one of the biggest surprises of EWC 2026.

KC defeated AG.AL 2-0 with confident teamfighting and excellent macro play. Therefore, they became the only non-Korean team left in the tournament.

The home crowd also made a huge difference. Thousands of fans supported KC from the first minute until the Nexus exploded.

Caliste shines again

ADC Caliste was the star of the series.

Across both games, he finished with an outstanding 11/1/14 KDA. More importantly, he dealt massive damage during every important fight.

His teammates also played at a high level. As a result, KC looked stronger as the series went on.

Game 1: KC take control after the early game

The first game started evenly. Both teams traded farm and objectives during the opening minutes. However, KC found their first big advantage around the 15-minute mark. They won several teamfights and quickly gained map control. Caliste dominated on Viktor. He finished with 7 kills, 8 assists, and only one death.

Meanwhile, Kyeahoo played an excellent Syndra. He recorded four kills and seven assists. At the same time, jungler Yike impressed on Naafiri with four kills and nine assists.

KC never lost control after that point. They closed the game in just 27 minutes and finished with an 18-11 kill lead.

Game 2: KC complete the upset

The second game followed a similar pattern. AG.AL stayed competitive during the early stages. However, KC slowly built another advantage through better objective control.

As the game continued, the French team became stronger. Caliste switched to Zeri and delivered another fantastic performance. He ended the game with a flawless 4/0/6 scoreline.

Meanwhile, Canna created constant pressure on Rumble. Yike also found several perfect engages while playing Lee Sin.

After nearly 38 minutes, KC destroyed the Nexus and completed an impressive 2-0 sweep. The result sent the home crowd into celebration. More importantly, KC booked a historic place in the semifinals.

Dplus KIA survive BLG in a dramatic three-game battle

The final quarterfinal produced another huge surprise. Many fans expected MSI 2026 runners-up BLG to advance. Instead, Dplus KIA refused to give up. The Korean team showed excellent teamwork throughout the series.

In particular, ShowMaker, Siwoo, and Smash all delivered outstanding performances. Their consistency eventually helped DK secure a 2-1 victory.

Game 1: DK strike first

The opening game lasted almost 39 minutes. Neither team could build a large advantage during the early game. Instead, both sides waited for mistakes.

Eventually, Dplus KIA found better teamfights around the late-game objectives. Top laner Siwoo performed brilliantly on K’Sante.

Meanwhile, ADC Smash dealt huge damage on Kai’Sa. Both players finished with five kills, helping DK secure the first victory of the series.

Game 2: Knight answers for BLG

BLG fought back immediately in Game 2. This time, superstar mid laner Knight completely controlled the game. Playing Twisted Fate, he finished with an impressive 7/1/7 KDA. His constant pressure allowed BLG to win key fights across the map.

ShowMaker also played well. He ended the game 5/1/4 on Ryze. However, his strong performance was not enough.

After 34 minutes, BLG tied the series at 1-1. Everything came down to one final game.

Game 3: ShowMaker leads DK into the semifinals

The deciding game started cautiously. Neither team wanted to fall behind early. Therefore, both squads focused on farming and controlling objectives.

Later, Dplus KIA won several important fights. Those victories gave them complete control of the map. ShowMaker once again proved why he remains one of the world’s best mid laners. He finished 5/1/7 while playing Syndra.

At the same time, Siwoo dominated on Aurora. He added five kills and three assists during the deciding game.

After another intense 38-minute battle, DK destroyed BLG’s Nexus. The Korean team completed a memorable 2-1 victory and advanced to the semifinals.

Four teams remain in the race for the EWC 2026 title

With the quarterfinals finished, only four teams remain.

The semifinal matchups are:

T1 vs Karmine Corp
Gen.G vs Dplus KIA

The first series will attract huge attention. T1 have looked dominant throughout the tournament. However, Karmine Corp have become the biggest surprise of the event. The French squad will now try to eliminate another tournament favorite.

Meanwhile, the second semifinal guarantees another exciting battle between two LCK rivals. Gen.G have looked solid all tournament.

On the other hand, Dplus KIA arrive with huge momentum after eliminating BLG. Therefore, fans can expect another close series.

The Esports World Cup 2026 title is within reach

The final day of the tournament will begin with the third-place match.

After that, the two semifinal winners will compete in the Best-of-Five Grand Final.

The League of Legends event features a $2 million prize pool.

The champions will receive $600,000, along with the Esports World Cup 2026 trophy.

After a quarterfinal stage filled with upsets, outstanding individual performances, and unforgettable moments, the tournament is perfectly set up for an exciting finish.

Whether T1 continue their dominant run, Gen.G reclaim the spotlight, Dplus KIA complete their incredible comeback story, or Karmine Corp create another historic upset, the final matches promise world-class League of Legends action that fans will not want to miss.

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