KC stay alive, while TES secure a spot in the playoffs.
Karmine Corp are still alive at Worlds 2026. Europe’s third seed defeated CTBC Flying Oyster 2-0 in an elimination series and now sit at 2-2, with only one more best-of-three separating KC from the quarterfinals. At the same time, Top Esports secured another Knockout Stage spot for the LPL after reverse sweeping Bilibili Gaming, sending BLG straight into the decisive 2-2 pool.
KC Handle the Pressure
There was no second chance for Karmine Corp against CFO. After losses to LYON and Bilibili Gaming, KC entered the series at 1-2 with their tournament lives on the line.
There was not much sign of nerves in Game 1, however. KC controlled the match from the opening minutes and gave the final remaining LCP team very little room to establish its own game plan. The bot lane in particular looked night-and-day compared to several of KC’s previous Swiss games.
Game 2 became much more chaotic, and not only because of the gameplay. Multiple bugs, technical problems, and remakes repeatedly interrupted the match, completely disrupting the momentum. CFO had started finding their footing through Doggo’s Caitlyn before having to repeatedly wait through technical pauses.
In the end, the series was decided around Elder Dragon. KC won the crucial teamfight, cleaned up CFO, and completed the 2-0 sweep. Caliste "Caliste" Henry-Hennebert remained deathless across the entire series, once again proving to be the primary carry for the Europeans.
That is exactly why the win means more than simply sweeping an underdog. KC already had to survive a grueling five-game series against Cloud9 in the Play-In, followed by two wins over MVK, while their Swiss Stage run has alternated between flashes of brilliance and brutal setbacks. And yet, Karmine Corp are still standing at 2-2: one more win sends them directly to the quarterfinals in their first ever Worlds Main Event run.
Caliste Delivers Exactly When KC Need Him
Perhaps the biggest difference was Caliste once again. KC have not always looked stable during this tournament. When the early game unravels or mid-game macro gets messy, the team often relies on individual heroics to bail them out.
Against CFO, KC got exactly that. Caliste converted his lane leads into flawless teamfight positioning and rarely put a foot wrong. That sharpness will be crucial in the next round, where KC will no longer have the luxury of entering as clear favorites.
That might play right into their hands. Karmine Corp have looked far more comfortable in full series than in high-variance single games. They took down Cloud9 in the Play-In and have swept every best-of-three against MVK and CFO, with their only Main Event slip-ups coming in best-of-ones against LYON and BLG.
Fearless Draft and longer series clearly suit KC better. The journey has been turbulent, but Europe’s third seed is already poised to outlast what many predicted before the tournament began.
TES Reverse Sweep BLG as the LPL Add Another Quarterfinalist
While KC fought for survival, Top Esports and Bilibili Gaming clashed for a direct ticket to the Knockout Stage.
BLG came out swinging. Zhuo “Knight” Ding commanded Game 1 on Orianna and continued dictating the pace early in Game 2 on LeBlanc. Yet TES refused to fold. Yu “JackeyLove” Wen-bo navigated late-game teamfights masterfully, dragging Top Esports back into the series.
By Game 3, TES held complete control. Gao “Tian” Tian-Liang cracked the map wide open with his jungle pathing, leaving BLG unable to find solid ground. TES finished off the reverse sweep to punch their quarterfinal ticket with a 3-1 Swiss record. Invictus Gaming and Top Esports are safely through to the Knockout Stage, leaving BLG to fight for their lives at 2-2.
For last year’s Worlds finalists, it is a nightmare scenario: one more loss and their tournament ends in the Swiss Stage. Anyone’s Legend arrived as LPL champions only to crash out 0-3. With TES and iG already through, BLG are officially down to their final life.
KC find themselves in a similar win-or-go-home reality, though with far less external pressure weighing on them. Both rosters now have just one series remaining. For Karmine Corp, reaching the quarterfinals would mark an incredible milestone in their debut run. For BLG, an exit at 2-2 would be catastrophic. The safety nets are gone: from here on out, only one best-of-three matters.