Dplus KIA, emerging from the lower seed tier, triumphed over top-tier G2 Esports in their inaugural Worlds 2026 encounter. This marks their second victory against the LEC champions since July, paving the way for a matchup with T1 on Saturday.
The competition commenced at 21:10 UTC in a best-of-one format.
The match on Friday was a rematch.
According to the Elo power rankings, G2 holds a favorable position. They are ranked 13th with a score of 1798, featuring a 92-41 overall record in 133 rated matches. Meanwhile, Dplus KIA sits at 29th with a score of 1715 and a 91-61 record over 152 rated games.
While G2 started strong, Dplus KIA claimed the first dragon
G2 initiated the matchup with vigor. They secured a four-versus-four brawl against DK’s bottom lane. Following that, they ambushed ShowMaker playing Syndra in mid-lane. Nonetheless, Dplus KIA managed to acquire the first dragon, ultimately clinching the victory.
This defeat marked the end of G2’s three-match winning streak. Prior to the Worlds, they secured win after win over Team Vitality, Karmine Corp, and Movistar KOI in the LEC Summer 2026. Notably, the 3-0 victory against Movistar KOI occurred in the Summer Grand Final held in Nice on September 20, securing G2 their 20th LEC title.
Dplus KIA came into the event with a mix of results in the LCK. Their most recent domestic battle saw them fall 1-3 to T1, but previously, they had triumphed over KT Rolster and BNK FEARX.
However, their summer performances abroad proved more fruitful. Dplus KIA clinched the League of Legends title at the Esports World Cup in Paris from July 15-19, sweeping Karmine Corp 3-0 in the finals. This victory netted them US$600,000 along with 1,000 Club Championship points, marking the club’s inaugural Esports World Cup championship.
T1 also kicked off with a victory, set to face Dplus KIA next
Other LEC teams won their initial Round 1 matches as well, with Karmine Corp triumphing over Anyone’s Legend and Movistar KOI defeating Bilibili Gaming. Additionally, Hanwha Life Esports overcame Top Esports, CTBC Flying Oyster beat Team Liquid, and LYON bested Team Secret Whales.
The Swiss Stage accommodates 16 teams across five rounds, with three wins allowing a team to progress to the quarter-finals. Conversely, three losses lead to elimination. As pairings cannot be repeated, G2 and Dplus KIA cannot compete against each other again during this phase.
The schedule will adjust later next week, with matches set to commence between October 28 and 30 at 8:00 PM UTC, later than the 5:00 PM UTC kickoff that was utilized for the opening days.
T1 commenced their journey by defeating LOS. The final is slated for Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday, November 14, beginning at 2 PM EST (8 PM CET).
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