Karmine Corp triumphed over MVK Esports with a score of 3-0, securing the final Swiss Stage position at Worlds 2026. The French team becomes Europe’s third representative in the main event and will face off against the champions of the LPL Split 3.
Karmine Corp has achieved advancement to the Swiss Stage of the League of Legends World Championship for the very first time. In Los Angeles, they emerged victorious in the fourth round decider. Mid laner kyeahoo earned the MVP title. Next, they will compete in a best-of-one match in Allen, Texas, where Anyone’s Legend will be their opponent as the Swiss Stage begins.
A five-game opener against Cloud9 nearly jeopardized KC’s journey
The competition did not begin easily for KC. They faced Cloud9 on 15 October and required all five games to secure a victory. That particular series almost marked the end of their tournament run.
In Round 2 on 16 October, KC confronted MVK and successfully relegated the Vietnamese squad to the lower bracket. MVK made a comeback by defeating FURIA with a score of 3-1 in Round 3 on 17 October, with FURIA having previously eliminated Cloud9 by the same margin the day before.
The win for MVK in the lower bracket set up a rematch against KC in the decider. The format allowed for little margin for mistakes. Four teams operated under a double-elimination bracket. Each match was a best-of-five utilizing Fearless Draft, allowing only the winner to progress.
KC still recognizes the potential for improvement. Jungler Yike shared his thoughts with Hotspawn after their qualification, mentioning he believed the team was performing at approximately 80% of their peak capabilities.
Anyone’s Legend draw provides KC with a familiar opponent
In Round 1, KC encountered the LPL first seed, Anyone’s Legend. The French team is the third seed from the LEC. Meanwhile, G2 will compete against Dplus KIA, while Movistar KOI will face off with Bilibili Gaming. The draw placed Pool 1 teams against Pool 4, and Pool 2 against Pool 3. Teams from the same region were prohibited from competing in Round 1, which meant an all-LEC clash between G2 and KC was not an option.
KC has encountered their opening opponent recently, having defeated Anyone’s Legend this past summer at the Esports World Cup in Paris. Head coach Reapered referenced this previous win when discussing the draw. A best-of-one format offers no time to recover from a sluggish start, but the victory in Paris at least provides a reference point for the French team.
Yike also has other teams in his sights. After the draw, he mentioned on the official broadcast that he is seeking revenge against Bilibili Gaming, who eliminated him in his previous two World Championships. He also expressed a desire to face Team Liquid, who previously defeated KC at MSI.
The tournament will take place until 14 November and boasts a total prize pool of $5,000,000. Both the Swiss Stage and the knockout rounds will occur at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center, with the Grand Final set to be held at Barclays Center. The Swiss Stage is scheduled to run until 31 October.
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