KCorp Beat AL for More EUphoria and LPL Misery at LoL Worlds
European esports organizations delivered shocking upsets at the League of Legends World Championship 2026 on Day 1 of the Swiss Stage. Karmine Corp (KCorp) defeated Anyone’s Legend (AL), the reigning LPL champions, while Movistar KOI (MKOI) defeated Bilibili Gaming (BLG) in a tense 39-minute match. These victories marked significant achievements for the LEC region against what were considered strong Chinese competitors.
BLG entered the tournament as one of the favorites, featuring two of the best Chinese professional players: Chen ‘Bin’ Ze-Bin and Zhuo ‘Knight’ Ding. The team had won two out of three LPL splits and secured international gold at First Stand earlier in the year, despite losing the LPL final to AL.
The upsets demonstrated unexpected strength from the European region. MKOI’s victory was particularly notable as it marked their first opening-match win at a Worlds tournament. By the end of Day 1, all four LPL seeds competing in the Swiss Stage had suffered losses: AL, BLG, Top Esports, and Invictus Gaming. KCorp had entered the Swiss Stage with momentum from a successful Play-Ins run, while MKOI now joined LCK representatives Gen.G and Hanwha Life Esports in the undefeated bracket, challenging the traditionally dominant LPL competition.