A major upset has unfolded, with LEC second seed Karmine Corp (KC) at the center of it.

Karmine Corp secured a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over T1 in the first semifinal of the EWC 2026 LoL tournament, held on the 18th at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. While the set score was 2-1, the final game was a testament to KC’s resilience, as they held on through a disadvantageous position to clinch the win. With the match taking place in Paris—effectively a home crowd for KC—the arena erupted in frenzy as they took down T1.

In Game 1, Karmine Corp (KC) caught Keria's Camille as she entered their jungle, securing the first kill. T1 responded by taking the first Dragon. The teams traded one kill each in a mid-lane skirmish, and T1 began to pull ahead by gaining an advantage in the top lane. Most notably, Doran's Jayce dominated the laning phase against Canna's Shyvana.

KC attempted a dive with Yike's Lee Sin and Shen to help Shyvana. While it should have been an easy kill on Jayce, a strong play from Doran allowed him to take down Lee Sin before falling himself. T1 naturally capitalized on this to secure their second Dragon stack. In the subsequent Dragon teamfight, T1 conceded the objective but won the fight decisively, following up by destroying the mid-lane tier-one turret.

T1 began to pull away, eventually securing a decisive lead through a Baron play. Following the Baron take, T₩1 a clean teamfight, showcasing impeccable aggro management. By the 27-minute mark, the gold lead had ballooned to over 10,000, and T1 took the first game.

In Game 2, KC got off to a strong start by picking up Oner's Jarvan and Phase's Sivir in an early skirmish. Constant fighting broke out across the map, with KC gaining a slight edge. KC's Busio played a pivotal role with his Bard, roaming to catch Faker's Cassiopeia, while in the top lane, Canna's Rumble dodged a gank and managed to take down Doran's Ambessa.

KC pressed their advantage, building a 4k gold lead by 13 minutes. T1 made a bold decision to close the gap, successfully sneaking a Baron during a brief opening. However, KC remained composed. Despite giving up the Baron, they did not panic, maintaining their momentum to tie the series 1-1.

In the final Game 3, T1 secured the first kill in the bottom lane, while KC's Nuc's Annie rotated down to take down Keria's Rakan. T1 added a kill in the top lane, and KC responded with one in the mid lane. Amidst the chaotic, multi-front skirmishes, T1 managed to maintain a more composed pace.

T1 began to pull ahead in standard laning, widening the gold gap and securing more favorable trades in teamfights. Although T1 quickly reached three Dragon stacks, KC won the next teamfight and secured the Dragon. T1 regained a significant lead when Faker's Ryze used his ultimate skill to catch and eliminate Nuc's Annie, leading to a won fight and a successful Baron take. Although a reckless engage by Pantheon briefly stalled their momentum, T1 still managed to find an advantage in the bottom lane.

In the subsequent Dragon teamfight, KC won decisively and saw an opportunity to end the game. Facing a crisis, T1’s Pantheon and Olaf managed to stall just long enough to defend their base and even pick off some of KC’s members to secure a Baron. Yet, KC’s focus remained unshakable. They won a teamfight during the defense, calmly pushed forward, and completed the comeback to defeat T1 2-1 and advance to the finals.