KB News Desk
Gen.G, T1 and Hanwha Life Esports secure upper-bracket berths
South Korean League of Legends teams swept the 2026 Esports World Cup, as Gen.G Esports, T1 and Hanwha Life Esports advanced to the tournament’s upper bracket after winning their opening group-stage matches for LoL.
Gen.G secured a spot in the upper bracket by defeating France’s Karmine Corp in the Group B opener on Wednesday. T1, competing in Group C, followed with a 32-minute victory over Vietnam’s Gam Esports and Group D’s Hanwha Life Esports, fresh off its Mid-Season Invitational title, dispatched Brazil’s Los the same day.
The 2026 Esports World Cup officially kicked off on July 8 in Paris. One of the world’s largest multi-title esports events, this year’s tournament features more than 25 competitions across over 20 game titles. The LoL tournaments at the 2026 Esports World Cup officially started Wednesday.
Running through Aug. 23, the event brings together more than 2,000 players from 100 countries competing for a record $75 million prize pool.
Meanwhile, the Esports Foundation, the organizer of the EWC, announced Thursday that it had named T1 star Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok as a game ambassador for the Esports World Cup and the Esports Nations Cup through 2028.
“Faker has established himself as a sporting icon representing South Korea beyond the world of esports, with his career reflecting the rise of esports athletes as cultural figures for the digital generation. Through the EF Ambassador Program, he joins global sports stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Magnus Carlsen in promoting the values of competition across traditional sports, competitive gaming and esports,” the Esports Foundation said in a press release.
As an ambassador, Faker will participate in the federation’s international tournaments, athlete development programs, media initiatives and leadership forums while representing the global esports community.
Widely regarded as the greatest player in LoL history, Faker has won a record six World Championship titles, two Mid-Season Invitational championships and 10 LoL Champions Korea titles. He has spent his entire professional career with T1, remaining with the organization for more than a decade.
