The Esports World Cup (EWC) wrapped up its League of Legends segment on July 19, with a total prize pool of $2 million. The event saw Gen.G pocketing $220,000 for their third-place finish after defeating T1 in a tightly contested series.
Gen.G's Canyon played a crucial role in the victory, beating his longtime rival Kim Geon-bu, also known as the jungler from T1, in a 2-1 series. Despite losing to Dplus KIA in the semifinals, Gen.G's third-place win arguably generated more buzz than either semifinal match.
Interestingly, Canyon acknowledged that beating T1 was significant, regardless of their placement, suggesting the rivalry transcends any single bracket position. The EWC 2026 event itself remained firmly in the traditional competitive gaming lane, with no token launches or blockchain-powered integrations.