LEC Versus 2026 Playoffs: Karmine Corp Sweeps GIANTX in Quarterfinals

The final match of the Quarterfinals took place between Karmine Corp and GIANTX. Karmine Corp came into this match as the favorites, having finished the regular season at the top of the standings. Judging by their gameplay and current form, it was clear that the team was ready for the tournament. GIANTX entered the match as the underdogs, having finished fifth in the group. Let's take a look at how the match unfolded.

Game 1 Picks:

• Karmine Corp: Rumble, Sin Zhao, Galio, Varus, Rakan
• GIANTX: Ornn, Jarven IV, Orianna, Ezreal, Bard

Game 2 Picks:

• Karmine Corp: Gwen, Vi, Aurora, Yunara, Lulu
• GIANTX: KSante, Poppy, Azir, Corki, Nami

From the very first minutes, Karmine Corp showed they were very serious and not going to yield. Strong pressure across all lanes, a solo First Blood in the top lane, and a kill for Varus were further solidified by a dragon kill. All together, this gave Karmine Corp a 2 thousand gold lead by the 10-minute mark.

The third dragon was crucial for both teams, and they fought for it several times. GIANTX did not want to give up the Soul Point to KC, but at the same time, it was very difficult for them to take it themselves. Although there were several trades that were generally not bad for GIANTX, Karmine Corp still managed to secure the dragon for themselves.

Once Karmine Corp managed to take the fourth dragon, GIANTX no longer stood a chance. Their frontline was melting too quickly, and GIANTX simply had nothing to fight with. And after one fight, even without the Baron buff, they were able to end the first map.

The second map began in a similar fashion to the first. Karmine Corp pressured all lanes, trying to dictate the tempo of the game once again. In general, they managed to do this; although GIANTX responded with trades, this did not faze KC at all. The first dragon also went into Karmine Corp's collection.

GIANTX put up good resistance playing from behind, working around objectives and trying to hold out until they hit their necessary item spikes. Despite a small deficit, GIANTX wanted to secure Baron Nashor. However, KC read this moment well and managed not only to steal the Baron but also to kill most of the champions, allowing them to surge ahead by 7 thousand gold.

The last chance for GIANTX was a fight at the 30th minute in the mid lane. They started well, but due to the massive gold advantage and perfectly executed skills, Karmine Corp were able to take the fight easily and kill 4 champions. Next, the Baron was simply taken, and the game was closed out with a clean Ace for KC.

Thus, Karmine Corp advance to the Upper Bracket Semifinals, where they will face G2 Esports. Meanwhile, GIANTX drop to Lower Bracket Round 1 to face Team Heretics.

In 2026, the LEC Versus format does not include a cash prize. Instead of a prize pool, teams are competing for qualification to the international tournament, First Stand 2026. The match format changes during the playoff stage: early rounds are held as Best-of-3 (Bo3) series, while key and final matchups are played in a Best-of-5 (Bo5) format. These matches will determine the team that secures a slot for the international stage.