Magnus Carlsen has won the Esports World Cup 2026 chess title in Paris, securing his second consecutive EWC trophy without losing a single game throughout the tournament.
The Team Liquid Grandmaster claimed the victory by defeating AG.AL player Denis Lazavik in two sets in the grand final. While the 19-year-old Belarusian challenger managed four draws against Carlsen, he was unable to secure a game win. Carlsen maintained an undefeated streak across both the group stage and the playoffs, building on his EWC 2025 performance where he dropped just three individual games.
In the semifinals, Carlsen eliminated Team Falcons player Alireza Firouzja, who was his opponent in the 2025 grand final. Lazavik advanced to the finals by defeating Team Falcons' Hikaru Nakamura in the semifinals, following a group stage where Lazavik's only match loss came against Nakamura.
In the third-place match, Hikaru Nakamura faced teammate Alireza Firouzja. Nakamura won the series 3-1 by game four, securing third place and 500 Club Championship points for Team Falcons.
Quick Facts
- Winner: Magnus Carlsen (Team Liquid)
- Runner-Up: Denis Lazavik (AG.AL)
- Third Place: Hikaru Nakamura (Team Falcons)
- Event Location: Paris, France