DK Challengers wins Asia Masters Championship by defeating T1 Academy

DK Challengers, the academy team operating under the Dplus KIA banner, claimed the Asia Masters 2026 championship on June 21, 2026. Their opponent in the grand final was T1 Esports Academy, a familiar foe they’d already beaten days earlier in the upper bracket.

A rematch that delivered

The grand final was a rematch of the upper bracket finals, where DK.C edged out T1.EA with a 3-2 scoreline on June 18, 2026. That series went the full distance, suggesting the two teams were nearly inseparable in terms of skill.

The tournament itself ran from June 8 through June 21, 2026, spanning nearly two weeks of competition among academy and challengers-level rosters from Korea and other Asian regions. It’s classified as an A-tier event, which in esports terms means it sits just below the marquee international tournaments in prestige.

Why academy esports matters more than you think

Dplus KIA carries serious institutional weight. The organization’s main roster won the 2020 World Championship, back when the team operated under the DWG KIA name.

Players including Haetae, Painter, Guti, Cypher, and Cloud played crucial roles in DK Challengers’ journey through the tournament, with the squad securing notable victories over teams like KT Rolster Challengers on their way to the final.

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