Magnus Carlsen has once again proven why he is the world number one in Chess. The Team Liquid grandmaster defeated Denis Lazavik with a dominant 2-0 in the Grand Final at the Esports World Cup 2026. Carlsen not only secured his second consecutive EWC trophy and a $250,000 top prize, but also delivered 1,000 Club Championship points for Team Liquid.

The world's top grandmaster showed the public an absolute masterclass during the final. Carlsen comfortably won the first set with 3-1, while set two proved to be very similar to the first, as Carlsen secured another 3-1 victory over Belarusian chess grandmaster Denis Lazavik. Lazavik earned his final spot by beating Hikaru Nakamura, ranked number three in the world, in the semifinals.

A near perfect run while not feeling well.

In a post match interview, Carlsen explained how he felt the tournament went, and that he was battling illness. “I felt like the tournament went pretty well. My first match was a little bit shaky, while against Niemann in my second match I feel like I could do more or less what I wanted to do. After that match I recovered a bit and I did not feel as sick for the last two days. I feel like I was able to play at a very good level in the last two matches. I am really happy with everything.”

Supporting UNICEF

We have partnered with sports memorabilia platform Match Worn Shirts (MWS) to auction the jerseys worn by our players during the 2026 Esports World Cup, with the net proceeds donated to UNICEF. Through MWS’s global auction platform, fans will have the opportunity to bid on authenticated, match-worn Team Liquid jerseys from one of the biggest events in esports, turning moments from competition into tangible impact for children around the world.