GAM Esports clawed their way through the lower bracket of the Esports World Cup 2026 on July 15, taking down Movistar KOI 2-1 in a best-of-three series in Paris. The win keeps their tournament alive and sets up a matchup against the loser of T1 versus BLG.
For crypto watchers, the scoreline is secondary. The real story is what’s happening around the stage: a $75 million total prize pool, France’s revised regulations opening the door to licensed crypto sponsorships on esports jerseys, and a growing ecosystem where digital asset platforms are writing checks to get in front of gaming’s massive audience.
The match and what comes next
GAM had already dropped a 0-1 decision to T1 in the upper bracket before being sent down to the elimination rounds. Against Movistar KOI, a team also competing in the Esports Foundation’s $20 million Club Partner Program, the Vietnamese squad had no margin for error.
The League of Legends portion of EWC 2026 features 16 elite teams battling from July 15 to July 19, with a dedicated $2 million prize pool for the game alone. That $2 million figure sits inside the broader $75 million total purse.
