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Championships·October 2, 2026·Updated October 6, 2026

GAM at the Esports World Cup: Our Paris Story

We said Vietnam to the World. In July, the world was Paris.

GAM went to the Esports World Cup 2026 as one of 40 Official Club Partners, and the only one from Vietnam. Two teams carried the gold: our League of Legends roster, and GAM x Team Expendables (GAMxTE), our PUBG PC squad. Behind them came 30 Super Fans, our partners, and a nation watching from home.

Four kills to none, against T1

GAM and T1 line up on the Esports World Cup stage in Paris GAM and T1 on the Esports World Cup stage, Paris, July 15.

The draw gave us the hardest opening in the game: T1, six-time world champions, in a best of one.

And for a few minutes, Paris belonged to Vietnam. GAM won every early fight on the top side of the map and went up 4-0 in kills. Gloryy solo-killed Faker. The arena heard it, and so did more than 800,000 people watching live, the biggest audience of the first day of League of Legends at the Esports World Cup. T1 found their footing, won the fights around dragon and Baron, and closed the game out. But nobody who saw that opening will forget it.

Esports Charts: T1 vs GAM was the top match of day one with 800,943 peak viewers T1 vs GAM, the top match of day one. Data: Esports Charts.

"For a moment there, at 4-0 against T1, I really thought my dreams were about to come true," said TK Nguyen, Founder and CEO of GAM Entertainment. "I am super proud of how our team showed up."

A series win, and T1 again

GAM's players wave to the crowd on the Esports World Cup stage

The same day, GAM came back and beat Movistar KOI 2-1 to stay alive, a European powerhouse sent home by the team from Vietnam.

That set up the rematch. GAM vs T1, best of three, July 16, a place in the quarterfinals on the line. T1 took game one. In game two, T1 built an early lead, and GAM refused to fold: big teamfights, a Baron, and a comeback that pulled the game back within reach late on. It was close enough to make Paris hold its breath. T1 held on to win the series, but that is what esports is about: the best in the world, made to fight for every inch.

GAM and T1 shake hands after their series at the Esports World Cup GAM and T1 after the series, Paris, July 16.

Two meetings with T1 in two days. That is the stage this roster now knows.

GAMxTE in the Grand Finals

The GAM Esports Esports World Cup 2026 roster: the League of Legends team and GAM x Team Expendables Road to Paris: the League of Legends roster (left) and GAMxTE (right).

GAM x Team Expendables on the PUBG stage at the Esports World Cup in Paris GAMxTE on the PUBG stage in Paris. Photo: TE Esports.

In PUBG, GAM x Team Expendables finished eighth across the group stage and earned a place in the Grand Finals among the best squads in the world. The week did not go the way TND, Leviz, TanVuu, Clories, DuckhjeuZ, and Hoangf wanted, but they carried GAM's colors into a second title at the Esports World Cup. Two titles, two teams, one flag.

The #GAMFAM went too

TK Nguyen and the GAM Super Fans cheering in the Esports World Cup arena TK and the Super Fans, front row in Paris.

Thirty Super Fans flew from Vietnam to Paris. They came off the plane, went straight to the venue, and walked in as GAM and T1 were being introduced on the main stage. Then they took their seats in the front row for the best of one. You cannot script a first hour in Paris like that.

Later in the week, the Super Fans, the players, and the GAM media team gathered at the Eiffel Tower for a picnic, Parisian style: bread, cheese, and the whole family together.

GAM's Super Fans, players, and media team at the Eiffel Tower picnic The #GAMFAM at the Eiffel Tower.

GAM Super Fans and TK at sunset in front of the Eiffel Tower

"Esports has given me the chance to travel the world," TK said. "But to look around and see my team enjoying it too, and then see 30 Super Fans from Vietnam there with us, all together, that is a moment I am sure everyone will remember for the rest of their lives."

Watch party, GAM style

Back home, we did not do a normal watch party. Together with Gen.G and Monster Energy, we took over Ciné Saigon, one of the top 100 clubs in the world. GAM Girls opened the show, a DJ and MC kept the energy up, and the #GAMFAM watched the world stage like a night out. Gen.G hosted its own party in Busan at the same time: two countries, one club collaboration, 500 fans in the room.

GAM Girls open the show at the GAM x Gen.G watch party at Ciné Saigon GAM Girls open the show at Ciné Saigon.

The #GAMFAM packs Ciné Saigon for the GAM x Gen.G watch party

Watch the watch party recap.

It is the GAM way: take what Vietnam does best, nightlife and entertainment, and use it to level up what it feels like to be a fan.

By the numbers

The Esports World Cup 2026 (organizer figures)

  • 850 million viewers, in 160 countries receiving the live broadcast
  • 440 million hours watched
  • 175,000 tickets sold in Paris
  • $75 million+ in prize money, a record for any esports event

850 million viewers, 160 countries, and 440 million hours watched at the Esports World Cup 2026

1,500 players in the qualifiers and 5,000 co-streamers at the Esports World Cup 2026

GAM's EWC campaign, with data to 10 October 2026 (see the campaign-by-campaign results)

  • 50.6 million+ views on EWC content across GAM channels
  • 993,000+ engagements
  • 692 content pieces and 25 press articles
  • 9.4 million views for GAM x Jabbawockeez, including a takeover of seven digital billboards in Ho Chi Minh City
  • 800,000+ peak viewers for GAM vs T1, the most-watched match of day one of League of Legends at the Esports World Cup (Esports Charts)
  • 2.26 million views for TK's sit-down with Karmine Corp, Club Leaders Face Off, on the Esports World Cup channel

TK Nguyen and Karmine Corp on set for Club Leaders Face Off TK and Karmine Corp on set for Club Leaders Face Off.

TK Nguyen with the Kinjaz in Paris TK with the Kinjaz, who performed with Gen.G at the Esports World Cup.

The creators who carried it home

Our creators took the #GAMFAM to Paris with them. Remind Nè's Esports World Cup posts drew more than 3.1 million views, and SangTraan's more than 1.7 million, carrying the story far past match day and into feeds across Vietnam. Thank you both for joining the movement and showing the world what Vietnamese creators can do. The conversations carried on at GAM Changers, our podcast: TK recorded episodes in Paris with CrazyGuy and Sang Trần, Remind told his own story on the show, and every episode is on our Watch page. Meet them, and see their best posts from Paris.

A seat at the table

When the Esports World Cup closed on August 23, it did so at the Grand Palais in front of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Emmanuel Macron, Cristiano Ronaldo, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. TK was in the room, representing GAM and Vietnam as a Club Partner.

GAM's TK Nguyen with the leaders of Gen.G and T1 at the Grand Palais Gen.G, T1, and GAM leadership at the Grand Palais.

Read the full story of the closing ceremony.

Thank you to the partners who flew with us

FPT, Vietjet, Monster Energy, Logitech G, and OWNDAYS were with us in Paris. When Vietnam walked onto the biggest stage in esports, they were part of it, and that moment belongs to them too.

Vietnam to the World

Twelve years ago, GAM was two net cafe teams nobody was watching. This July we stood on the same stage as T1, went 4-0 up on the greatest team in the game, and brought 30 fans along to see it.

"Vietnam to the World is not a slogan. In Paris it was a front row full of Vietnamese fans, a team that went toe to toe with T1, and a flag on the biggest stage in esports," TK said. "We saw exactly how high the bar is, and we are building GAM to clear it. This movement is just getting started, and the next time Vietnam walks onto that stage, we want even more of the #GAMFAM there with us."

Join the #GAMFAM below and be first to hear what comes next.

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The creators

The voices who carried it home

Follow the creators who took the #GAMFAM to Paris, and see their most-watched Esports World Cup posts.

Remind Nè on the way to the Esports World Cup in Paris

Remind Nè

@remind.ne

Former pro, host and streamer

A former pro who became one of Vietnam's best-known esports hosts and streamers. Remind took the #GAMFAM inside the Esports World Cup, from the arena floor to the streets of Paris, and opened up about leaving and coming back to esports on GAM Changers.

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3.1Mviews on EWC posts
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18posts from Paris
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Sang Trần covering the VALORANT Grand Finals at the Esports World Cup in Paris

Sang Trần

SangTraan

Creator, 700K+ YouTube subscribers

From the net café to more than 700,000 YouTube subscribers, Sang is Vietnam's leading VALORANT voice and a GAM creator. GAM sent Sang to Paris to cover the VALORANT Grand Finals, and filmed GAM Changers there with TK.

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1.7Mviews on EWC posts
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24posts from Paris
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