TARS Wins Summoners War Championship in Seoul
James Whitfield
2 min read
A veteran competitor secured his second world championship at the Summoners War World Arena Championship 2026, held at KBS Arena in Seoul on December 14th. TARS defeated Brazil's ZEZAS in a dominant 4-0 performance in the finals, claiming the title of the tournament's tenth world champion.
TARS previously won the championship in 2022 at the same venue, making him only the second player in the tournament's history to claim two titles. The only other two-time champion is LEST, who won in Paris in 2019 and Bangkok in 2023. TARS earned $100,000 in prize money for his victory, while ZEZAS received $20,000 as runner-up.
The path to the final was competitive for TARS despite his eventual dominance. Entering as the second seed from the China regional qualifiers, he defeated European competitor OBABO in the quarterfinals before facing GLE in the semifinals. That matchup went the full distance, with TARS prevailing 3-2 in a tightly contested series that extended to a fifth and final set. The championship match itself proved one-sided, with TARS controlling the game through superior monster selection and ban strategy without dropping a single set.
The 2026 edition marked the first year the Stack Ban rule was implemented, a mechanic that permanently locks out any monster banned once during a match. TARS's mastery of the ban phase proved decisive in his path to victory. GLE, making his tournament debut this year, emerged as the standout performer despite falling in the semifinals. The South Korean player defeated the previous year's champion PU during qualifiers and finished as runner-up in the Asia-Pacific Cup before reaching the World Finals semifinals. GLE tied for third place with SAPPYYY, each earning $10,000 in prize money.
Despite heavy rain in Seoul on the day of the event, approximately 1,000 spectators filled KBS Arena, which sold out immediately after tickets became available. The venue hosted the World Finals for the first time since 2022, marking a return to the city after a four-year gap. All matches received live broadcast coverage worldwide with commentary provided in twelve languages.
The tournament represents a significant milestone for mobile esports sustainability. Com2uS has organized the championship annually since its inaugural event in 2017 without interruption, a notable achievement given the typically short competitive lifecycles of mobile games. Summoners War itself is now in its twelfth year, and the ability to fill a major venue for a world championship in the tournament's tenth edition demonstrates the viability of long-term global esports ecosystems built around mobile titles.
Com2uS CEO Nam Jae-kwan addressed attendees at the awards ceremony, acknowledging both the competitors and the global fanbase that has supported the championship throughout its decade-long run. He emphasized the company's commitment to continuing to develop the esports ecosystem and foster connections among players worldwide. Viewers interested in reviewing the matches can access replays on the official Summoners War Esports YouTube channel.
