FROM SMARTPHONE TO PODIUM: CANDY CRUSH ALL STARS CROWNS ITS 2026 CHAMPION FOLLOWING MONTHS OF COMPETITION

LONDON, June 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- What started on a phone screen ended on a live stage in London. Candy Crush All Stars has crowned its 2026 Champion. Luana from Bahia, Brazil claimed the title in the Live Final, after competing against millions of players from across the globe, emerging victorious at the tournament's biggest-ever Live Final in London.

She takes home a share of $1 million and a custom Candy Crush-inspired championship ring from Icebox, a multicoloured showpiece set with sapphires, rubies, emeralds and pink sapphires crafted into the game's most iconic shapes, from Colorbombs and clusters to red Candies brought to life in stone. At its centre, a spinning blue Wrapped Candy dome that's as playful as the game itself, with the Candy Crush Saga name etched in gold along the band. Luana barely waited for the moment to sink in before she had the ring on her finger, a one-of-a-kind piece designed just for this moment and for the player who earned it.

The Live Final marked a major evolution for the competition, transforming what began as everyday mobile play into a full-scale live spectacle. Finalists from the United States, Brazil, Germany, Spain, and beyond, competed on stage in front of fans, family, and media. For the first time, the Live Final introduced a bonus round - a fast-paced, high-intensity challenge that pushed players to their limits in a way the competition has never seen before - with the winner of that bonus round walking away with an additional $10,000.

The Live Final brought together an extraordinary group of competitors, reflecting the scale and diversity of the Candy Crush community. Players travelled from across the globe to compete in London, including Ingrid and German, a husband and wife duo from California's Bay Area, who both advanced to the final stage of the tournament independently, turns out two of the world's best Candy Crush players have been sharing a household all along.

After weeks of competition spanning 25 countries and millions of other Candy Crush players to secure a spot at the Live Final, Luana, an art student from Bahia, Brazil, ultimately claimed the championship title in the Live Final, becoming the Candy Crush All Stars 2026 Champion.

"I started playing Candy Crush a while back, it was just something I loved to do, a game that always made small moments fun. I never imagined it would one day take me to a live stage in London to compete against the best players in the world. To come home as the Candy Crush All Stars 2026 Champion is something I will carry with me. I am so incredibly proud," said Luana, Candy Crush All Stars 2026 Champion.

"At King, we've always believed that casual games can create moments of real skill, connection and joy at a huge scale. All Stars brings that to life in a way that only Candy Crush can. Seeing the finalists bring their passion and talent to a live stage in London to compete at such a high level is a powerful reminder of what makes our community so special. This tournament was built for our players, and they continue to surprise and inspire us," said Todd Green, President at King.

With millions of players competing worldwide for a spot in the All Stars Live Final, and the Live Final returning to London at its most ambitious scale yet, Candy Crush continues to demonstrate the enduring appeal of shared play on a global scale. More than a decade after launch, the game remains one of the world's most-loved mobile entertainment experiences, bringing joy to millions of players every day.

Candy Crush Saga® is free to download on iOS and Android. For more information, visit candycrushsaga.com.

*Candy Crush All Stars Tournament was held in London in 2021 on an intimate scale.

About Candy Crush Saga
Candy Crush Saga® is one of the world's most popular mobile games. Millions of players around the globe match colorful candies in combinations of three or more to win points, defeat obstacles, and progress through more than 20,000 levels. In November 2022, Candy Crush Saga celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Candy Crush Saga is available to download for free from the Apple App Store, Google Play, Amazon App Store, Windows App Store and Facebook.

About King
With a mission of Making the World Playful, King is a leading interactive entertainment company for the mobile world with more than 20 years of history of delivering some of the world's most iconic games in the mobile gaming industry, including the world-famous Candy Crush franchise, as well as other mobile titles such as Farm Heroes Saga. King games are played by more than 200 million monthly active users. King, part of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), has Kingsters in Stockholm, Malmö, London, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Malta. More information can be found at King.com or by following us on LinkedIn, @lifeatking on Instagram.

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