The 2026 Honor of Kings World Cup will take center stage at the 2026 Esports World Cup, bringing together top teams from both Honor of Kings and Arena of Valor in a groundbreaking cross-title competition.
This year’s tournament introduces a new level of international competition, featuring 20 teams, expanded regional representation, and a unique tournament patch that integrates Arena of Valor heroes into the competitive pool.
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This landmark edition signals a major evolution for the global MOBA esports scene, uniting two of the biggest mobile titles into one shared competitive platform.
2026 Honor of Kings World Cup dates
2026 Honor of Kings World Cup takes place from July 30 to August 8, 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
2026 Honor of Kings World Cup regional slot allocation
The 2026 Honor of Kings World Cup will feature 20 of the best teams in the world competing for a $3 million USD prize pool.
These teams have qualified through top-tier regional leagues and circuits, showcasing elite performance across multiple regions.
Notably, the tournament expands its global reach with representation from India, Thailand, Vietnam, as well as the Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau region.
- King Pro League Spring 2026 (KPL) – 2 teams
- Indonesia Kings Laga Spring 2026 (IKL) – 3 teams
- Philippine Kings League Spring 2026 (PKL) – 3 teams
- MY Honor of Kings League Spring 2026 (MKL) – 3 teams
- Honor of Kings Brazil Championship Fall 2026 (CHOKBR) – 2 teams
- Honor of Kings Major League Spring 2026 (KML) – 2 teams
- King’s Arise India: KWC at EWC26 Qualifier – 2 teams
- RoV Pro League 2026 Summer (RPL) – 1 invited team
- Arena of Glory Spring 2026 (AOG) – 1 invited team
- Garena Challenger Series Spring 2026 (GCS) – 1 invited team
Each slot represents the best-performing teams from their respective regions, ensuring a highly competitive international field.
2026 Honor of Kings World Cup tournament format and schedule
The tournament will unfold across three stages from July 30 to August 8, delivering high-stakes matches throughout the event.
| 2026 HONOR OF KINGS WORLD CUP STAGE | FORMAT | ADVANCEMENT |
| Play-in stage | 8 teams split into 2 groups of 4 Best of 3 format Double elimination Global Ban and Pick system | Top 2 teams from each group advance to the group stage |
| Group stage | 16 teams split into 4 groups of 4 Best of 3 format Double elimination Global Ban and Pick system | Top 2 teams from each group advance to playoffs |
| Playoffs | 8 teams Best of 7 format (third-place match is best of 5) Single elimination Global Ban and Pick and Ultimate Battle format | Last team standing wins the 2026 Honor of Kings World Cup title |
A new cross-title competitive experience
One of the biggest highlights of the 2026 Honor of Kings World Cup is its innovative cross-title format. Teams from both Honor of Kings and Arena of Valor will compete together, enhanced by a special Esports World Cup tournament patch that introduces Arena of Valor heroes into the competition.
This creates a fresh competitive dynamic, blending playstyles, strategies, and hero pools from both games into a single unified esports experience.
The tournament builds on a milestone 2025, where the combined monthly active users of Honor of Kings titles surpassed 260 million globally.
Last year, AG.AL claimed the 2025 Honor of Kings World Cup title after pulling off a stunning reverse sweep against TT Global in the grand final, winning 4–3 despite falling behind 1–3 earlier in the series.
Hosted in Riyadh as part of the Esports World Cup, the tournament marked the inaugural edition of the competition, with AG.AL’s comeback going down as one of the most unforgettable moments in Honor of Kings esports history.
With the 2026 Honor of Kings World Cup on the horizon, players and fans can expect an even bigger spectacle as top teams clash on an unprecedented international stage.
