FORGED IN VALOR, CROWNED BY HONOR: HONOR OF KINGS WORLD CUP AT 2026 ESPORTS WORLD CUP KICKS OFF ON JULY 30TH

• The road to glory begins July 30, as the Honor of Kings World Cup arrives at the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris
• Twenty elite teams from the Honor of Kings and Arena of Valor competitive scenes are set to collide in a landmark first-ever cross-title battle at the Honor of Kings World Cup

PARIS, July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Honor of Kings is excited to unveil details for the highly anticipated Honor of Kings World Cup at 2026 Esports World Cup (KWC at EWC26), set to begin on July 30 in Paris, France, as part of the Esports World Cup 2026. For the first time, KWC at EWC26 will bring together elite teams from both Honor of Kings (HoK) and Arena of Valor (AoV), creating a truly global showdown.

KWC at EWC26 Patch Version

Pushing competition to new heights with an innovative cross-title format, KWC at EWC26 will be played on a dedicated Esports World Cup tournament patch built on Honor of Kings Season 15, a custom version engineered specifically for elite-level competition. This tournament patch unlocks an unprecedented roster of 111 playable heroes, assembling for a KWC at EWC26 stage, designed to give pro teams maximum strategic depth and ban-pick flexibility.

To create a true cross-title arena bringing the worlds of HoK and AoV onto the same stage, the patch gives teams a roster of 111 heroes to choose from,  giving players plenty of room for fresh meta-shaping strategies, never-before-seen team compositions, and a level of cross-regional skill expression unique to KWC at EWC26. The World Stage Awaits!

Beyond the in-game experience, KWC at EWC26 is also expanding its global footprint with new regional representation, welcoming teams from India, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Taiwan region. The expansion deepens KWC at EWC26's standing as one of the most international MOBA esports tournaments on the calendar, connecting players, fans, and storylines across more of the world than ever before.

Teams Competing

The KWC at EWC26 will see a total of 20 teams compete for the lion's share of a $3 million USD prize pool. Representing the best talent from across the global Honor of Kings and Arena of Valor ecosystems, each team has earned its place through standout performances. With elite talent from across the globe, the tournament promises a world-class competition as teams battle for international glory and the KWC at EWC26 crown

• AG.AL (Title Defender)
• Kuaishou Gaming (King Pro League Spring 2026 - KPL)
• Buriram United Esports(RoV Pro League 2026 Summer - RPL)
• Team Flash (Arena of Glory Spring 2026 - AOG)
• Deep Cross Gaming (Garena Challenger Series Spring 2026 - GCS)
• Team Vitality (Indonesia Kings Laga Spring 2026 - IKL)
• Team Nemesis (Indonesia Kings Laga Spring 2026 - IKL)
• OG Esports (Indonesia Kings Laga Spring 2026 - IKL)
• Aurora Gaming (MY Honor of Kings League Spring 2026 - MKL)
• Geekay Esports (MY Honor of Kings League Spring 2026 - MKL)
• ROC Esports (MY Honor of Kings League Spring 2026 - MKL)
• BOOM Esports (Philippine Kings League Spring 2026 - PKL)
• Titan Esports Club(Philippine Kings League Spring 2026 - PKL)
• Blacklist International (Philippine Kings League Spring 2026 - PKL)
• MIBR.LOS (Honor of Kings Brazil Championship Fall 2026 - CHOKBR)
• Influence Rage (Honor of Kings Brazil Championship Fall 2026 - CHOKBR)
• Virtus.pro (Honor of Kings Major League Spring 2026 - KML)
• Nongshim RedForce (Honor of Kings Major League Spring 2026 - KML)
• S8UL Esports (King's Arise India: KWC at EWC26 Qualifier)
• Revenant XSpark (King's Arise India: KWC at EWC26 Qualifier)

Tournament Format

The KWC at EWC26 will unfold across three stages from July 30th to August 8th.  The tournament will also once again see Global Ban&Pick, an innovative drafting format, which raises the stakes and adds a new layer of strategic depth to every match. The Grand Finals will be held on August 8th, featuring a best-of-7 series with the high-stakes "Ultimate Battle" draft mode.

Play-in

• 8 teams (Two groups)
• Best of 3 | Double Elimination | Global Ban&Pick
• TOP 2 per group qualify to Group Stage

Group Stage

• 16 teams (Four groups)
• Best of 3 | Double Elimination | Global Ban&Pick
• TOP 2 per group qualify to Playoffs

Playoffs

• 8 teams
• Best of 7 (3rd Place Match-Best of 5) | Single Elimination | Global Ban&Pick and Ultimate Battle

For more information on Honor of Kings esports news and updates, be sure to follow the game's official social channels:
Instagram:@HoK Esports
Facebook: @HoK Global Esports
Twitter: @HoK Esports
YouTube: @HoK Esports
Twitch: @HoK Esports
TikTok:@HoK Esports

About Honor of Kings

Developed by TiMi Studio Group, Honor of Kings has become the world's most-played MOBA. In 2025, the combined MAU of Honor of Kings titles surpassed 260 million. Featuring highly detailed and diverse character and battlefield design plus music created by world renowned composers including Hans Zimmer, Joe Hisaishi, and Howard Shore, Honor of Kings immerses players in a unique and colorful universe. Honor of Kings prides itself on being free to play and fair to win, with success determined by players' skills and tactics. Honor of Kings is also home to a thriving esports ecosystem supporting competitive play from grassroots amateurs to elite professionals. To learn more about Honor of Kings, follow on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, TikTok or visit the official website of Honor of Kings.

About Level Infinite

Level Infinite is Tencent's global games brand, dedicated to delivering engaging and original gaming experiences to a worldwide audience, whenever and wherever they choose to play. The brand also provides a wide range of services and resources to a network of developers and partner studios around the world to help them unlock the potential of their games. Level Infinite is both publisher of breakout hit games like PUBG MOBILE, Honor of Kings and Goddess of Victory: NIKKE and a collaborative partner in games such as Dune: Awakening from Funcom, Warhammer 40K: Darktide and many more. To learn more about Level Infinite, visit www.levelinfinite.com.

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