The global mobile MOBA scene is about to make history. The 2026 Honor of Kings World Cup is officially set to bring together two of the biggest titles in mobile esports — Honor of Kings and Arena of Valor — in one massive international tournament at the Esports World Cup 2026.
Scheduled to run from July 30 to August 8, 2026, the event will take place in Riyadh and will feature 20 of the world’s best teams competing for a $3 million prize pool. With expanded regional representation and a brand-new cross-title format, the Honor of Kings World Cup 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting esports events of the year.
A Historic Cross-Title MOBA Tournament
For the first time ever, the Honor of Kings World Cup will feature top teams from both Honor of Kings and Arena of Valor competing on the same stage. A special Esports World Cup tournament patch will introduce additional Arena of Valor heroes into the competitive pool, allowing players from both ecosystems to compete in a unified competitive environment.
This move marks a major evolution in the mobile MOBA esports scene. By combining the competitive strengths of both games, the tournament aims to create a more diverse and exciting gameplay experience for fans worldwide.
20 Elite Teams from Around the World
The Honor of Kings World Cup 2026 will showcase 20 elite teams from major regional leagues and qualifying tournaments. These teams earned their spots through top performances in their respective regions, ensuring a highly competitive international lineup.
Team Slot Distribution
- Title Defender – 1 team
- King Pro League Spring 2026 (KPL) – 1 team
- 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 – 2 teams
- Honor of Kings Major League Spring 2026 (KML) – 2 teams
- India Qualifier – 2 teams
- RoV Pro League 2026 Summer – 1 invited team
- Arena of Glory Spring 2026 – 1 invited team
- Garena Challenger Series Spring 2026 – 1 invited team
The addition of new regions like India, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Taiwan–Hong Kong–Macau region highlights the continued global growth of the Honor of Kings esports ecosystem.
Tournament Format: Three Stages of High-Level Competition
The 2026 Honor of Kings World Cup will run across three competitive stages, ensuring every team has a chance to prove themselves on the world stage.
Play-In Stage
- 8 teams (2 groups of 4)
- Best-of-3 matches
- Double elimination
- Top 2 teams per group advance
Group Stage
- 16 teams (4 groups of 4)
- Best-of-3 matches
- Double elimination
- Top 2 teams per group move to playoffs
Playoffs
- 8 teams
- Best-of-7 matches (3rd place match: Best-of-5)
- Single elimination
- Global Ban & Pick plus Ultimate Battle format
This structure guarantees intense matches throughout the tournament, especially during the final playoff stage where the best teams in the world will clash for the championship title.
Honor of Kings Continues Its Global Expansion
Developed by TiMi Studio Group and published globally by Level Infinite, Honor of Kings remains the world’s most-played mobile MOBA. In 2025 alone, the combined monthly active users of Honor of Kings titles surpassed 260 million players, further cementing its dominance in mobile esports.
With a thriving esports ecosystem and growing international fanbase, the 2026 Honor of Kings World Cup is expected to push the game even further into the global spotlight.
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