The stage is set for one of the biggest mobile esports tournaments of the year as the Honor of Kings World Cup aka KWC 2026 prepares to bring together the world’s best teams for an epic international showdown. Hosted as part of the Esports World Cup 2026, the tournament will feature elite organizations from multiple regions battling for glory and a massive $3 million USD prize pool.
Initially set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the event will be now held in Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, France for a duration of 10 days.
KWC 2026 at Esports World Cup Schedule
This tournament will be held between July 30 and August 8, 2026, and includes several rounds which aim at determining the best team in the whole world.
This tournament will start off with the Play-ins on July 30, moving on to the Group Stage and ending with the Playoffs and Grand Finals on August 8.
KWC 2026 Prize Pool
Teams will compete for a staggering $3,000,000 USD prize pool, making it one of the most lucrative Honor of Kings tournaments ever organized.
Beyond the financial rewards, participating teams will also be competing for international prestige and valuable championship recognition on the global stage.
Participating Teams
A total of 20 teams from across the world have secured their place in the tournament.
- AG.AL
- Kuaishou Gaming
- Buriram United
- Team Flash
- Deep Cross Gaming
- Team Vitality
- Team Nemesis
- OG Esports
- Aurora Gaming
- Geekay Esports
- ROC Esports
- BOOM Esports
- Titan Esports
- Blacklist International
- MIBR.LOS
- Influence Rage
- Virtus.pro
- NS RedForce
- S8UL Esports
- Revenant XSpark
Tournament Format
Play-ins (July 30)
The opening phase features 8 teams divided into two groups of four.
- GSL format
- Best-of-3 (Bo3) matches
- Top two teams from each group advance
- Four teams qualify for the Group Stage
Group Stage
The remaining competition expands into a 16-team Group Stage.
- Four groups of four teams
- GSL format
- Best-of-3 series
- Top two teams from each group qualify for Playoffs
Only eight teams will survive this stage and move one step closer to the championship trophy.
Playoffs
The final phase features the tournament’s strongest teams in a high-pressure knockout bracket.
- Single-elimination format
- Best-of-7 (Bo7) matches
- Third-place match played as Best-of-5 (Bo5)
- Grand Final concludes on August 8
Importantly, all games in the tournament will be played according to a Global Ban/Pick format, and a very interesting Ultimate Battle will take place during Game 7, if necessary.
