Summary
- The inaugural Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 will see 18 teams compete to be the global tournament’s first champion.
- As part of the Esports World Cup, the event will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and will run from July 15 until 26.
- The tournament features a total of $3M USD prize pool, from which the champions’ share would be $750,000.
Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 will soon crown its first-ever champion. As the mobile esports scene heats up, another title takes off and goes global with an inaugural tournament. Honor of Kings had recently gained prominence among international playerbases, particularly in Southeast Asia. For its inaugural midseason tournament, the Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 brings together 18 teams for an epic showdown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Here are the complete tournament details.
Participating Teams
Among the total of 18 teams competing in Honor of Kings World Cup 2025, two are directly qualified for Playoffs. Meanwhile, the remaining 16 teams got in through regional qualifiers and will start in the Group Stage.
Qualified for Playoffs:
- AG.AL (KPL Spring Champions)
- TT Global (ACL Champions)
Group Stage Teams:
- Alpha7 Esports
- Dominator Esports
- Loops
- Team Vitality
- Blacklist International
- BOOM Esports
- Gen.G Esports
- Paws Gaming
- Black Shrew Esports
- Kagendra
- Nova Esports
- Twisted Minds
- ACT Esports Club
- Alpha Gaming
- Nongshim Redforce
- OG Esports
Tournament Overview and Schedule
The Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 takes place from July 15-26, 2025, at the Boulevard Riyadh City venue. This S-tier tournament marks the return of the World Cup format since the cancellation of AWC 2022. Moreover, it represents the first major Honor of Kings tournament to use the GSL format for group stage play.
Eighteen teams from across the globe will compete for their share of the massive $3 million prize pool. The championship winner takes home $750,000, while the runner-up receives $460,000. Even teams finishing in the lowest bracket earn $60,000 for their participation.
Competition Format and Structure
The tournament features a three-stage progression system:
1. Group Stage (July 15–19)
- Four groups of four teams
- Played in a GSL format
- Matches are best-of-three (Bo3)
- Top teams from each group (A1, B1, C1, D1) advance to the Group Kings Stage (qualified for Playoffs)
- Runners-up (A2, B2, C2, D2) go to Last Chance
Here are the groups of teams for the tournament Group Stage:
| Group | Teams |
| Group A | Blacklist International, BOOM Esports, Gen.G Esports, Paws Gaming |
| Group B | Alpha7 Esports, Dominator Esports, Loops, Team Vitality |
| Group C | Black Shrew Esports, Kagendra, Nova Esports, Twisted Minds |
| Group D | ACT Esports Club, Alpha Gaming, Nongshim Redforce, OG Esports |
2. Group Kings and Last Chance Stage (July 20–22)
Group Kings
- Consists of two matchups with the Group Stage winners
- Matches are Bo3
- Winners will be in Top Pool of Playoffs
- Losers will be in Bottom Pool of Playoffs
Last Chance
- Consists of two matchups with the Group Stage runners-up
- Matches are Bo5
- Winners will be in Bottom Pool of Playoffs
- Losers will be eliminated
3. Playoffs (July 23–26)
- Single-elimination bracket with eight teams.
- Top Pool: AG.AL, TT Global + (Group Kings winners)
- Bottom Pool: Group Kings losers + Last Chance winners
- All matches are Bo7 except for the 3rd place match which is a Bo5
- All matches are guaranteed to draw a Top Pool team vs a Bottom Pool team
All matches across all stages will implement the Global Ban/Pick rule, which means that a champion can only be played once within a series. This rule is similar to the Fearless Draft mode implemented in major League of Legends tournaments.
In the Playoffs Bo7s, every game 7 of a series will implement the Ultimate Battle rule which lifts all restrictions on pick/bans. Instead, teams will blindpick their whole draft and submit it to the referee. They won’t know which champions their opponents chose until the game starts.
Special Features and Rewards
The Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 includes several unique elements that enhance the viewer experience. The tournament introduces a new hero called Flowborn (Tank) specifically for the competition. Additionally, players can earn exclusive rewards through the first esports tournament-themed Honor Pass, running from June 24th to August 28th.
The commemorative Alessio – Heavenpulse skin serves as the tournament’s signature reward, available through a free Battle Pass system. Players can also participate in team support voting and match prediction quizzes throughout the event.
Conclusion
The Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 is another proof of mobile esports’ continuous growth. Tune in starting July 15 to witness competitive action from this rising title. As teams prepare for battle in Riyadh, fans worldwide can expect thrilling matches that will define the future of Honor of Kings esports. Who do you think will be the first ever HoK World Cup champion?
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