Honor of Kings World Cup set to kick off in Riyadh with $3m prize pool
Honor of Kings has unveiled the full schedule and details for the Honor of Kings World Cup (KWC), which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, starting July 15 as part of the Esports World Cup 2025. The global tournament will gather elite teams from around the world to battle for a prize pool of $3m.
This year's edition of the KWC introduces notable changes, including the participation of two invited teams from China's King Pro League (KPL), the KPL Spring Season champion and the Asian Champions League (ACL) winner, promising high-level competition and more exciting matchups on the international stage.
A key feature returning for the KWC is the Global Ban&Pick system, which was introduced earlier this year to add a new layer of strategy to team drafting. The format has already delivered dramatic results across regional leagues, including Game 7 thrillers and surprise victories from underdog teams.
The competition opens with the Group Stage from July 15 to 19, where 16 teams will be split into four groups of four. Teams will compete in a double-elimination format with best-of-three (Bo3) matches. Group winners will advance to the 'Group Kings' stage, while runners-up head to the 'Last Chance' round.
On July 20, the Last Chance stage will see second-place teams from the group phase face off in two best-of-five (Bo5) matches: A2 vs B2 and C2 vs D2. Winners of these matches will secure the final spots in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Group Kings stage will pit group winners against each other in Bo3 matches: A1 vs B1 and C1 vs D1. Victors will enter the playoffs as Pool 1 seeds, while the losers join Pool 2 alongside the Last Chance winners.
The Playoffs will run from July 23 to 26 in a single-elimination bracket format, featuring the top eight teams, six qualifiers from the earlier rounds plus the two directly seeded KPL teams, AG.AL and TT Global. The tournament culminates in the Grand Finals on July 26, played in a best-of-seven format using the high-stakes 'Ultimate Battle' draft mode.
To mark the occasion, Honor of Kings is also launching a range of in-game events. From June 24 through August 28, players can access the first esports-themed Honor Pass for free. By completing missions, players level up to earn rewards, including the Nuwa–Syzygy Moonlight skin at Level 1 and the exclusive Alessio KWC skin at Level 80. Fans can also participate in team support votes and prediction quizzes tied to match outcomes.
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