본문 : DOT ESPORTS - Jeremiah Sevilla

 

Inaugural world title at stake.

 

(Updated scores and schedule)

 

New world champions are set to be crowned as the Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 (KWC 2025) takes place at the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

 

A total of 18 teams battle it out for the first World Championship title under the Honor of Kings version, following the cancellation of the Arena of Valor World Cup (AWC) in 2022. At stake is a massive $3 million prize pool, making it the most anticipated event of the year.

 

This marks the second HoK event to be featured at the EWC after last year’s Midseason Invitational, which was claimed by the King Pro League (KPL) Dream Team from China. Here’s everything you need to know about KWC 2025, scheduled from July 15 to 26.

 

Table of contents

• Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 teams
• Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 format
• Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 schedule and results
  • Playoffs
  • Group stage
• Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 final rankings
• How to watch Honor of Kings World Cup 2025

 

Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 teams

China aims to extend its dominance. Photo via Esports World Cup Foundation

 

Below are the 18 teams competing in the tournament, and how each one secured their spot:

 

Team	Qualification
AG.AL	King Pro League (KPL) Spring 2025 champion
TT Global	HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League (ACL) 2025
Nova Esports	Malaysia Honor of Kings League (MKL) Spring 2025
Black Shrew Esport	MKL Spring 2025 runner-up
Alpha Gaming	MKL Spring 2025 third-placer
Kagendra	Indonesia Kings Laga (IKL) Spring 2025
Dominator Esports	IKL Spring 2025 runner-up
Team Vitality	IKL Spring 2025 third-placer
BOOM Esports	Philippines Kings League (PKL) Spring 2025 champion
Blacklist International	PKL Spring 2025 runner-up
A.C.T. Esports Club	PKL Spring 2025 third-placer
Paws Gaming	Wildcard Kings Series Spring 2025 champion
Loops	Honor of Kings Brazil Championship (CHOKBR) Fall 2025
Alpha7 Esports	CHOKBR Fall 2025 runner-up
Nongshim RedForce	Honor of Kings Major East League (KME) Spring 2025 champion
Twisted Minds	Honor of Kings Major West League (KMW) Spring 2025
OG	KME + KMW Last Chance Qualifier
Gen.G Esports	MENA Qualifier

 

 

Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 format

 

Three stages, one world champion. Photo via Esports World Cup Foundation

 

The tournament is divided into three phases:

 

• Group stage: July 15-19
• Group Kings/Last Chance: July 20
• Playoffs: July 23-26

 

The champions of the KPL Spring and ACL have already secured playoff spots, while the remaining 16 teams will begin their journey in the group stage. These 16 teams are divided into four GSL-style groups of four, competing in best-of-three, double-elimination matches. Here’s how the teams are grouped:

 

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D
Blacklist International Paws Gaming Gen.G Esports BOOM Esports	Dominator Esports Team Vitality Alpha7 Esports Loops	Twisted Minds Nova Esports Kagendra Black Shrew Esport	Alpha Gaming A.C.T. Esports Club OG Nongshim RedForce

 

 

The winner of each group advances to both the playoffs and the “Group Kings” stage, while the runner-up proceeds to the “Last Chance” round.

 

In the Last Chance round, predetermined matchups are as follows: A2 vs. B2 and C2 vs. D2. Winners of these matches move into the bottom pool for the playoffs, while the losers are eliminated from the tournament.

 

Meanwhile, the group winners face off in the Group Kings stage with matchups: A1 vs. B1 and C1 vs. D1. Winners advance to the top pool for the playoffs, joining the KPL Spring and ACL champions. The defeated teams drop to the bottom pool.

 

A draw will then determine the playoff matchups, ensuring that each top pool team faces a bottom pool team. The playoffs follow a single-elimination format, with all matches being best-of-seven, except for the third-place decider, which is best-of-five.

 

The tournament uses the Global Ban & Pick system, meaning no hero can be picked more than once by the same player during a series. However, if a best-of-seven or best-of-nine series reaches a final game, the Ultimate Battle system is activated, switching to a blind draft mode with no restrictions.

 

Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 schedule and results

World title and hefty prize money on the line. Photo via Esports World Cup Foundation

 

Playoffs

 

Quarterfinals

 

July 23

 

• 4am CT | 5pm GMT+8: TT Global vs. Team Vitality
• 7:30am CT | 8:30pm GMT+8: Nova Esports vs. OG

 

July 24

 

• 4am CT | 5pm GMT+8: Paws Gaming vs. Twisted Minds
• 7:30am CT | 8:30pm GMT+8: AG.AL vs. Alpha7 Esports

 

Semifinals – July 25

 

• 4am CT | 5pm GMT+8: TBD vs. TBD
• 7:30am CT | 8:30pm GMT+8: TBD vs. TBD

 

Third-place match – July 26

 

• 3am CT | 4pm GMT+8: TBD vs. TBD

 

Grand final – July 26

 

• 7am CT | 8pm GMT+8: TBD vs. TBD

 

Group stage

 

July 15

Group B round 1

• 4am CT | 5pm GMT+8: Alpha7 2-1 Loops
• 6am CT | 7pm GMT+8: Dominator 1-2 Vitality

Group A round 1

• 8am CT | 9pm GMT+8: Blacklist 0-2 Paws
• 10am CT | 11pm GMT+8: Gen.G 2-1 BOOM

July 16

Group D round 1

• 4am CT | 5pm GMT+8: Alpha 2-1 A.C.T.
• 6am CT | 7pm GMT+8: OG 2-0 NS RedForce

• 8am CT | 9pm GMT+8: Kagendra 0-2 Black Shrew
• 10am CT | 11pm GMT+8: Twisted Minds 0-2 Nova

July 17

Group A lower bracket semifinal

• 4am CT | 5pm GMT+8: Blacklist 1-2 BOOM
  • Blacklist International are eliminated.

Group A upper bracket final

• 6am CT | 7pm GMT+8: Paws 2-0 Gen.G
  • Paws Gaming qualify for the playoffs.

Group B upper bracket final

• 8am CT | 9pm GMT+8: Vitality 1-2 Alpha7
  • Alpha7 qualify for the playoffs.

Group B lower bracket semifinal

• 10am CT | 11pm GMT+8: Dominator 2-1 Loops
  • Loops are eliminated.

July 18

Group C lower bracket semifinal

• 4am CT | 5pm GMT+8: Twisted Minds 2-0 Kagendra
  • Kagendra are eliminated.

Group C upper bracket final

• 6am CT | 7pm GMT+8: Nova 2-0 Black Shrew
  • Nova Esports qualify for the playoffs.

Group D upper bracket final

• 8am CT | 9pm GMT+8: Alpha 0-2 OG
  • OG qualify for the playoffs.

Group D lower bracket semifinal

• 10am CT | 11pm GMT+8: A.C.T. 1-2 NS RedForce
  • A.C.T. Esports Club are eliminated.

July 19

Group C lower bracket final

• 4am CT | 5pm GMT+8: Black Shrew 1-2 Twisted Minds
  • Black Shrew Esport are eliminated.

Group B lower bracket final

• 6am CT | 7pm GMT+8: Vitality 2-1 Dominator
  • Dominator Esports are eliminated.

Group A lower bracket final

• 8am CT | 9pm GMT+8: Gen.G 2-0 BOOM
  • BOOM Esports are eliminated.

Group D lower bracket final

• 10am CT | 11pm GMT+8: Alpha 2-0 NS RedForce
  • Nongshim RedForce are eliminated.

July 20

Last Chance

• 4am CT | 5pm GMT+8: Gen.G 1-3 Vitality
• 6am CT | 7pm GMT+8: Twisted Minds 3-1 Alpha
  • Team Vitality and Twisted Minds qualify for the playoffs.
  • Gen.G Esports and Alpha Gaming are eliminated.

Group Kings

• 8am CT | 9pm GMT+8: Paws 2-1 Alpha7
• 10am CT | 11pm GMT+8: Nova 2-1 OG
  • Paws Gaming and Nova Esports enter top pool for playoffs.
  • Alpha7 Esports and OG drop to bottom pool for playoffs.

 

Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 final rankings

 

Team	Placement	Prize Money	Club Points
TBD	Champion	$750,000	1,000
TBD	2nd	$460,000	750
TBD	3rd	$310,000	500
TBD	4th	$200,000	300
TBD TBD TBD TBD	5th-8th	$130,000	200
Gen.G Esports Alpha Gaming	9th-10th	$100,000	0
BOOM Esports Dominator Esports Black Shrew Esports Nongshim RedForce	11th-14th	$80,000	0
Blacklist International Loops Kagendra A.C.T. Esports Club	15th-18th	$60,000	0