AG.AL Wins Inaugural Honor of Kings Tournament at Esports World Cup 2025
- Sagar Mankar
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Chinese powerhouse AG.AL International emerged victorious in the Honor of Kings World Cup 2025, pulling off a dramatic 4-3 comeback win over TT Global in the grand final held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on July 26.
The match marked the conclusion of the inaugural World Cup event for Honor of Kings, hosted as part of the 2025 Esports World Cup.
AG.AL Wins 2025 Honor of Kings World Cup (HOK EWC)
How the Grand Final Played Out
The best-of-seven finale started with AG.AL taking the lead in Game 1, showing early dominance. However, TT Global quickly shifted the momentum, claiming three back-to-back wins to lead the series 3-1. With match point in sight, TT Global appeared to have the championship within reach.
But AG.AL wasn’t ready to give up. They changed their approach with a macro-focused strategy and showcased some of the best coordination seen in the tournament. The shift paid off as they clawed their way back to level the series 3-3.
In the decisive Game 7, AG.AL outmaneuvered TT Global in both team fights and map control, gaining a significant gold lead and ultimately securing the final victory.
Final Standings & Prize Pool Breakdown
The Honor of Kings World Cup featured a $3 million USD prize pool, with payouts and club points awarded as follows:
Rank | Prize Money | Club Points | Team |
1st | $750,000 | 1,000 | AG.AL International |
2nd | $460,000 | 750 | TT Global |
3rd | $310,000 | 500 | Nova Esports |
4th | $200,000 | 300 | Twisted Minds |
5th–8th | $130,000 | 200 | Vitality, OG, Paws, Alpha7 |
9th–10th | $100,000 | – | Gen.G, Alpha Gaming |
11th–14th | $80,000 | – | BOOM, Dominator, Black Shrew, Nongshim RedForce |
15th–18th | $60,000 | – | Blacklist Intl., Loops, Kagendra, A.C.T. |
Additionally, AG.AL’s Zoe was named Finals MVP, earning a $10,000 bonus for an outstanding individual performance.
Road to the Grand Final
TT Global, the ACL champions, entered directly into the playoffs and had a dominant run:
Quarterfinals: Defeated Team Vitality 4-0
Semifinals: Beat Nova Esports 4-1
Finals: Lost to AG.AL 3-4
AG.AL, representing the KPL Spring champions, also entered at the playoff stage:
Quarterfinals: Beat Alpha7 Esports 4-0
Semifinals: Swept Twisted Minds 4-0
Finals: Defeated TT Global 4-3
Tournament Format & Stats
The 2025 edition was notable for being the first Honor of Kings World Cup since the canceled AWC 2022 and used a GSL-style group stage format. Group stage matches were held from July 15–19, followed by a Last Chance and Group Kings stage on July 20, and then Playoffs from July 23–26.
As per Esports Charts, the event drew strong numbers:
Peak Viewers: 653,309
Total Hours Watched: 3.65 million
Average Viewers: 51,397
Total Airtime: 71 hours
Looking Ahead
With this win, AG.AL not only claims the title but also jumps to second place in the overall 2025 Esports World Cup club rankings, boosting their chances in the Club Championship standings. TT Global, though falling short in the final, also solidifies itself as one of the most formidable teams in the Honor of Kings esports scene.