KGL Summer 2026: 12 teams, ¥3M prize pool, KPL slots

KGL Summer 2026 will stage 12 city-based teams competing for a ¥3,000,000 (about $500,000) prize pool and promotion slots to KPL Spring 2027. The event is part of Honor of Kings esports’ 2026 calendar and offers a direct route into the top-tier King Pro League.

The tournament opened with a Group Stage that runs through August 30. The Group Stage follows a double round-robin format with best-of-five matches. The top eight teams after the Group Stage advance to the Playoffs while the bottom four are eliminated from title contention.

Playoffs begin on September 5 and run through September 9. The Playoffs use a double-elimination bracket with best-of-seven series. The top four teams from the Group Stage are seeded into the Upper Bracket, while the fifth to eighth place teams enter the Lower Bracket. The grand final is scheduled for September 13.

The total prize pool is ¥3,000,000. The champion will receive ¥1,000,000, the runner-up ¥650,000, third place ¥400,000 and fourth place ¥300,000. Fifth and sixth places will each receive ¥200,000, and seventh and eighth places ¥100,000 each. Individual awards will be presented to standout players at the end of the event.

Participating city-based teams are To Champion Group, Qing Jiu Club, LT Gaming, WLT Esports, UU Gamers, Xianyou Gaming, JA Gaming, WanZhen Esports Club, Mighty Tiger Gaming, Koala Game, Titan King’s Legion and JLY.

Matches are played offline at venues in China with in-person attendance open to fans. Broadcasts are available on Chinese social platforms, including Weibo, for remote viewers. Team performance in KGL Summer 2026 determines which organizations earn promotion slots to KPL Spring 2027.

KGL functions as the official growth league for Honor of Kings esports, maintaining a fixed competitive calendar for 2026 and providing developing teams with extended competition to test tactics and player combinations.