.jpg)
Singapore, 27 March 2026 — Garena today announced that Arena of Valor (AoV) will debut at the 2026 Esports World Cup (EWC26) through a special collaboration with Honor of Kings, marking a key milestone in its 10th anniversary year. Held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, EWC26 will feature top teams from AoV’s major leagues competing alongside other teams.
Garena also shared initial details of its 2026 AoV esports plans, including the return of the AoV Premier League (APL) with an expanded multi-division format. Looking ahead, further details on the AoV International Championship (AIC), the game’s year-end championship tournament to be held in Thailand, will be announced in the second half of 2026.
These updates reflect Garena’s continued focus on strengthening AoV esports across its core markets and creating more opportunities for players and fans to engage with the game.
Arena of Valor enters the 2026 Esports World Cup
Taking place from 30 July to 8 August, EWC26 will feature 20 teams competing for a total prize pool of USD 3 million. Three top teams from Garena’s major AoV leagues — Arena of Glory (AOG), RoV Pro League (RPL), and Garena Challenger Series (GCS) — will be invited to compete starting from the Play-ins.
The tournament will unfold across three competitive stages, bringing together elite teams in thrilling, high-stakes battles that keep fans on the edge of their seats.
Play-in
- 8 teams (2 groups of 4)
- Best of 3 / Double Elimination / Global Ban&Pick
- Double Elimination
- TOP 2 per group qualify to Group Stage
Group Stage
- 16 teams (4 groups of 4)
- Best of 3 / Double Elimination / Global Ban&Pick
- TOP 2 per group qualify to Playoffs
Playoffs
- 8 teams (2 Groups of 4)
- Best of 7 (3rd Place Match-Best of 5) / Single Elimination / Global Ban&Pick and Ultimate Battle
At the event, all teams will play on a dedicated tournament build created exclusively for the EWC26 stage. This collaboration introduces a new cross-title competitive format while maintaining the distinct identity of both MOBA titles, bringing top teams from each league together on the same stage.
Arena of Valor Premier League returns with expanded format
The AoV Premier League (APL) will return in mid-2026 with an expanded format featuring a dedicated competition for female players for the first time. The tournament will kick off with the Wildcard Stage in May, followed by a 1v1 competition and Swiss Stage in June, and conclude with the APL Female Showdown and Grand Finals in July.
As part of this expanded format, APL 2026 will feature separate open and women’s competitions. The women’s competition will feature six teams in the Group Stage — two each from AOG, RPL, and GCS.
The main competition will begin with the Wildcard Stage with eight teams from AOG, RPL, GCS, and AoV Star League. Four advancing teams will then join 12 seeded representatives from AOG, RPL, and GCS in the 16-team Swiss Stage.
APL 2026 will be hosted across Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, Vietnam.
Stay tuned for more updates and the latest AoV esports news on Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
