Honor of Kings Philippines Opens 2026 with KIS4, Asian Games, PKL Expansion
Honor of Kings Philippines Opens 2026 with KIS4, Asian Games, PKL Expansion
Honor of Kings Esports Philippines has outlined a busy start to 2026, with the launch of Kings Invitational League 2026 Season 4, the selection of the national team for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, and an expanded Philippine Kings League Spring 2026 season.
The updates mark a major early push for the local Honor of Kings competitive scene. International representation, domestic league growth, and national team preparation will all take place within the first quarter of the year.
Blacklist International, BOOM Esports to represent PH at KIS4
Blacklist International and BOOM Esports will represent the Philippines at KIS4, the first major Honor of Kings esports event of 2026. The tournament will run from January 31 to February 8 in Jakarta, Indonesia. It will feature eight invited teams from Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Major East League.
Both Filipino teams qualified through their Team Star Value, which also granted them the ability to select their respective groups.
The eight invited teams will compete in a single round-robin, best-of-five Group Stage to determine seeding. The top two teams from each group will advance to the single-elimination, best-of-seven Knockout Stage, where they can select their opponents.
PKL Spring 2026 expands to 10 teams
Honor of Kings Esports Philippines also confirmed that PKL Spring 2026 will expand. The league will expand to 10 teams, up from eight in previous seasons.
The league will feature six invited teams. The remaining four slots awarded to top-performing teams from the Honor of Kings Open Series Split 5. The open qualifiers will run from January 24 to February 1.
Organizers said further announcements regarding invited teams and partner organizations will be shared through official HoK Esports Philippines channels.
Blacklist wins SIBOL National Qualifier for Asian Games
The SIBOL National Qualifier for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games was also held earlier this month. BOOM Esports, Blacklist International, and TNT Tropang Alab competed for the right to represent the Philippines in the Asiad.
Blacklist International emerged as the winner of the qualifier. As a result, BLCK coach Gerald “Tgee” Gelacio has been appointed to build and lead the Philippine HoK national team for the September 2026 games.
The series of announcements signals a strong start to the year for Honor of Kings Philippines, with increased international exposure, expanded domestic competition, and preparations underway for the country’s return to the Asian Games stage.