China's Kuaishou Gaming (KSG) won the Honor of Kings World Cup at the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris, France, on Saturday, defeating fellow Chinese team AG.AL 4-3 in a seven-game final. The victory marks KSG's first international title.

The Honor of Kings competition began on July 30, with 20 clubs taking part. Both KSG and AG.AL advanced to the final without dropping a single game in the group and knockout stages.

The two teams have faced each other several times in previous competitions, with both sides recording wins. AG.AL, however, had generally held the upper hand.

The best-of-seven final got off to a fast start, with KSG taking the opening game. AG.AL responded with a narrow win in the second game to level the series, but KSG quickly adjusted its strategy and regained the lead by winning the third.

AG.AL then found its rhythm and won the next two games in a row to move within one game of the title at 3-2. Facing elimination, KSG fought back in the sixth game with targeted attacks that effectively contained AG.AL's offense. AG.AL made a late push to turn the game around, but KSG held on to force a decisive seventh game.

The Esports World Cup 2026 opened in Paris on July 6 and will run through August 23. This year's Esports World Cup is the first edition to be held outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The event features more than 2,000 professional players and over 200 clubs from more than 100 countries and regions, competing across 25 tournaments and 24 games for a record prize pool of more than $75 million.

(Cover: Kuaishou Gaming (KSG) wins the Honor of Kings World Cup at the Esports World Cup in Paris, France, August 8, 2026. /Honor of Kings)