Virtus.pro joins Honor of Kings esports partnership model

Virtus.pro has re-joined the Honor of Kings esports partnership model in 2026, earning a direct slot to the Honor of Kings Major League (KML).

The KML is a newly introduced league formed by the merger of the ecosystem’s global Eastern and Western divisions.

Last year, the KML West and East had a total of eight partners — three in the West and five in the East.

At the time, James Yang, Director of Level Infinite Global Esports Centre, said in an interview that the teams were selected based on a variety of factors, including brand, competitiveness, team management, and media power.

This is likely the case in 2026 as well. Alongside Virtus.pro, the other two partnered teams in the KML include Nongshim RedForce and Horaa Esports.

“Partner status with Honor of Kings is an important step for the club and emphasises the publisher’s trust in Virtus.pro,” the organisation said in a statement.

“This creates the basis for long-term work in the discipline, including the development of a competitive direction, integration into key ecosystem activities, and interaction with the game community.”

The announcement follows Honor of Kings revealing its complete 2026 esports calendar. It was also confirmed that the game will be part of the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (2026) in November.

KML Spring 2026 is set to take place from March 12th to 22nd. In total, 10 teams will lock horns for a share of a $35,000 (~£25,716) prize pool.

Additionally, the winner of the league will receive a slot at the Honor of Kings World Cup (KWC) in Saudi Arabia, per Liquipedia. Besides the three invited partnered teams, there will be seven qualified squads.

The other professional leagues have also been announced, which have different sets of invited and qualified teams. The schedule as follows: