RI Dominates Honor of Kings Qualifiers, Secures Asian Games 2026 Main Event Spot

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s national esports team has booked its place in the Honor of Kings (HOK) main event at the Asian Games 2026 after sweeping all matches in the qualification round held in Malaysia on Thursday, 18 June 2026.

Head coach Richard Permana credited the achievement to the hard work of athletes, coaching staff, and the support of multiple stakeholders.

“We are grateful the coaching team was proactive in building this squad, and we appreciate PBESI leadership for twice supporting independent training camps,” he said, as quoted by Antara, referring to the Association of Indonesian Esport.

Richard also thanked club management OG, game publisher Timi, and esports clubs RRQ, Vesakha, and Kagendra for backing the athletes in their debut at the multi-sport event.

Indonesia displayed dominance throughout the qualifiers, defeating Mongolia 2-0, Uzbekistan 2-0, and Pakistan 2-0, finishing with a flawless 6-0 record.

The team also posted an impressive statistic of 77 kills without a single death, a testament to their intensive training focused on individual skills, team coordination, and evolving game strategies.

Richard noted that the players’ preparation often matched the performance levels of teams in China’s King Pro League (KPL), considered the highest benchmark in global HOK competition. Still, he cautioned against complacency.

“We will always seek improvement because meta shifts could pose challenges. We need to monitor and confirm those developments further,” he explained.

Plans for an international training camp are being considered to enhance experience, though execution will require additional support.

Mental readiness is also a priority as the team heads into the main event, where competition will be far tougher than in the qualifiers. Richard identified China as the strongest contender for gold, with Malaysia likely to be a key rival. “We regularly provide mental conditioning for the team,” he added.

The Indonesian squad is composed of Iqbal Khan, Drensen, Emanuel Hendo Paska, Agung Budi Prasetyo, Neville Garrick, and Muh Naufal Aushaf Mahfuzh, supported by assistant coach M. Ilham Bahrul Hadi and coach Glen Richard Pangalila.

This qualification marks a significant milestone for Indonesia’s esports program, reinforcing its ambition to compete at the highest level of Asian Games esports and positioning the team as a rising force in Honor of Kings competition. ***