Registration:

1. HoN player account names must match the account names provided by the team captain during the tournament registration period.
2. Team rosters are locked once the registration period ends until the Playoffs begin.
3. If a team cannot field 5 players for a match within 15 minutes of the scheduled time they will forfeit unless a match admin or the opposing team extends this time period.
4. No ringers/stand-ins will be allowed for any reason whatsoever.
5. A player is bound to one team for the entire duration of the tournament. Playing or ringing for other teams will result in severe punishment for both the offending player and team.
6. Teams are allowed to add new players to their roster during the Playoffs as long as the player in question did not participate in the World Cup with another team. Players must be announced and added to the roster a minimum of 3 days before they are able to compete in any World Cup matches.
7. Team captains should include their team’s preferred HoN server when signing up their team.

Game Settings:

1. Game Mode: Banning Pick, 5v5, Forests of Caldavar.
2. Game Options: All Heroes, Tournament Rules.
3. The games in all Qualifiers will be played best-of-three (bo3) single elimination.
4. Teams will designate 1 player in the game lobby to /roll 1 2. The 1st team will have the choice of pick order or side, and the 2nd team will choose the remaining option. The teams will switch sides and pick for the 2nd game and every consecutive game afterward.

Bugs, Restrictions & Items:

1. It is not allowed to block creeps from reaching their destination (e.g. blocking base entrance) with the help of spells such as fissure.
2. Deliberate use of sudden bugs or exploits may cause your team to be disqualified.
3. Backdooring is allowed.
4. There are no item restrictions.
5. The sharing of basic regeneration items, wards, consumables, and gems is allowed.
6.The following items, however, can only be shared for 5 minutes and must be returned to their respective owner afterward: Bottle, Lifetube, Manatube, Sustainer, Scarab, and Trinket of Restoration.

Before the Match:

1. Teams in different regions should decide on a neutral host location that is suitable for the match (server with the overall lowest ping for both teams).
2. Make sure to test the server for lag before the match commences.
3. Teams in the same region should use a server located in that region.
4. If the teams cannot agree upon a neutral host location then the server will be decided by a match admin.

During the Match:

1. In case of an in-game dispute, pause the game and contact a match admin.
2. In the case that both teams cannot agree on a decision or an admin is not available, the remainder of the match will be played out and the teams can submit the replay match ID for an admin review/appeal afterward.
3. No observers or referees are allowed in a match unless they are match admins, shoutcasters, or streamers.
4. Teams are allowed to remake the game if a remake vote succeeds.
5. If a player drops his team is allowed to pause for a period of 5 minutes without the opposing team unpausing (giving the appropriate player a chance to reconnect in a timely fashion).

After the Match:

1. The game is over when:
- One team vote concedes.
- 2 or more players on the same team say ff and leave.
- The World Tree or Sacrificial Shrine is destroyed.
2. The match ID must be submitted by one of the teams to one of the representatives.