What an international debut! Virtus.pro (VP) are the 16th and final team to qualify for the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Mid Season Cup (MSC) at the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC). The team from Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) triumphed 3-1 over China's Rare Atom (RA) in the Wild Card Finals earlier today (13 July) to secure their spot on the Main Stage. Up next—the Main Stage! Taking place from 23 July to 2 August in Saudi Arabia, the Main Stage of the MSC at EWC 25 will see VP compete with 15 of the world's best MLBB teams for the championship title and a life-changing USD 3,000,000 prize pool.
The underdogs defy the odds to reign supreme
VP's victory over RA in the Best-of-Five (BO5) Wild Card Finals embodied the same underdog spirit that earned VP their first appearance on the international MLBB Esports stage. The EECA team's road to EWC began with Season 5 of the MLBB Continental Championships (MCC), where they secured a top-two finish in the Closed Qualifiers. In MCC Season 5, the Closed Qualifiers led into the Regular Season, followed by the Play-Ins, and finally the Playoffs. Fighting their way to the top, VP finished fifth in the Regular Season and navigated the Lower Brackets of the Play-Ins to qualify for the Playoffs. The team eventually emerged second in the Playoffs to earn their Wild Card slot.
VP's rise underscores the unpredictability of MLBB Esports, where any team can battle to the top. VP consists of Andrew "Andoryuuu" Flora (Jungler), Denis "BadKot" Bogomolov (EXP Laner), Dmitrii "Bober" Beliaev (Mid Laner), Egor "superegorka" Bugaev (Marksman), and Vladimir "Pluto" Misiurin (Roamer). This year's Wild Card introduced a new format to test teams' adaptability and resilience on the world stage. This comprised a BO3, double-elimination inter-group phase—requiring teams to secure victories both within and across groups to advance—followed by a BO5 Finals.
Group Stage draw revealed!
The Group Stage draw took place immediately after the Wild Card Finals. The draw saw VP rewarded for their Wild Card triumph by drawing defending champions, Selangor Red Giant OG Esports (SRG); will their underdog spirit be enough to overcome their toughest opponents yet?
The first three matches on 23 July see MLBB Professional League (MPL) champions, Team Liquid (Philippines), ONIC ID (Indonesia), and SRG (Malaysia) take the stage one after the other; all three heavy-hitters have been drawn in Group A, which is already looking like The Group of Death.
Meanwhile, Group B features the reigning MLBB world champions, ONIC PH, and fan favourites RRQ Hoshi. ONIC PH also have a redemption arc to complete, having relinquished the MPL PH crown in Season 15 to Team Liquid.
From 23 to 27 July, 16 of the world's best MLBB teams will compete in the Group Stage. This stage will see teams divided into two groups and compete in a BO3, double-elimination format. Read the full tournament format here: https://en.moonton.com/news/206.html.
With the stakes now higher than ever, teams must prepare to #EncounterTheUnknown in the most competitive MSC yet!
MLBB Queens will take the stage
MLBB Esports action continues at the EWC 25 with the MLBB Women's Invitational (MWI)—returning as the largest women's tournament at the world's biggest multi-title esports event. From 15 to 19 July, 16 of the world's best teams will compete for the most prestigious MLBB women's esports title. All eyes will shift to the MWI at EWC 25 battlefield—where one team will reign as the Queens of MLBB Esports.
From 15 to 17 July, the Group Stage will feature 16 teams split into four groups competing in a BO3, double-elimination format. On 17 and 18 July, the top two teams from each group will advance to the Knockout Stage, which will follow a BO3, single-elimination format. On 19 July, the BO5 third-place match will give teams a final chance to secure a podium finish. The tournament will conclude on the same day with a BO7 Grand Finals to crown the newest Queens of MLBB Esports!
As MLBB's flagship women's tournament, MWI serves as an inclusive platform for female athletes to prove they stand amongst the world's best. This edition marks the tournament's largest ever—welcoming teams from 57 qualifying regions and four new entrants. MWI at EWC 25 also features a USD 500,000 prize pool—one of the largest in women's esports history—aimed at fostering sustainable careers for female esports talent. MWI's increased diversity and enhanced tournament format showcase MOONTON Games' commitment to championing a #Limitless future for women in esports.
MOONTON Games recently launched dedicated social media channels (Instagram, TikTok) for the MLBB women's ecosystem as part of its strategy to uplift women in gaming. The channels aim to spotlight female esports talent, build community, and create more visibility for women across the competitive scene.
MLBB shines on the world's largest esports stage
The world's most-watched mobile esports title of 2024 returns to EWC 25 under the banner One Game, Two Champions. Last year, MLBB Esports made history with milestone achievements at MSC and MWI. According to Esports Charts, MSC was the most-watched title at EWC 24, with the Grand Finals reaching over 2.38 million Peak Concurrent Viewers (PCV). The seven-match series between Falcons AP.Bren (now AP.Bren) and Selangor Red Giants (now Selangor Red Giants OG Esports) ended with the latter taking home Malaysia's first MLBB international trophy and USD 1,000,000.
Meanwhile, MWI 2024 made history as the only women's tournament at the inaugural EWC. It also recorded its most-watched edition to date with over 2.5 million Hours Watched, according to Esports Charts. Building on these landmark moments, MLBB Esports has returned to make its mark again at the world's biggest esports event.
