The road to a historic Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Mid Season Cup (MSC) has begun! MOONTON Games today announced the Wild Card Group Draw for the largest edition of MLBB Esports' international mid-season tournament. Hosted in Paris, France, MSC will make its European debut at the 2026 Esports World Cup (EWC), uniting 25 of the best MLBB teams at the world's largest multi-title esports event.
Launched by international video game company, MOONTON Games, MLBB has established itself as one of the world's leading mobile games. The title has amassed over 1.5 billion installations and 110 million monthly active users (MAU) and cemented itself as an esports powerhouse. MLBB also holds the title of the world's most-watched mobile esports event since 2021, according to Esports Charts. Earlier this year, the seventh edition of its flagship international tournament, the M7 World Championship (M7), emerged as the most-popular mobile esports tournament in history with over 5.68 million Peak Concurrent Viewers (PCV).
A showdown awaits in Paris
The journey to MSC at EWC 26 will begin with the Wild Card, where 10 teams—up from eight in previous editions—will compete for the final Main Stage slot. This year, the tournament debuted dedicated qualification pathways for India, Thailand, South Korea, and Western Europe, reflecting the continued expansion of MLBB Esports' global ecosystem.
The MSC at EWC 26 Wild Card Draw is as follows:
The Wild Card opens with a high-stakes elimination format, as 10 teams are divided into two groups and battle for the tournament's highly coveted Main Stage berth. Leading the field are Team Falcons MENA (FLCM) and The MongolZ (MGLZ), both returning with valuable international experience, determined to redeem themselves after falling short in the MSC 2025 Wild Card. They are joined by a diverse cast of contenders, including King of Gamers Club (KOG), who enter in strong form after making history at the inaugural MLBB Super League (MSL) Thailand Season 1. Bringing together seasoned international competitors and rising regional challengers, the Wild Card promises fierce competition as teams fight for the final opportunity to reach MLBB's biggest stage.
The Main Stage will feature the tournament's final 16 teams, with the draw set to take place at the conclusion of the Wild Card. To support the ecosystem's growth, MSC at EWC 26 unveiled a revamped format designed to make the road to championship contention more demanding. The changes are part of MLBB Esports' broader strategy to strengthen the competitive landscape and further establish MLBB as one of the world's leading esports disciplines.
The globalisation of MLBB Esports
The hosting of MSC at EWC 26 in Paris, France marks the latest milestone in MLBB Esports' global expansion. At the M7 Grand Finals, MOONTON Games unveiled a new five-region structure comprising the Americas (AMER), East Asia (EA), Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and Southeast Asia (SEA). The framework is designed to strengthen regional ecosystems while creating a more interconnected global competitive structure.
MLBB Esports' international footprint will continue to expand in the coming months with the title set to make its debut at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. In addition, the M8 World Championship (M8) Finals will be held in Türkiye—marking the first time it hosts its flagship international tournament in Europe.
Tiger Xu, Global Head of MLBB Esports at MOONTON Games, said: "Seeing MSC at EWC 26 head to Paris is a proud moment for everyone who's been part of MLBB Esports' journey. What started as a competitive ecosystem rooted in Southeast Asia has grown into a global one—with players, teams, and fans now shaping its future around the world. As we approach MLBB's 10th anniversary, milestones like MSC's European debut and the M8 World Championship in Türkiye show how far the ecosystem has come. They showcase how MLBB continues to reach new players while maintaining the strong community that has supported us over the years."
The next chapter for women's esports begins
The final 16 teams for the MLBB Women's International (MWI) at EWC 26 have secured their places on the world stage! Following its rebrand from the MLBB Women's Invitational, the tournament marks its evolution into a fully realised global championship. With qualification pathways spanning over 60 regions and the introduction of Western Europe qualifiers, the tournament will showcase its most internationally diverse field of competitors yet.
Under the "Two Champions, One Game" banner, MLBB returns to EWC for the third consecutive year as it continues to establish itself as one of the event's mainstay esports titles. According to Esports Charts, EWC 25 delivered record-breaking viewership across both MLBB tournaments. MSC emerged as the most-watched tournament in the event's history and the first to surpass 3 million PCV. Meanwhile, MWI delivered its strongest performance to date, reaching 496,995 PCV. It also became the first women's tournament in history to surpass 100,000 Average Concurrent Viewers (ACV).
