Moonton CEO Cloud Zhang, during the M7 World Championship Grand Finals, revealed the 2026 Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Esports Roadmap. He unveiled the new five-region structure and all the tournaments for the mobile MOBA game this year.
As part of Mobile Legends' worldwide expansion plan, the M8 World Championship Finals will be held in Türkiye. This is the first time the M series will be held in Europe.
Further, MLBB was announced as the first title for the initial Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 in Saudi Arabia. It will also debut as a medal event at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
MLBB Esports wants to achieve more than 70 regions, 5,000 events, and 600 million Hours Watched by 2026.
MLBB Esports 2026 Roadmap Timeline
Mobile Legends, a global gaming phenomenon launched by MOONTON Games in 2016, turns 10 this year. The MOBA game has drawn more than 1.5 billion installations and 110 million monthly active players worldwide over the previous decade. Esports Charts has named its nine-year-old ecosystem the world's most popular mobile esports title every year since 2021.
The MLBB Esports 2026 Roadmap shows MOONTON Games' goal of leading global esports and entertainment.
- International Tournaments
- M7 2026 [Jan 2026]
- MSC & MWI at EWC 2026 [Early Jul–Aug 2026]
- MCT [Late Dec 2026]
- M8 2027 [Jan 2027]
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League
- 1st half MPL [Late Mar–mid Jun 2026]
- 2nd half MPL [Mid Aug–mid Sep 2026]
- 2nd half MPL [Early Oct–early Dec 2026]
- Third-Party Tournaments
- Asian Games [Mid Sep–early Oct 2026]
- ENC [Nov 2026]
5 Regions, 1 Goal
MLBB Esports will be composed of a five-region structure in 2026:
- Southeast Asia (SEA)
- Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA)
- Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA)
- East Asia (EA)
- Americas (AMER)
This new framework unites MLBB Esports globally while enabling each region with customized infrastructure and talent development.
The Championship Tour, a new intercontinental tournament throughout EA, AMER, and SEA, elevates regional competition and showcases fresh talent. MLBB Esports' area-focused approach represents its goal to balance local development with international integration, where each region strengthens the global ecosystem.
Tiger Xu, Mobile Legends Esports global head, said:
With this blueprint, we're taking a long-term view of what MLBB Esports can be. Every community will have the chance to grow and develop its own identity while remaining connected to a larger ecosystem. This transition is as much about integration as it is about expansion. By bringing emerging regions into the fold, we ensure that every market plays a central role in the competitive landscape. Layering development, competition, and community in this way allows each region to contribute meaningfully while strengthening the ecosystem as a whole.
M8 Finals in Türkiye
The M8 World Championship Finals will be held in Türkiye in January 2027, marking the inaugural appearance of the M Series in Europe.
Thailand, on the other hand, will host its first M Series event with the M8 Wild Card stage.
Tiger Xu shared:
Hosting the M8 World Championship in Türkiye is a defining moment for MLBB Esports. For the first time in M Series history, we're stepping beyond our Southeast Asian strongholds and expanding its footprints in a new region. This move reflects our confidence in the growth of emerging MLBB regions and our focus on integrating them into a broader, connected ecosystem. Strategically, the M8 World Championship shapes MOONTON Games' approach to regional integration and reinforces our vision for a unified, global competitive ecosystem. It also lays the foundation for sustainable, long-term development, positioning MLBB Esports for continued leadership in the years ahead.
Mobile Legends on the Global Stage in 2026
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, the first confirmed title in Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026, will headline the inaugural country-based esports tournament. From November 23 to 29, 32 national teams will participate in the tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The ENC is a new worldwide platform that emphasizes national pride in competition. The tournament expands MLBB Esports' worldwide calendar and strengthens its national competitions, linking players and fans.
In addition, Mobile Legends will debut as a medal event at the 20th Asian Games (Aichi-Nagoya 2026), one of the region's biggest sports events. Taking place from mid-September to early October, this milestone will build on Mobile Legends' fourth consecutive Southeast Asian Games appearance (the recent was SEAG 2025). These appearances show MLBB's rise from esports leader to international sports powerhouse.
Tiger Xu added:
Our participation at the Esports Nations Cup 2026 and 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 are defining moments for MLBB Esports. Competing on stages built around national representation elevates the meaning of what our athletes are playing for. It places MLBB in the same conversation as traditional sports, where competition carries cultural significance, national pride, and long-term sporting value. For us, this is not just about diversifying where MLBB is played, but about reinforcing esports as a discipline that resonates beyond the game. MLBB stands as a platform that brings communities together and stands confidently on the global sporting stage.
Mobile Legends will once again be featured at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 with the Mid Season Cup (MSC) and MLBB Women's Invitational (MWI), setting a combined USD 3.5 million prize pool. Its ongoing involvement shows the MOBA game's expanding prominence in the world's premier multi-title esports event.
Last EWC 2025, MLBB was one of the most-watched titles with a total of over 47 million Hours Watched as per Esports Charts.
Compared with the 2025 roadmap, I would like to know your insights about the latest Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports ecosystem updates and key developments in 2026. – PinoyTechSaga
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