Mobile Legends: Bang Bang unveils 2026 Esports Roadmap: M8 heads to Türkiye, New Tournament IP, and more

Story Highlights

  • The M8 World Championship Finals are heading to Türkiye in late 2026.
  • MLBB confirmed for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya and the Esports Nations Cup.
  • New “Championship Tour” IP and MSL Thailand join the unified five-region blueprint.

MOONTON Games CEO Cloud Zhang revealed the future of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports at the M7 World Championship, outlining plans through 2026.

This update marks a major move towards bringing the sport together worldwide and into the mainstream, most notably with the championship series expanding to Europe for the first time.

The European Dream: The road to MLBB M8 in Türkiye

Okay, so I’m here on the show floor and the crowd went wild when they announced where the M8 World Championship would be held! It’s official: Türkiye is hosting the M8 Finals in late 2026. This is huge for us as players – it’s the first time the World Championship will ever be held in Europe, which is awesome!

The next stage of the Wild Card competition will take place in Thailand, continuing to establish Southeast Asia as a central hub for the game.

  • M8 World Championship (Late 2026/Early 2027): The M8 Finals are officially heading to Türkiye! This marks the first time the M-Series will be hosted in Europe. To kick things off, the M8 Wild Card stage will be hosted in Thailand in late 2026.
  • MSC 2026 at EWC (July): The Mid Season Cup (MSC) returns to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of the Esports World Cup (EWC). This remains a massive mid-year peak with a multi-million dollar prize pool.
  • MWI at EWC (July): The MLBB Women’s Invitational will also return to the EWC stage in July, continuing its run as the premier female mobile esports event.
  • MSL TH (Thailand): The first half kicks off in March/April, with the second half scheduled for August/September.
  • MPL (Mobile Legends Professional League): Following its usual rhythm, the 1st Half of the year (Season 17 for many regions) runs in May/June, with the 2nd Half (Season 18) hitting in October/November.

One of the most important parts of the plan focuses on ‘Partnerships,’ highlighting how Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is increasingly recognized as a major international esport.

  • Asian Games Nagoya (Sept/Oct): MLBB is confirmed as a medalled event at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, running from September to October.
  • Esports Nations Cup (ENC): MLBB will be the inaugural title for the Esports Nations Cup, a country-vs-country format launching in November.
  • The Championship Tour: This is a brand-new IP introduced today. It’s designed to give emerging regions a higher-tier competitive platform to eventually break into the M-Series and MSC.

My Take from the Floor

With the new “Five-Region Blueprint” now in effect, Mobile Legends seems to be entering its most well-structured period yet. MOONTON’s promise of a “Global Ready” game feels genuine, especially with the upcoming M8 tournament being held in Türkiye – they’re clearly committed to expanding the game’s reach and quality.

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2026-01-25 17:11