Mobile Legends: Bang Bang named first Esports Nations Cup title

The Esports World Cup Foundation has named Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) as the first title to feature at the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC).

The mobile MOBA title is one of 16 titles set to appear at the multi-national esports event taking place in November.

Unveiled on January 25th, the event organiser revealed that the MLBB tournament at the Esports Nations Cup will run from November 23rd to 29th, with 32 national teams competing for a gold medal.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’s presence at the ENC comes after MOONTON Games became a publishing partner for the event in November 2025.

The opening stage of the tournament will see all 32 teams competing in a round-robin group stage, with the top four teams from each group qualifying for stage two. The remaining 16 teams will then face off in a single-elimination playoff bracket to determine the eventual champion.

Playoffs matches will feature best-of-five series, while the Grand Finals will be played as best-of-seven series.

In addition to announcing details on the event’s format and schedule, the Esports World Cup Foundation also shared information on a new ranking system and qualifiers. 16 teams receive direct invitations based on the MLBB Nation Ranking System, which factors in player performance across international and regional tournaments.

The points are shared among players representing Clubs at these tournaments, with the top five players from each national roster forming the National Rank. Cut-offs for the national ranking will be August 2nd, following the Mid-Season Cup taking place at this year’s Esports World Cup.

From August 14th to 16th, teams will compete in the MLBB qualifiers featuring a double-elimination bracket that will be hosted in the following regions:

The top 14 teams from the qualifiers will join the 16 invited teams, taking the total number of participants to 30. The remaining two slots will be given to Wildcard teams, which will receive invitations to compete.