The PGL esports brand, which we all know from the top events in Dota 2 and CS2, has officially rolled out the announcement of its debut in mobile phones — meet PGL Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Challengers EU Open Qualifier. In fact, this is a major step for a company that has decided, apparently, to take a bite of the pie in the rapidly growing MLBB scene. Actually, the open qualifiers for Europe will start on Tuesday, January 13, at exactly 17:00 CET — so get your devices ready.
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Registration and format: How do I get into the game?
Interestingly, registration is already in full swing at the Battlefield, and you need to check in 30 minutes before the start, otherwise you will miss. Let’s put it this way, the selection system will be tough: a classic playoff with relegation after the first defeat. Apparently, the organizers decided not to delay the process, so most of the meetings will be held in the BO1 format.
In general, only in the decisive matches for the quota will you have to sweat in the BO3 series. In total, by the way, the 8 best teams from this meat grinder will take tickets to the main stage of the Challengers Main Event, which is scheduled for January 16-18.
The prize pool and the rules of the Main Event stage in Mobile Legends
To be fair, the main tournament promises to be much more viscous due to the Double Elimination grid, where teams will be randomly distributed. Looking at the regulations, you understand that this is a marathon, not a sprint. The upper and lower grids start with BO3, but the closer to the denouement, the higher the degree: the finalists will have a protracted BO5.
The apogee will be the grand final in the BO7 format, which is, in fact, a strong point. By the way, the prize fund of the tournament is €4,700, which is approximately equal to $5,500. Moreover, € 300 of this amount will be taken by the most productive player, the MVP of the championship. Not bad for a start.
The ranking of the best teams in Europe and the region’s favorites in 2026
To be honest, when it comes to total dominance on the stage, everything comes down to three key points: iron stability in the home leagues, real trophies on the world stage and, of course, the power of the bench.
Team Spirit (EECA) is the main flagship of the region
Without all the haters, Team Spirit is now the real locomotive of our region, which, I must say, consistently flies into the top 4–8 at the fattest world events. In fact, they have a huge background of performances at the M-series and MSC tournaments behind them, plus a perfectly debugged training machine. It’s powerful.
Virtus.pro (EECA/MCC) — Evolution of the predator
You can watch with interest the Virtus.pro After all, this team has gone from eternal contenders for the top 3 to the status of a formidable force capable of making its way to global events through Wildcard or regional selections. They have found their game — sometimes they go through groups at the World Championships without a single defeat.
BetBoom, forZe level clubs and top CIS tags
Actually, there is always a fierce squabble behind the backs of the grandees, where organizations such as BetBoom or forZe are trying to bite off their piece of fame. These teams, along the way, often take away the cups of local competitions, but at the international level they still lack stability, to be honest. Hurtful.
The hierarchy in Europe is now built according to a simple scheme: there is Spirit as the undisputed number one — and a couple more gangs that, in a successful season, reach their peak and cling to slots at the M-series or Esports World Cup. Logically.
Moonton’s Plans and the future of Mobile Legends esports in 2026
With all that being said, PGL chose the perfect moment to set off, because now all eyes are on Jakarta, where the M7 World Championship with a prize of 1,000,000 dollars is thundering from January 3 to January 25. Immediately after that, the crazy season of 2026 will begin. In February, for example, the first season of the Super League starts in Thailand — cool, isn’t it?
In general, the developer MOONTON Games has embarked on a global restructuring: Starting next year, many MPL regions will switch to the franchise model, copying Indonesia’s success. In addition, they plan to bring back Challenger tournaments in North America in 2026. In short, the Mobile Legends scene is turning into a real esports monster. It is logical and expected.
