Opening week of MPL Malaysia Season 18 sees Selangor Red Giants (SRG) and Bigetron MY by VIT (BTRM) emerge as early frontrunners
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, 17 August 2026—Malaysia's road to the M8 World Championship (M8) is underway, with both the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Malaysia and the MLBB Academy League Malaysia (MAL MY) now offering a pathway towards the world stage.
MPL Malaysia Season 18 opened its Regular Season over the weekend, with eight partner teams competing for six Playoff spots and two direct berths to M8. Entering its second season under the Partnership Programme, roster changes and a new meta have reshaped the field and opened up the race for the Malaysian title.
Meanwhile, MAL MY Season 6 begins today (17 August) with 12 rising teams, including a sister team of five-time consecutive MPL Malaysia champions Selangor Red Giants (SRG), signalling greater investment from top organisations in developing the next generation. The MAL MY champion can now progress to the newly launched MLBB Championship Tour Southeast Asia (MCT SEA), where the development-league champions from Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines compete for one place in the MCT SEA Playoffs. That team must then face national champions and top regional contenders from across Southeast Asia, making the pathway fully earned.
From the arena to Malaysia's biggest night in music
Left to right: Muhammad Danial "CikuGais" Mohamad Fuad; Fizi Ali; Rose; Siti "ReezPiuPiu" Nurizati; Muhammad Nazhan "Chibi" Mohd Nor; and Putra Ammar Qayyim "Mars" Zulaadi at the 40th Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL) red carpet
MPL Malaysia's opening week saw MLBB Esports take its place on one of the country's biggest entertainment stages, reflecting esports' growing influence across Malaysia’s entertainment and youth culture. On 15 August, Muhammad Danial "CikuGais" Mohamad Fuad, Muhammad Nazhan "Chibi" Mohd Nor, Putra Ammar Qayyim "Mars" Zulaadi, Rose, and Siti "ReezPiuPiu" Nurizati represented the community at the 40th Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL 40), extending MPL Malaysia's presence beyond the esports arena. The crossover builds on MPL Malaysia's ongoing partnership with Media Prima, expanding the league's reach among mainstream audiences and further bringing "MY Time, MY Era" to life.
Week 1 of MPL Malaysia Season 18 opens and closes with Savages
Bigetron MY by VIT (BTRM) set the pace in Week 1, defeating All Combo (AC) in under 11 minutes to record the fastest game of the season. Chibi (Jungler) added to BTRM's strong start a Savage—eliminating all five opponents in quick succession and giving BTRM control of the game—in the week’s opening match. Selangor Red Giants (SRG) returned to domestic competition in commanding form following a challenging MLBB Mid Season Cup (MSC) campaign, sweeping Invictus Gaming (iG) and Team Rey (TR) 2–0 to top the Week 1 standings without dropping a game. John "Innocent" Banal (Gold Laner) closed the week with another Savage, bookending an opening weekend that began with Chibi's.
Week 2 will put the league's unbeaten frontrunners head-to-head, with SRG looking to defend its lead against BTRM. The Week 2 match schedule is as follows:
Learn more about MPL Malaysia via the following social media channels:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mplmy.official
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mplmy.official
- TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mplmy
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About Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is one of the most popular mobile Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games worldwide that brings communities together through teamwork and strategy. With over 1.5 billion installations and 110 million active monthly users, the award-winning game is among the top 10 most played in over 80 countries. With an extensive reach across the Asia Pacific region, the multiplayer is available in 139 countries with an expansive global esports presence.
About Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Esports
Established in 2017, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Esports serves as a platform for players to pursue their dreams of becoming esports athletes and illuminate opportunities within the international esports ecosystem. MLBB Esports has since expanded to multiple leagues, including the MPL series hosted in Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Latin America; MPL is the first esports event series to surpass 1 billion hours of watch time globally.
About MOONTON Games
Established in 2014, MOONTON Games is a global video game company dedicated to gaming development, publication, and esports. With more than 2,000 employees worldwide, the company operates offices in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Latin America, and China. It has successfully launched several high-profile mobile games globally and has built long-term relationships with governments and esports organizations in more than 30 countries around the world. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is its current star game and the leading mobile multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game worldwide. For more information, visit https://en.moonton.com.
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