The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang competition at the 2026 Asian Games runs from September 29 to October 1 at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Japan, Esports Insider reported. Eleven national teams are contesting the first MLBB gold medal awarded at the Asiad.
The 11 teams were drawn into four groups for a single round-robin group stage, with the top two sides from each group advancing to a single-elimination playoff bracket. Every match is a best-of-three except the gold medal series, which is a best-of-seven. Iran withdrew from the tournament before it began.
How the groups finished
The group stage was played on September 29. Two of the four brackets had resolved by the time Esports Insider published, and a third needed no play at all to settle.
- Group A: Myanmar advanced at 2-0 and Hong Kong at 1-1; Uzbekistan went out at 0-2.
- Group B: Malaysia advanced at 2-0 and Indonesia at 1-1; Saudi Arabia went out at 0-2.
- Group C: the Philippines, Jordan and Kazakhstan had not completed their round-robin matches when the report was filed.
- Group D: Cambodia and Mongolia both advance regardless of their head-to-head result, as the group holds only two teams.
The Philippines, represented by the core of Team Liquid PH, entered as a heavy favourite. Filipino teams have won six of the seven MLBB World Championships. Esports Insider also listed Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Cambodia among the contenders, citing the region's established competitive scene.
Schedule and coverage
Quarterfinals and semifinals are staged across September 30, and the gold medal match is set for October 1 at 1pm UTC+8, or 1am ET. Knockout rounds are played as best-of-three series up to that final. Gold, silver and bronze are all listed as TBD.
Esports made a non-medal appearance at the Asian Games in 2018 and became a full medal discipline in 2022, according to the Olympic Council of Asia, which makes Aichi-Nagoya MLBB's first appearance on the Asiad programme. Every match is streaming on the game's official YouTube, Facebook and TikTok channels.
