The Queens of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) have done it again! Team Vitality (VIT) successfully defended their MLBB Women’s International (MWI) title at the 2026 Esports World Cup (EWC), defeating Natus Vincere (NAVI), 4-2, in a nail-biting Grand Finals series to cap off the most-watched edition in MWI history. The French organisation became back-to-back MWI champions, walking away with the lion’s share of the US$500,000 prize pool.
Team Vitality Wins MWI 2026 at EWC 2026
The victory carried even greater significance as the tournament ushered in a new era for women’s esports, following its rebrand from the MLBB Women’s Invitational into a fully realised global championship. The landmark edition also marked MWI’s European debut at EWC 26, where VIT, one of the world’s leading French esports organisations, lifted the trophy on home soil in Paris. The triumph secured the organisation’s record-extending fourth MWI crown, further cementing its legacy as the undisputed Queens of MLBB.
MWI is the only dedicated women’s esports tournament at EWC 26 and has grown into one of the world’s leading competitions for female esports athletes. This year’s edition was the tournament’s largest yet, with open qualifiers spanning 60 regions before culminating in a 16-team Main Event in Paris. Its continued growth reflects MLBB Esports’ commitment to building a more global and inclusive competitive ecosystem, creating more opportunities for women to compete on the international stage.
MLBB is the star game of international video game company MOONTON Games. With over 1.5 billion installations and 110 million Monthly Active Users (MAU), MLBB is one of the world’s leading mobile games. According to Esports Charts, MLBB has been the world’s most-watched mobile esports title since 2021, underscoring its enduring global appeal and the continued growth of its competitive ecosystem.
Ray Ng, Head of Esports Ecosystems at MOONTON Games, said: “Congratulations to Team Vitality on an outstanding title defence, and to every team that competed at MWI at EWC 26. This year’s tournament featured the strongest and most globally diverse field in MWI history, reflecting the remarkable progress of women’s MLBB esports. MWI has grown into a truly global championship that expands opportunities for women to compete on the international stage while introducing MLBB to new audiences around the world. Together with the Esports Foundation, we look forward to building on its success and writing the next chapter of MWI at EWC.”
Rivalry renewed, score settled
The Grand Finals also renewed one of MLBB’s greatest international rivalries. VIT’s Indonesian roster faced the Philippines’ NAVI in a rematch of the MWI 2024 Grand Finals, where NAVI—then competing as Smart Omega Empress (OMGE)—swept VIT 3-0 to dethrone the defending champions and end their 24-match international winning streak, a run that had stood since 2021. Home to many of MLBB’s greatest players and world champions, Indonesia and the Philippines have long set the benchmark for competitive MLBB.
Vival claimed FINALS MVP Honour
VIT’s “Queen of the Jungle”, Viorelle “Vival” Chen (Jungler), claimed the Finals Most Valuable Player (FMVP) honour for the second time, having first earned the accolade at the inaugural MWI in 2022.
“I am extremely proud of what this team has achieved, especially with the resilience they showed across such a demanding tournament,” said Danny Engels, Chief International Officer of Team Vitality. “For Vitality, this is also about helping push women’s esports further, not only in Southeast Asia but around the world. We want to play a role in growing the scene and be at the forefront of mobile gaming globally.”
Fabian Scheuermann, Chief Games Officer, the Esports Foundation, said: “Congratulations to Team Vitality on an incredible achievement. Defending a world title is one of the rarest achievements in professional sports and never easy. Doing so on Vitality’s home soil in Paris made it a memorable moment for the team and everyone in the arena. Every year, MWI brings together more regions, more talented players, and a higher standard of play. That’s exactly the progress we want to see as we continue creating opportunities for the world’s best women players to compete on the biggest stage in esports.”
Geltek Cyber Team (GCT) from the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region clinched a podium finish after a commanding 3-0 victory over Cambodia’s Galaxy Phoenix (GPX) in the Third Place Match. The result marks the highest-ever international finish in MLBB for the EECA region, while Cambodia achieved its best performance on the global MLBB women’s stage. With more regions making their mark on the international stage, MWI continues to inspire and empower the next generation of female esports talent.
MWI at EWC 26 sets new viewership benchmark
With 565,526 Peak Concurrent Viewers (PCV), MWI at EWC 26 became the tournament’s most-watched edition to date, according to Esports Charts. The championship also set new records across all major viewership metrics, amassing 5,070,965 Hours Watched (HW) and 129,472 Average Concurrent Viewers (ACV).
Credit: Esports ChartsArtyom Odintsov, Co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts, shared: “MWI 2026 demonstrates just how quickly women’s esports continues to evolve on the global stage. Another notable trend was TikTok’s growing role in esports livestreaming. Four of the tournament’s five most-watched channels were TikTok broadcasts, reinforcing the platform’s importance for mobile-first esports audiences. MWI continues to demonstrate that short-form ecosystems are becoming not only a discovery channel, but also a destination for watching live competitions.”
The battle for the MSC 2026 at EWC 2026 throne begins!
16 of the world’s best MLBB teams are set to converge in Paris as the Mid Season Cup (MSC) makes its European debut at EWC 26. The action begins with the Group Stage from 22 to 26 July, followed by the Knockout Stage from 29 to 31 July. The tournament will reach its climax on 1 August, when the final two teams face off in a Best-of-Seven (BO7) Grand Final to crown the next MSC champion. One of the biggest early storylines will be Group B, where reigning champions Team Liquid PH (TLPH) and inaugural MSC at EWC winners Selangor Red Giants (SRG) headline a stacked field of Southeast Asian powerhouses.
MLBB enters MSC at EWC 26 with record-breaking momentum. At EWC 25, the title generated more than 50.32 million HW across MSC and MWI, accounting for over a quarter of the event’s total viewership across all game titles. This is also the tournament’s most globally diverse edition yet, with teams from India, Thailand, South Korea, and Western Europe having qualified for the first time through the expanded international pathway. This reflects MOONTON Games’ commitment to allowing more athletes to compete on one of MLBB Esports’ biggest international stages.
Tickets for MSC at EWC 26 are now on sale. Fans can enjoy 15% off with the exclusive code MLBB15 and be part of the action in Paris.
Team Vitality defend MWI crown on home soil at EWC 2026 Inside Sport India.
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