MOONTON Games has revealed the slot distribution for the M8 World Championship, which will feature 16 teams on the Main Stage. MPL Indonesia, MPL Philippines and MPL Malaysia will receive two direct slots each, while teams from EMEA, EECA and the MLBB Championship Tour will also qualify through regional pathways. The Wild Card stage has been expanded to 10 teams, with three of them advancing to the Main Stage instead of two at M7. The M8 World Championship will take place in January 2027, with the Wild Card held in Bangkok and the Finals in Istanbul.
M8 World Championship Main Stage slot allocation
The Main Stage will feature 16 teams. Six direct slots will go to the three franchised MPL leagues in Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, with each league receiving two places.
Regional competitions and the MLBB Championship Tour will provide another seven direct slots. The remaining three places will be decided through the expanded Wild Card stage.
- MPL Indonesia: 2 slots
- MPL Philippines: 2 slots
- MPL Malaysia: 2 slots
- MCT Southeast Asia: 2 slots
- EMEA: 2 slots
- EECA: 1 slot
- MCT East Asia: 1 slot
- MCT Americas: 1 slot
- Wild Card: 3 slots
The M8 World Championship is currently scheduled for January 2027 and will be held in Istanbul, Türkiye.
Wild Card expands to 10 teams
The M8 Wild Card will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, and will feature a record 10 teams, compared with eight at M7. Three teams will qualify for the Main Stage, increasing the number of available places from two at the previous World Championship.
The Wild Card allocation is:
- Southeast Asia: 3 slots
- EMEA: 2 slots
- EECA: 2 slots
- MCT East Asia: 2 slots
- MCT Americas: 1 slot
M8 will also be the first M Series event where the MLBB Championship Tour directly feeds teams into the World Championship structure. MCT was introduced in 2026 as an additional pathway for regional competitions outside the established franchised leagues.
M8 will be the first M Series event in Europe
The tournament will mark the first European edition of the M Series. The Wild Card will begin the international stage in Bangkok before the competition moves toward the M8 Finals in Istanbul.
The announcement follows the MLBB Mid Season Cup 2026, where Team Spirit defeated Yangon Galacticos 4-3 in the Grand Final. The result made Team Spirit the first team from outside Southeast Asia to win an official international MLBB major.
MOONTON Games also reported that MLBB reached 2.89 million peak concurrent viewers at the Esports World Cup 2026. The M8 slot system continues the expansion of regional qualification routes ahead of the next World Championship.
No comments yet! Be the first one to react