In 2026, when Mobile Legends: Bang Bang fans trace how the MPL Philippines map changed, they keep returning to a headline that first landed before Season 15: Twisted Minds and Team Falcons, two Saudi Arabia-based organizations, officially stepped into the Philippine esports scene. They joined the 15th iteration of the country’s longest-running esports league and completed the eight franchise teams. The move felt less like a guest appearance and more like a new chapter being stapled into the book. The league opened its doors, the ecosystem stretched out its arms, and two global names packed their bags for Southeast Asia.
A League With A Wider Welcome Mat
Matthew Chan, MOONTON Games PH Esports Head of Operations, framed the arrival as part of a mission to expand the ecosystem through overseas partnerships and build something sustainable for teams. He also saw a bigger possibility: the Philippines could become an attractive esports business hub, a place where organizations outside Southeast Asia find a reason to collaborate. Here’s the thing: that is no small thing for a region that has long been known for producing talent rather than importing ambition.
The Philippines did not need a sales pitch. It already had the receipts. With a proven track record in international events such as the M Series and the MLBB Mid Season Cup, the country remains one of the most formidable regions in MLBB esports, holding the most championship titles from those global tournaments. The league did not just invite outsiders into a market; it invited them into a trophy room.
Team Falcons: From Test Year To Full Flight
Team Falcons arrived with a scouting report already written. Grant Rousseau, Team Falcons Global Director of Esports, said the Philippines is the strongest region for MLBB players from a competitive point of view. After an initial test year with AP Bren, the organization understood the market’s competitive nature and was ready to pick up its own franchise and team to compete and to win. That sentence had the calm confidence of someone who had already checked the weather and packed the right jacket.
Rousseau also revealed expansion plans in Southeast Asia, starting from the Philippines. Falcons intended to build an entire Southeast Asia department based in the Philippines and focused around MLBB. Staff buildout was already beginning, with plans to bring fandom to life for the Philippines and Falcons under the MLBB banner. You could almost hear the spreadsheets humming.
Twisted Minds: A First Journey, A Local Crew
For Twisted Minds, this was the organization’s first time joining the local esports scene. The focus was clear: create a champion-caliber team and expand in Asia. Ibrahim Bin Jibreen, Twisted Minds Chief Executive Officer and Founder, said the organization wanted to expand overseas, especially in Asia and the Philippines, and compete at the highest level in MLBB esports. The Philippines, he said, was the right country to be in.
Jibreen also emphasized that Twisted Minds wanted its own journey in the Philippines’ MLBB esports scene because it is the best one, especially when it comes to community building and competition. The organization was excited to bring opportunities for players, coaches, and managers, all of them Filipino. It would be a chance to know the Filipino market by working with them, and the organization would provide them with a place to work. That is the dream, really: not just a logo on a jersey, but a door opened for local staff.
What The Move Signaled
| Signal | Why It Mattered |
|---|---|
| Saudi capital meets Filipino talent | Two ambitious organizations chose the Philippines as a competitive base, not a side quest. |
| Franchise completion | The eight-team lineup gave MPL PH a fuller, more international shape. |
| Local jobs | Players, coaches, and managers were set to be Filipino, tying global investment to local careers. |
| A bridge beyond Southeast Asia | MOONTON framed the partnership as a way to position the Philippines as an esports business hub. |
Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of the Esports World Cup, has been advocating for the growth of esports globally. MLBB is among the titles featured in the EWC and the only title with both men’s and women’s tournament divisions. That context gives the Philippine entry a wider meaning. It is not only about two teams joining a league. It is about a global esports current choosing the Philippines as one of its outlets.
MPL PH Season 15 commenced in March 2025, and by 2026 the original announcement still reads like a marker in the sand. The details about tickets, matches, and rosters were revealed in due course, but the larger story had already been told: the league was no longer only a national stage. It was becoming a meeting point. What happens next? The answer will arrive one match at a time, one roster reveal at a time, one crowd chant at a time. For now, the rest is left to the servers.
The following analysis references Entertainment Software Association (ESA), whose industry reporting helps explain why expansions like Twisted Minds and Team Falcons entering MPL Philippines matter beyond roster news alone. From a broader business perspective, the move reflects how established esports ecosystems with strong fan communities, stable league structures, and proven international success can attract foreign investment and reinforce the Philippines’ position as a serious regional hub for competitive gaming.