India Advances Toward Esports World Cup 2026 With Moba Legends 5v5 Master Series

India’s route to the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 has begun with MLMS. The Moba Legends: 5v5! Master Series is India’s first publisher-backed national tournament. Mineski Events Team and Vizta announced the event. The winner will represent India at EWC 2026 in Riyadh. A prize pool of INR 46 lakh is on offer.

The tournament has space for 256 teams. Registrations run from 10-19 March. The competition itself runs from 23 March to 10 May. It ends with a LAN grand final on 9-10 May. Organisers said the series creates an official pathway for Indian teams. The aim is to link local competition with global events.

Teams begin in Open Qualifiers from 23-30 March. The bracket starts as single elimination. Matches then move to best-of-three as numbers reduce. The top two teams from qualifiers reach the League Stage. That phase runs from 5-26 April. Six invited teams join them in a single round-robin.

The League Stage sends six teams to the MLMS Grand Finals. The finals are planned as a LAN event on 9-10 May. Teams will play for a share of the ?46,00,000 prize pool. The champion also earns the India slot for EWC 2026. Organisers described it as a national structure with international stakes.

Stage	Dates	Main details
Registrations	10-19 March	First 256 teams to sign up enter the event
Open Qualifiers	23-30 March	Single elimination, then best-of-three as the field narrows
League Stage	5-26 April	Top two qualify teams plus six invited teams, single round-robin
Grand Finals (LAN)	9-10 May	Top six teams play for prize money and EWC 2026 place

At EWC 2026, Mobile Legends appears through the MLBB Mid Season Cup (MSC). The MSC brings together 16 teams from major regional leagues. Teams also qualify through international circuits. The Riyadh event runs from July 22 to August 1, 2026. The prize pool is USD 3 million, about INR 27 crore.

Organisers said MLMS is built to support Indian Moba Legends: 5v5! players. The series gives teams a national platform with clear stages. It also offers a route from open qualifiers to a LAN finish. The tournament is open to grassroots line-ups and known rosters. The stated goal is official access to the global ecosystem.

Moba Legends: 5v5! organisers and competitive pathway plan

Vizta Games, Global Head of Esports, Tiger Xusaid, "

The Moba Legends:5v5! Master Series aims to create a true competitive pathway for Indian MOBA players. From open qualifiers to a LAN grand final, the format ensures that talent from across the country has a fair shot at reaching the top. With a place at EWC 2026 on the line, MLMS is not just about crowning a champion, it’s about giving India’s best players the platform to prove themselves internationally."

Raye Chong, VP of SEA Esports, Mineksi Events Team, said: *"Moba Legends:5v5! has one of the most passionate player communities in India, and with the Moba Legends Master Series we are excited to help build a structured competitive pathway for Indian teams. MLMS is not just a tournament, it’s a step towards integrating India more deeply into the global MOBA esports ecosystem and giving our players a legitimate shot at representing the country on the international stage at the Esports World Cup."*

Mineski Events Team works in esports event production across Southeast Asia. The team is also a long-standing Vizta partner for MOBA events. The statement highlighted work on competitions such as MPL. It described MPL as the world’s most watched MOBA league. Mineski Events Team also supported the M7 World Championship in Indonesia.

With registrations opening on 10 March, teams across India can enter the national competition. Only the first 256 sign-ups will be accepted into the bracket. Matches then run through qualifiers, the league phase, and the LAN finals. The tournament ends on 10 May with a champion decided. That team will carry India’s slot to EWC 2026.