GZG crowned MCT East Asia champions, Ulaanbaatar announced as next tournament destination
- Ariunzayat Yunren
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
26 May 2026, SINGAPORE — The 2026 Hero Esports Asian Champions League (ACL) × Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Championship Tour (MCT) East Asia (EA) concluded on 24 May at Star Ring Center in Shanghai, with China's Guangzhou Gaming (GZG) emerging as champions after defeating Mongolia's The MongolZ (MNG), 3-1, in the best-of-five (BO5) Grand Finals. During the event, MOONTON Games also officially announced Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, as the next host city for MCT EA, marking a major expansion of the East Asia circuit and bringing one of MLBB's premier regional tournaments to Mongolia for the first time.
As the opening stop of the MLBB Championship Tour (MCT) East Asia circuit this year, the tournament determined the region's rankings and qualification slots for the MLBB Mid Season Cup (MSC) at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026. With the victory, GZG secured a direct berth to the Main Stage of the MSC at EWC 2026 to be hosted in Paris, France.
The tournament featured six top professional teams from China, Mongolia, Japan, and South Korea, with China represented by the first seed, GZG, and the second seed, YBG. Throughout the competition, GZG impressed with disciplined macro play, consistent team coordination, and strong performances across the tournament, ultimately lifting the Shanghai title.
Under the tournament qualification structure, runners-up The MongolZ, alongside third-place The Huns and fourth-place Sunset Ravens, will represent East Asia in the Wild Card stage of the MSC at EWC 2026.
MCT EA expands to Ulaanbaatar
During the Grand Finals, MOONTON Games also announced a major expansion of the MCT EA ecosystem, revealing that the next stop of the East Asia circuit will take place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on 31 October, in partnership with Mongolia-based esports organization Esports Network (ESN).
The upcoming MCT EA x ESN tournament will mark a new chapter for East Asia's cross-border esports circuit, bringing together top teams from China, Mongolia, Japan, and South Korea to compete for qualification to MLBB's highest competitive stage, the M8 World Championship.
With Mongolia rapidly emerging as one of East Asia's most passionate MLBB communities, the event is expected to position Ulaanbaatar as a growing esports hub for the region while strengthening cross-border esports collaboration and regional ecosystem development.
Mike Chu, Head of the East Asia Esports at MOONTON Games, said: "MCT East Asia represents the core professional mobile esports circuit for East Asia, serving as an important platform for regional competition, talent development, and ecosystem growth. The event in Shanghai successfully brought together top teams across East Asia and showcased the region's competitive strength and potential on a high level. With Ulaanbaatar as the next destination for MCT EA, we hope to create more opportunities for East Asian teams to compete at the highest level while strengthening connections across the region's esports ecosystem. Moving forward, we will continue refining the MCT EA system to provide a more professional and internationally competitive platform for East Asian teams, while creating clearer pathways from regional competition to the global stage."
As MCT EA continues to expand across East Asia, the tournament aims to further strengthen regional esports collaboration, deepen ecosystem development, and support the long-term growth of mobile esports throughout the region.
More details regarding the MCT EA Ulaanbaatar tournament, including participating teams, tournament format, qualification rules, and ticketing information, will be announced in the coming months.
For more information about MCT EA, please check out the following official pages:
Region | Channels |
EA | |
MN | |
KR |
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JP |
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About Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is one of the most popular mobile Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games worldwide that brings communities together through teamwork and strategy. With over 1.5 billion installations and 110 million active monthly users, the award-winning game is among the top 10 most played in over 80 countries. With an extensive reach across the Asia Pacific region, the multiplayer is available in 139 countries with an expansive global esports presence.
About Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Esports
Established in 2017, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Esports serves as a platform for players to pursue their dreams of becoming esports athletes and illuminate opportunities within the international esports ecosystem. MLBB Esports has since expanded to multiple leagues, including the MPL series hosted in Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Latin America; MPL is the first esports event series to surpass 1 billion hours of watch time globally. The M Series, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang's flagship international event, is the most-watched mobile esports event in history.
About MOONTON Games
Established in 2014, MOONTON Games is a global video game company dedicated to gaming development, publication, and esports. With more than 2,000 employees worldwide, the company operates offices in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Latin America, and China. It has successfully launched several high-profile mobile games globally and has built long-term relationships with governments and esports organizations in more than 30 countries around the world. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is its current star game and the leading mobile multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game worldwide. For more information, visit https://en.moonton.com.
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