A truly historic move that cements MLBB’s place in Philippine sports and events.
Add esports to the long list of major, groundbreaking events in the Cuneta Astrodome, as it’ll be hosting the MPL PH S16 playoffs.
Starting October 22, the iconic arena will see six of the best MLBB teams in the country battle it out for the MPL trophy and a spot in the M7 World Championship in 2026.
“I think this will be very significant for our venue and the gaming community,” said Gary Reyala, Administration Operations Officer at Cuneta Astrodome. “Cuneta Astrodome has been here since 1993, and we created legends in basketball, boxing, and even wrestling. By hosting [esports], it’s a new generation for us where we can hopefully create new legends for the gaming community.”
This will be the third time an esports event has been held in an arena in the Philippines. The first was Dota 2’s Manila Major, held in the Mall of Asia Arena in 2016. Then there was the M5 World Championship in 2023, where the grand finals were held in the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. The fact that the MPL is now playing in a big arena shows just how far it’s come since 2017.
“Back then, GAB licensed only 70 applicants for professional esports,” said Dr. Oliver Evangelista, Chief of Professional Sports and Games Division at the Games and Amusement Board. “And as of the last figures of 2024, it’s grown to up to 2,000 licenses. It’s such a big number for a sport that wasn’t recognized widely before. Now we have players competing on an international level. That shows the growth of esports in the Philippines.”
The Eras and Legacies of MPL PH
The move to the Cuneta Astrodome was driven by fan feedback for larger venues. The league is expecting up to 2,000 fans per match day, but they’re also aiming for this season’s playoffs experience to be so much more.
“This is not just about accommodating more fans in the venue,” said Lee Veloria, PH Esports Head of Business Development and Partnerships at MOONTON Games. “We’ve been running the MPL for eight years, 16 seasons. Players move around, come and go, but the fans are always there. This one’s really a celebration of our eras as we expand our overall esports ecosystem.”
As such, MPL PH is launching the MPL Festival Superfan City at the Cuneta Astrodome Open Space. This 100% free walk-in event is a cultural showcase of the history of MPL PH and the community it’s built. It will feature cosplay, meet-and-greets, live watch parties, and more.
“For MPL PH, it’s a historical achievement for us to host one of our seasons in a very historic sporting venue,” said Lee Veloria. “It’s also cementing our space in the professional sports, not just esports scene as well. We’ve seen the behaviour of our community and fanbases and how they really extend their arms to support their teams. So that’s really why we’re excited in terms of scaling up to a bigger venue.”
Banner photo by Ramon Domingo.