Following one of the most jaw-dropping finishes of the entire 2024 Esports World Cup, the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Women’s Invitational (MWI) is set to make a thrilling return to Riyadh in July 2025. Last year, fans witnessed history as Smart Omega Empress achieved an astonishing upset, defeating the long-dominant Team Vitality in the Grand Final, ending their three-year, 24-tournament winning streak.
The stakes for MWI 2025 are sky-high, with 16 of the world’s top all-women MLBB teams set to compete for glory and a record-setting prize pool. The event, running from July 15th to 19th, will kick off with a double-elimination Group Stage featuring all 16 qualified teams. The top eight will advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket, vying for a share of a $550,000 prize pool, plus a $10,000 MVP bonus for the tournament's standout performer.
This year's qualifier structure is broader than ever, drawing in top talent from nearly every region. Teams like DreamMax from the MWI 2025 LATAM Qualifiers, CFU Serendipity from Queen Legends Season 1, NAVI MY from the MYSG Qualifier, and Falcons Vega MENA from the Carry1st Africa Cup have already secured their spots. Additional slots will be filled through ongoing regional events such as BOG Season 1, Athena League, and Lady MVP Season 6, with further qualifiers from China, North America, Mekong, Mongolia, and Türkiye concluding in the coming weeks.
MWI’s return is a highlight of the larger Esports World Cup 2025, an event that unites top clubs across various titles to compete in a unique cross-game format. Smart Omega Empress will return as the defending champions, but with fierce competition from teams worldwide, their title defense is far from assured.
