MSC 2024 to be hosted by Saudi Arabia in July

After getting a major facelift, the rebranded Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid-Season Cup (MSC) is set to venture outside of Southeast Asia with Riyadh, Saudi Arabia serving as the host for the 2024 edition in July.

Moonton Games announced the development last Tuesday with the ML:BB Women's Invitational (MWI) also set to be hosted by Riyadh as both tournaments will be part of the Esports World Cup from July to August.

The ML:BB publisher also revealed a record $3 million prize pool for this year's MSC, the biggest ever in the history of ML:BB and surpassing the $900,000 prize pool during the M5 World Championship in Manila last December that was ruled by AP Bren.

"This collaboration marks a new chapter for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Esports and the global esports ecosystem," stated Ray Ng, head of esports ecosystem of Moonton.

"We are thrilled to partner with the Esports World Cup Foundation and go beyond our horizons to Riyadh. Alongside teams from new participating regions, this year's iteration presents boundless opportunities for more regions to participate, in line with our vision to expand MSC and MWI to foster greater diversity and inclusiveness."

MSC 2024 will be held from July 1 to 14 with the Philippines, Indonesia, and MENA (Middle East and North Africa) getting two slots each while Malaysia, SIngapore, Cambodia, Myanmar, North America, Turkey, China, LATAM (Latin America), and EECA (Eastern Europe & Central Asia) have one each.

MSC 2024 will also have one wild card representative to be won during the Wild Card contest slated weeks before the mid-year tilt.

Indonesia is the reigning MSC champion as Onic Esports reigned supreme in the 2023 edition after taking down Blacklist International.

—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Integrated News