M7 World Championship preview: format, schedule, teams to watch

After a year-long absence as a result of 2025 SEA Video games, Cellular Legends: Bang Bang’s crowning occasion, the M7 World Championship, is about to kick off on January third.

Operating till January twenty fifth, the seventh version of the match will function 22 of the very best Cellular Legends: Bang Bang groups from throughout the globe battling it out for its $1m (~£744,270) prize pool.

M7 is assured to crown a brand new winner, as defending champion ONIC Philippines didn’t qualify for the occasion.

Earlier than the motion begins, right here’s an entire breakdown of the match’s construction, collaborating groups, and opening matches.

Out of the 22 squads competing at M7, eight will start their journey within the Wildcard Stage, with the remaining 14 getting into instantly into the Most important Occasion. This 12 months, Japan will make its return to the World Championship for the primary time since its final look at M2. In the meantime, no North American consultant shall be featured in both stage of the occasion.

Right here is the record of groups certified for the M7 World Championship:

The Wildcard Stage will happen from January third to sixth, starting with a Group Stage. Groups shall be divided into two teams of 4, and can battle in a single round-robin format, with all matches performed as best-of-three collection. 

The highest two groups from every group will advance to the Decider Stage, the place best-of-five matches will decide the 2 squads that qualify for the Most important Occasion.

The Most important Occasion will encompass two levels – the Swiss Stage, operating from January tenth to seventeenth, adopted by the Knockout Stage from January 18th to twenty fifth. Swiss Stage will pit 16 groups (14 instantly certified and two from the Wildcard) in opposition to one another, with opening matchups determined with the assistance of a random draw.

From there, eight groups will progress to the Knockout Stage that includes a double-elimination bracket. All collection shall be best-of-five, apart from the primary spherical of the higher bracket, which shall be performed as best-of-three. Along with this, the Grand Ultimate shall be a best-of-seven showdown to crown the M7 World Champion.

Contemporary off its MLBB Mid Season Cup 2025 victory, Crew Liquid PH shall be trying to ship a dominant efficiency at M7. The Filipino powerhouse additionally carries a robust momentum after securing back-to-back titles at MPL Philippines Season 15 and 16. 

Selangor Crimson Giants OG Esports completed third at M6, and with each the winner and runner-up, ONIC Philippines and Crew Liquid ID, absent from the match, M7 is a superb alternative for the Malaysian squad to raise its first M World Championship trophy. 

ONIC was only one win away from securing the M5 title in 2023. Since then, it has often struggled on the worldwide stage, regardless of excelling in regional tournaments. In 2025, the staff secured victories at MPL Indonesia Season 15 and 16, however may solely handle a top-four end at MSC.

That mentioned, the staff continues to be one of many prime contenders for the M7 title, particularly coming off its Video games of the Future 2025 win.

Followers can head to MPL Enviornment XO Corridor in Jakarta, Indonesia, to witness the Wildcard, Swiss Stage, and Day 1 of the Knockout Stage. The remainder of the Most important Occasion, together with the Grand Ultimate, will happen on the Tennis Indoor Stadium Senayan. 

Tickets for the match could be bought from the official MPL Indonesia web site; nonetheless, those that can’t fly to Indonesia can tune into MLBB’s official Twitch and YouTube channels.