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Tag: Esports Asian Games Qualifiers

  • Honor of Kings’ fast growth in PH reaches new height as SIBOL HOK secures Asian Games spot 

    Honor of Kings’ fast growth in PH reaches new height as SIBOL HOK secures Asian Games spot 

    After officially booking their place in the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, SIBOL’s Honor of Kings national team reached another milestone for Philippine esports after finishing second in the Asian Games Qualifiers.


    But beyond the qualification itself, the achievement highlighted how quickly Honor of Kings has grown in the Philippines since arriving in the country in 2024.

     

    What started as a newly introduced esport game has quickly developed into a competitive scene, with local teams gaining experience through domestic leagues and international tournaments.

     

    That progress was already visible on the global stage, where Philippine representatives Blacklist International and BOOM Esports both reached the semifinals of the HOK Invitational Season 4. Although they fell against Malaysian and Korean opponents, their deep runs proved that Filipino teams were already capable of challenging some of the region’s established powerhouses.

     

    The local scene has continued to strengthen as well. BOOM Esports recently captured the 2026 PKL Spring Season title, securing its second championship after also winning the inaugural Spring 2025 edition. Blacklist International, meanwhile, claimed its first PKL crown during the 2025 Fall Season.

     

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    For Honor of Kings Philippines Esports Manager Angelica Neri, the rapid development of the scene shows how quickly Filipino players have adapted and improved despite the game being relatively new in the country.

     

    “It shows how rapid we are in developing our players, our scene in terms of Honor of Kings. Basically, PKL (Philippines Kings League) is only three seasons and we’re already competing in the high level,” Neri said.

     

    That growth was reflected in SIBOL’s Asian Games Qualifiers campaign, where the Philippine squad posted a 3-1 record in Group A. The team, composed mostly of players from Blacklist International, showed that the country now has the talent pool to compete against top teams in the region.

     

    The upcoming Asian Games will also mark a historic moment for Honor of Kings, as it makes its debut as an official medal event in the continental competition.

     

    For Neri, the recent performances of Filipino teams show that the gap between the Philippines and Asia’s elite squads continues to shrink.

     

    “It’s a statement that shows how much the growth has been because when we are in other tournaments outside of Asian Games and SEA Games, it’s easy to see that we’re losing but when we go to much bigger, it’s clearly seen that we’re almost there,” Neri added.

     

    Now, the next challenge for SIBOL is turning progress into a podium finish. The national team enters the Asian Games with bigger ambitions, aiming not only to represent the country but to compete for a medal.

     

    The Philippines will be among 12 nations competing in Honor of Kings at the 2026 Asian Games, joining China, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Lao PDR, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Nepal, and Vietnam.

     

    With a six-man roster set to carry the country’s hopes in Nagoya, SIBOL’s campaign will serve as the biggest test yet of how far Honor of Kings has come in the Philippines. 

     

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  • SIBOL MLBB qualifies for 2026 Asian Games, caps campaign with sweep of Singapore 

    SIBOL MLBB qualifies for 2026 Asian Games, caps campaign with sweep of Singapore 

    SIBOL MLBB wrapped up its 2026 Asian Games Qualifiers campaign in convincing fashion, sweeping host Singapore, 2-0, on Sunday to lock in one of Southeast Asia’s slots for the main event in Nagoya, Japan.


    More importantly, the victory capped a resilient run for the Filipinos, who finished the group stage with a 6-1 record despite encountering an unexpected setback midway through the tournament.

     

    SIBOL appeared headed for a perfect campaign until Cambodia pulled off a stunning 2-1 reverse sweep, handing the Philippines its first and only loss of the qualifiers.

     

    Instead of letting the defeat derail its bid, the national team responded with arguably its strongest stretch of the tournament.

     

    The Filipinos bounced back with a 2-0 victory over Myanmar before edging Vietnam, 2-1. They then delivered one of their most important performances of the qualifiers by sweeping regional powerhouse Indonesia, 2-0, effectively securing their place in the Asian Games.

     

    SIBOL carried that momentum into its final assignment against Singapore, closing out the tournament with another 2-0 sweep to finish among Southeast Asia’s representatives in Nagoya.

     

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    The qualification run was not without challenges, according to head coach Allec “SN4P” Alvarado, who pointed to the ever-changing competitive landscape that the team had to navigate throughout the event.

     

    “Overall performance, maganda naman. Very tiring pero worth it naman. Grabe yung changes sa meta. Kulang yung resources pero we achieved Asian Games qualfiication pa rin. I’m proud of the boys. Thank you din sa buong coaching staff sa naging help nyo,” he said.

     

    One of the standout performances in the tournament-clinching victory came from Jungler Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno, who delivered a dominant showing in the deciding game against Singapore.

     

    Nepomuceno finished the match with an MVP performance, tallying 13 kills and eight assists against just one death.

     

    With qualification secured, SIBOL is already looking ahead to the next challenge as gold laner Duane “Kelra” Pillas is set to rejoin the national team roster for the main stage of the 2026 Asian Games, replacing Dave “Teddy” Viana Jr. 

     

    He joins a lineup that also features Team Liquid standouts Jaypee dela Cruz and Alston “Sanji” Pabico alongside Sanford Vinuya and Nepomuceno.

     

    Now, with a 6-1 record and a ticket to Nagoya secured, the Philippines heads to the Asian Games carrying both momentum and confidence as it seeks to contend for another international esports medal later this year.

     

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  • SIBOL MLBB opens Asian Games Qualifiers with sweep of host Malaysia 

    SIBOL MLBB opens Asian Games Qualifiers with sweep of host Malaysia 

    SIBOL wasted little time announcing its arrival at the 2026 Asian Games Qualifiers. Facing host nation Malaysia in its opening assignment at the Sentosa Convention Center on Thursday, the Philippine Mobile Legends: Bang Bang squad delivered a commanding 2-0 sweep.


    With only five regional slots available for the Asian Games main event, every match carries significant weight. SIBOL, however, made sure there would be little drama in its tournament opener.

     

    Karl Nepomuceno and Alston Pabico spearheaded the charge as the Philippines controlled both games from the outset, showcasing the discipline and coordination that have long made the country a powerhouse in the MLBB scene.

     

    Head coach Allec “SN4P” Alvarado welcomed the victory but noted that the team still has room to grow as it adapts to the evolving tournament meta.

     

    “Maganda naman yung pinakita ng team. Good warm-up match against one of the top teams, din dito. Nag-a-adjust pa kami sa mga meta at sana sunod-sunod yung panalo at momentum ng team moving forward. Same sa MPL PH, pag panalo yung first, momentum pa rin siya. At malaking tulong ‘yan,” Alvarado said.

     

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    The opening game quickly tilted in SIBOL’s favor after Nepomuceno’s Akai created the first major breakthrough. A perfectly executed Heavy Spin resulted in a crucial double kill that sparked a 4-for-1 exchange, allowing the Filipinos to secure the first Turtle objective just four minutes into the match.

     

    SIBOL tightened its grip on the map, limiting Malaysia to just one more kill for the rest of the game. The Filipinos then punctuated their dominance with a decisive 5-for-0 wipeout during a base turret siege in the 10th minute.

     

    Pabico emerged as the standout performer in the opener, finishing with three kills and 11 assists without suffering a single death. Newcomer Dave Viana Jr. also impressed in his first international outing for the national team, contributing three kills and four assists from the gold lane.

     

    Sanford Vinuya highlighted another explosive early-game start when he secured a solo kill against Malaysia’s Muhammad Razif, helping SIBOL build a 5-1 advantage in the kill score before the five-minute mark.

     

    Malaysia attempted to claw its way back during a pivotal Lord contest in the ninth minute after taking down Nepomuceno. Instead of allowing momentum to shift, the Filipinos responded immediately, collecting three kills of their own before securing the objective.

     

    With Lord marching down the lanes, SIBOL methodically closed out the series. Pabico delivered the finishing blow with a double kill as the Filipinos overwhelmed Malaysia in a 5-for-2 wipeout during an 11th-minute base turret siege.

     

    The victory places the national team in a strong position in the group stage and provides the momentum, as Alvarado hopes his squad can carry into its upcoming matches against Laos and Cambodia on Day 2.

     

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  • SIBOL MLBB squad set to kick off campaign in 2026 Esports Asian Games Qualifiers 

    SIBOL MLBB squad set to kick off campaign in 2026 Esports Asian Games Qualifiers 

    The Philippines is bringing a championship-caliber lineup into the international stage as SIBOL’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) representatives begin their journey toward the 2026 Asian Games.

     

    The national team is set to compete in the 2026 Esports Asian Games Qualifiers, which will take place at Sentosa, Singapore from June 18 to 21, with a coveted slot in the main tournament at stake.

     

    SIBOL has assembled a roster filled with proven champions and international veterans, creating a lineup that blends experience and familiarity with high-pressure competition.

     

    Leading the squad are players from MPL Philippines Season 17 three-time defending champions Team Liquid Philippines, including Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno, Sanford Vinuya, Jaypee “Jaypee” Dela Cruz, Alston “Sanji” Pabico, and Dave “Teddy” Viana.

     

    KarlTzy returns to the international stage after previous appearances representing the country in the 30th Southeast Asian Games and the 33rd SEA Games Men’s Tournament, where the Philippines secured gold medals in MLBB. 

     

    Sanford, Jaypee, and Sanji also bring SEA Games experience to the national team, having been part of the country’s championship campaigns. Teddy, meanwhile, enters his first-ever Asian Games campaign as a Philippine representative. 

     

    Adding more firepower to the roster is Filipino standout Duane “Kelra” Pillas of ONIC Indonesia. The MPL Indonesia Regular Season MVP earns his first call-up to represent the Philippines, giving SIBOL another elite-level player capable of making an impact on the biggest stage.

     

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    Guiding the team is Allec Monsseur Alvarado, who takes charge as SIBOL’s MLBB Asian Games head coach for the first time. He will be supported by a coaching staff composed of Team Falcons PH coach Francis John Duckey Glindro, Selangor Red Giants coach Michael Angelo Bocado, and ONIC PH coach Paul Denver “Yeb” Miranda.

     

    Team Liquid PH analyst Kim “Dai Ki” Sebanes also joins the national delegation, marking the organization’s first-ever Asian Games selection for MLBB.

     

    A total of 22 national teams have entered the Asian Games Qualifiers and have been divided into four regional groups. Southeast Asia features Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines, while West Asia includes Iran, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman.

     

    Central Asia will be represented by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, while South and East Asia consists of Nepal, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Mongolia, and Pakistan.

     

    The qualifiers will determine the 12 teams that will advance to the MLBB event at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, scheduled from August 29 to October 1, 2026.

     

    Teams will compete in a single round-robin format, with every match played as a best-of-three series. Standings will be determined through total points earned in the group stage, with qualification slots awarded based on tournament rules. The third-placed teams from Group B and Group D will battle in a decider match for the final place in the Asian Games main stage.

     

    SIBOL will open its Group A campaign against regional rival Malaysia on June 18, 2026, as the squad looks to take the first step toward bringing home another international medal for the country.

     

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