If you are familiar with Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), you have probably heard that the Mid-Season Cup (MSC) is back, and it was bigger than ever. Japan, which had previously been silent on the world stage for MLBB, made a re-entry as a region through the Japan Qualifier. Let’s break that down in a few simple and fun ways.
Japan had not competed in an official Mobile Legends tournament since the M2 World Championship, that is, until 2025, when they held their very own qualifier. The top MLBB teams in Japan competed to earn a spot for the MSC 2025 on a world stage, with ZETA Division winning and defeating REJECT in the finals to represent Japan.
The Japan Qualifier operated online from 10-25 May 2025. It originally opened as an open tournament - if more than 16 teams had registered, there would have been a hidden draw to limit the spots available.
The format was simple:
Japan was last seen in MLBB international play a while ago, so the qualifier was a significant return. It provided hope to Japanese fans and demonstrated how much the game continues to grow globally.
With their victory in the wildcards finalised, ZETA Division will now get to turn their attention to MSC 2025. The MSC this year will be in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 10 to August 2 and has a massive prize pool of $3 million as part of the Esports World Cup. The teams advancing from the wildcards will face big-name teams from other regions.
The Japan Qualifier was more than a qualifier. It represented Japan's renewed entrance into MLBB's global spotlight and plugged into the international vibes leading into MSC 2025. Now, eyes are on ZETA Division as they head to the global stage.
The MLBB Japan Qualifier 2025 is a regional tournament of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) where the top teams in Japan compete for a spot in the MSC 2025 Wildcard stage.
ZETA Division was the champion of the MLBB Japan Qualifier 2025 after defeating REJECT in the finals, qualifying them for the MSC 2025 Wildcard stage.
The qualifier ran online from May 10–25, 2025, using single elimination for the early rounds, best-of-three in the semifinals, best-of-five in the finals stage matches, and best-of-seven for the grand finals.
The MSC 2025 will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 10 to August 2, 2025, with a $3 million prize pool as part of the Esports World Cup.
