LAST July 11 to 13, the International Esports Federation's (IESF) World Esports Championship (WEC) Asia and Oceania Qualifiers took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Philippine National Esports team, SIBOL, had their eyes set on dominating the competition in the games of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) and Dota 2.  

High Stakes and Global Showdown

The champion of the qualifiers will get $7,000 (about P380,000) in prize money and the opportunity to compete in the 15th WEC which will be held in Iasi, Romania in August. Aside from SIBOL, top teams from several countries such as Mongolia, Cambodia, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Jordan, Australia, Kyrgyzstan, and India brought their A-game and heightened the competition during the qualifiers.

SIBOL Sweeps into Playoffs with Unbeaten Record

Two teams represented SIBOL—one for MLBB and the other team for Dota 2. During the group stage, the competing teams were divided into two groups and played against each other in a round-robin format. SIBOL was assigned to Group B, where their abilities showed remarkable success, dominating their opponents. Their success in the group stage positioned them as top contenders for the next stage of the qualifiers.

Team SIBOL MLBB took control of the group stage on day one with victories over Bangladesh and Kazakhstan, both by a score of 2-0. Simultaneously, SIBOL Dota 2 won 1-0 against Kyrgyzstan. Moreover, team SIBOL maintained their momentum as they entered day two. Both teams improved to 3-0 following team MLBB's matchup against Saudi Arabia with a score being 2-0 and SIBOL Dota 2’s consecutive wins over India and Mongolia with a 1-0 victory. With the undefeated record from both teams, SIBOL led their group by securing the number one spot and a place in the upper bracket heading to the playoffs in both games.

Unyielding in the Quest for Victory

SIBOL entered the quarterfinals of the playoffs in good spirits. Still undefeated in the qualifiers, the team for MLBB began the playoffs with a 2-0 win against Cambodia in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, SIBOL Dota 2 also maintained its winning streak in the playoffs after a 2-0 victory against Jordan and prepared to face Myanmar in the semifinals.

Team SIBOL MLBB advanced to the semifinals after avoiding a reverse sweep against Mongolia in a 2-1 standing, sealing their position in the finals. SIBOL Dota 2 never gave up despite facing danger and being relegated to the lower bracket following a 0-2 loss to Myanmar. They were able to bounce back and secured a 2-0 win in their matchup against Mongolia with a score of 2-0, advancing them to the finals for another shot at the title.

Champions’ Ascendance

SIBOL’s determination and dedication were evident from their dominant performance throughout the preliminary rounds, quarter, and semifinals. The team emerged victorious in the grand finals, sweeping Mongolia with a 3-0 victory in MLBB and a 2-0 standing in Dota 2. This exceptional performance earned them the championship title in both games and secured their place in Romania as the champions of the IESF WEC Asia and Oceania Qualifiers.

SIBOL is now preparing to represent the Philippines in the international stage. Let us unite behind the team in their pursuit of excellence and championship glory in MLBB and Dota 2 at the 15th WEC which will be held in Iasi, Romania from August 25 to September 3, 2023.