MPL PH Season 18 playoffs start Wednesday at PhilSports Arena with two M8 tickets at stake

The MPL Philippines Season 18 playoffs start on Wednesday, 21 October, at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City. Six teams will play over five days for the title and the Philippines' two places at the M8 World Championship. The Philippines uses UTC+8, the same as Malaysia, so every playoff start time listed in Manila is also the start time in Kuala Lumpur.

Day one: ONIC vs TNC, Aurora vs Smart Omega

The playoffs begin with the lower-seeded teams. According to MLBBHub's schedule, ONIC PH play TNC Pro Team at 3pm on Wednesday, and Aurora Gaming PH meet Smart Omega at 7pm.

ONIC and Aurora both went 9-5 in the regular season, so they start as the favourites in those matches. TNC and Omega both had to fight to secure their places. Philstar reported that, after Week 6, Smart Omega were 5-6 and TNC 4-7, and both teams were still in a race with AP Bren for the last spots.

Liquid and Falcons wait for Thursday

The two top seeds skip day one. Team Liquid PH and Team Falcons PH both finished 12-2, and Liquid ended up first. Esports.gg noted that Liquid lost only to Falcons and Aurora during the regular season. They then beat Falcons 2-1 on 11 October in a big late-season match.

Both teams play on Thursday, 22 October. Falcons play at 3pm and Liquid at 7pm, each against a Wednesday winner. Further matches follow through to the final on Sunday, 25 October.

AP Bren and Twisted Minds PH did not qualify. Missing the playoffs is a setback for AP Bren, one of the most decorated teams in the league.

Why this playoff matters

PhilSports Arena is a big step up for the league. Philstar reported that the venue will hold about 4,000 seats with the stage set-up, and that the event is part of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang's 10th anniversary celebrations. A Superfan City fan festival will run outside the arena.

There is also a lot at stake for Filipino teams internationally. The top two teams from these playoffs will represent the Philippines at M8 in Istanbul, Türkiye, in January 2027. Philippine teams have a strong record at the M-series, so a place at M8 matters to these teams almost as much as the domestic title.

Where Malaysia comes in

Malaysian MLBB fans have a busy few weeks ahead. MPL MY Season 18 finished its regular season on 18 October and moves into its own playoffs at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara. MPL PH games during the week also start at convenient local times: 3pm and 7pm in Malaysia.

Key takeaways

• The MPL PH Season 18 playoffs run from 21 to 25 October 2026 at PhilSports Arena, Pasig City.
• Wednesday: ONIC PH vs TNC Pro Team (3pm) and Aurora Gaming PH vs Smart Omega (7pm), Malaysia/Philippines time.
• Team Liquid PH and Team Falcons PH (both 12-2) enter on Thursday, 22 October.
• The top two teams qualify for the M8 World Championship in Istanbul in January 2027.
• AP Bren and Twisted Minds PH missed the playoffs.

FAQ

When do the MPL PH Season 18 playoffs start? They start on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, and end on Sunday, 25 October, at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

What time are MPL PH playoff matches in Malaysia? Malaysia and the Philippines are both on UTC+8, so the times are the same. The opening matches on Wednesday start at 3pm and 7pm.

How many MPL PH teams qualify for M8? Two. The top two teams from the Season 18 playoffs will represent the Philippines at M8 in Istanbul in January 2027.

Sources: Philstar, esports.gg, MLBBHub