SRG win sixth straight MPL Malaysia title in 4-3 thriller over Team Rey, both head to M8

Selangor Red Giants (SRG) have done it again. The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) powerhouse beat Team Rey 4-3 in the MPL Malaysia Season 18 grand final on Sunday, 1 November, at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, extending their domestic winning streak to six consecutive titles. Both finalists also secured Malaysia's two direct tickets to the M8 World Championship Main Stage in Istanbul, Türkiye, in January 2027.

A final that went the distance

This was no procession. The best-of-seven series swung back and forth from start to finish: SRG took the odd-numbered games and Team Rey answered every time in games two, four and six, setting up a winner-takes-all seventh game. SRG held their nerve in the decider to close it out 4-3.

According to Malaysian tech and esports outlet Pokde, it was the first seven-game MPL Malaysia final since Season 12, making this the hardest-fought title of SRG's current run. That contrasts sharply with Season 17 in June, when SRG swept Team Vamos 4-0 in the final.

How the playoffs unfolded

SRG topped the Season 18 regular season with an 11-3 match record, one win ahead of Team Rey and Team Vamos, who both finished 10-4. In the playoffs at Stadium Juara, the defending champions were ruthless on their way to the final:

• Upper semi-final (29 Oct): SRG 3-0 Bigetron MY
• Upper final (30 Oct): SRG 3-0 Team Rey
• Grand final (1 Nov): SRG 4-3 Team Rey

Team Rey took the long road. After beating Team Vamos 3-0 in the upper semi-final and then losing the upper final to SRG, they met Vamos again in the lower-bracket final on 31 October and won 4-2. That victory locked in their M8 place before the grand final had even begun. Team Vamos, who had earlier knocked out Team Flash and Bigetron MY, finished third.

Team Rey's Indonesian core impressed

Team Rey's run was powered in part by an Indonesian contingent. Jungler Muhammad Aditya Irawan, known as DolyNN, was named the season's Rising Star, according to Indonesian outlet EsportsID. The 19-year-old previously played for Dewa United Esports in MPL Indonesia. Gold laner Ervino "Cliveee" Sutanto and coach SaintdeLucaz are also Indonesian.

On the SRG side, head coach Michael "Arcadia" Bocado has now guided the club through a period of near-total dominance of Malaysia's top league.

Next stop: Istanbul

M8 will be the first M-Series world championship held in Europe. Each of the three biggest Southeast Asian leagues, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, sends two teams straight to the 16-team Main Stage. The Main Stage opens with a five-round Swiss format before a double-elimination knockout stage at Istanbul's ESA Espor Arena from 14 to 19 January 2027. The total prize pool is US$1 million.

SRG arrive with recent pedigree on the world stage. They finished third at M7 in Jakarta in January 2026, a run that included a 2-1 Swiss-stage upset of Team Liquid PH. Filipino teams, however, have won every M-Series title since M2, and the reigning M7 champions Aurora Gaming PH have already qualified again.

For Malaysian fans, the timing works well: Istanbul is five hours behind Malaysia, so evening matches in Türkiye will fall around midnight or later in Malaysia time (MYT).

Key takeaways

• SRG beat Team Rey 4-3 on 1 November for a sixth straight MPL Malaysia title.
• It was the first seven-game MPL Malaysia final since Season 12.
• SRG swept both of their earlier playoff series 3-0, including the upper final against Team Rey.
• Team Rey qualified for M8 by beating Team Vamos 4-2 in the lower-bracket final.
• Both SRG and Team Rey go directly to the M8 Main Stage in Istanbul in January 2027.

FAQ

Where was the MPL Malaysia Season 18 grand final played? The playoffs and grand final were held at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, with the final played on Sunday, 1 November 2026.

Which Malaysian teams have qualified for M8? Selangor Red Giants and Team Rey, as the two Season 18 grand finalists, earned Malaysia's two direct slots for the M8 Main Stage.

When is the M8 knockout stage? The M8 knockout stage is scheduled for 14 to 19 January 2027 at ESA Espor Arena in Istanbul, Türkiye, after the Swiss stage.

Sources: Pokde, EsportsID, Luminews, Moonton, esports.gg, Wikipedia