MPL PH Season 18 grand final: Falcons face Aurora after Aurora end Team Liquid PH's reign

MPL Philippines Season 18 will have a new champion. Aurora Philippines beat Team Liquid Philippines 4-3 in the lower bracket final at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on Saturday 24 October. The result ended Liquid's three-season run as champions and sent Aurora to the M8 World Championship. Aurora now face Team Falcons PH in a best-of-seven grand final on Sunday 25 October at 5:00pm, the same time in Malaysia and the Philippines.

Aurora come back in Game 7

Aurora had a chance to close out the series in Game 6 but lost it, and they were behind early in the deciding game. Liquid led 2-8 on kills before the first Lord fight. Aurora turned the game with a gank on Liquid's KarlTzy in the top lane, which let Koyl take the Lord without a contest. The second Lord fight decided the series: Koyl secured the objective and Aurora won the teamfight that followed, then pushed through the mid lane to finish the game.

This was Aurora's second playoff win over the defending champions, after they also beat Liquid in the upper bracket semifinals. The Daily Tribune noted that before Saturday, Liquid had not lost a Game 7 to anyone since Season 14.

How Falcons got here

Team Falcons PH qualified for the grand final on Friday 23 October with a 3-2 win over Aurora in the upper bracket final. Falcons were 2-1 down, came back from a deficit of about 13,000 gold to win Game 4, and then dominated Game 5 with 17 kills to Aurora's 3. KyleTzy was outstanding over the last two games, going 9-1-7 on Hirara in the decider, and Hadji added a combined 7-2-17 across Games 4 and 5.

That win made Falcons the first Philippine team to qualify for M8. They lost last season's final and are still looking for their first MPL Philippines title.

Liquid's route to the lower bracket final went through ONIC Philippines. Liquid beat ONIC 3-0 on Friday and eliminated the regular-season leaders.

What is at stake on Sunday

The two M8 places from the Philippines are already decided, so Sunday's final is about the title, and the champions' share of a $150,000 prize pool. M8 will be held in Türkiye in January 2027, with the main event in Istanbul.

The final is also a rematch of a five-game series played two days earlier. That series was close enough to suggest neither side has a clear edge. Aurora will have had less rest after a seven-game match on Saturday night, but they arrive having just knocked out the three-time champions.

Watching from Malaysia

Malaysia and the Philippines are in the same time zone, so the 5:00pm start is the same in both countries. MPL Malaysia fans have a busy week ahead too, because their Season 18 playoffs begin on Wednesday 28 October at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara.

Key takeaways

• Aurora PH beat Team Liquid PH 4-3 on 24 October, ending Liquid's three-season reign.
• Team Falcons PH and Aurora PH have both qualified for the M8 World Championship.
• The best-of-seven grand final starts at 5:00pm Malaysia time on Sunday 25 October.
• Falcons beat Aurora 3-2 in the upper bracket final on 23 October.

FAQ

Who plays in the MPL PH Season 18 grand final? Team Falcons PH play Aurora Philippines in a best-of-seven series at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

Who represents the Philippines at M8? Team Falcons PH and Aurora Philippines, who are this season's two MPL PH finalists.

Has Team Falcons PH won MPL Philippines before? No. Falcons were runners-up last season and are playing for their first MPL PH title.

Sources: Philstar, Daily Tribune, Dugout Philippines, Esports.gg