Stacked lineup to don Philippine colors at Esports Nations Cup Mobile Legends tilt

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will field a star-studded roster for the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) tournament of the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026.

It is a roster with all players having international trophies to their names.

Bannering the squad are Jaypee “Jaypee” Dela Cruz, Alston “Sanji” Pabico and Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno from Team Liquid Philippines, who completed their trophy case when they won the MLBB Mid-Season Cup (MSC) at last year's Esports World Cup. Joining them are David “FlapTzy” Canon and Marco “Super Marco” Requitiano of Team Falcons Philippines. The reserve players are Duane “Kelra” Pillas and Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol, currently playing in Indonesia for ONIC Esports.

All seven players have won either an M-Series and/or an MSC title, with all five members of the main roster having previously competed under the national team and won a Southeast Asian Games gold medal.

Long regarded as a powerhouse in MLBB, the country has consistently produced world champions and SEA Games gold medalists. The latest national roster continues that tradition, pairing players with existing chemistry and extensive international experience.

At the center of that familiarity is the reunion of Nepomuceno and Canon who had played together under the banner of BREN Esports and captured the country's first world title in MLBB during the M2 World Championship.

“With the reveal of our new MLBB Philippines roster, we have assembled a group designed to compete at the highest level. Inspired by our country’s legacy of Mobile Legends world championships and SEA Games gold medals, this lineup has talent with proven competitive experience,” said Philippine Esports Organization (PeSO) executive director Marlon Marcelo.

He also emphasized that beyond individual accolades, cohesion will be key as the team prepares for global competition.

“In a highly contested region, our focus remains on daily improvement, strong team synergy, and supporting our athletes as they strive to meet these standards,” he said.

A total of 107 countries and territories have confirmed entries for the MLBB event. The top 16 teams will receive direct invitations to the ENC Finals based on rankings to be finalized on August 2, while the remaining slots will be determined through regional qualifiers and wildcard selections.

The Philippine roster currently sits at the top of the rankings with 10,400 points, fielding multiple M-series and MSC winners, as well as Southeast Asian games gold medalists with a huge point gap from the next rosters from Turkiye and Indonesia who are at 6500 and 6300 points, respectively.