The Mid-Season Cup 2025 is one of the biggest tournaments in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang this year. It is hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This year MSC has a high-level competition and a massive $1 million prize pool. The MSC has been placed in the main Esports World Cup Club Championship which will help the best esports organizations in the world gain recognition. The winner of this tournament will also get 1000 Club Points that will significantly improve their Esports World Cup rankings.
Because of this, every match in the tournament is very important for both players and fans. Let’ follow LDShop to get to know about the format, schedule, and the results of MSC 2025.
Format
There are three main phases in this tournament - Wild Card, Group Stage, and Knockout Stage.
Wild Card Stage
This is the initial stage of the tournament. It took place from 10th July 2025 to 13th July 2025. Here, 8 teams who failed to make it directly into the group stage play against one another. The 8 teams are further grouped into two groups and each group applies a double-elimination bracket format. All games in this stage are best-of-three (Bo3) while the last playoff is a best-of-five (Bo5).
There is only supposed to be one team that qualifies to play the Group Stage through the Wild Card Finals. Because of this structure, the small teams are also given an opportunity to qualify for the main event and test their abilities.
Group Stage
This is the second part of the tournament. It will run from 23rd July 2025 to 27th July 2025. There are a total of 16 teams. 15 of them were invited directly and 1 team was from the Wild Card. The 8 teams have been grouped into 2 groups of 8 teams each. Like the Wild Card, here also a double-elimination format will be used. Matches are best-of-three so that the series remains rapid and competitive.
The top four from each group move to the Knockout Stage. The bottom four are out of the tournament. This means that half of the teams are eliminated before even the last stage starts. This format means that only the most consistent and highest-performing teams get through. It also provides teams with a second opportunity if they fall early due to the lower bracket system.
Knockout Stage
This is the knockout phase of the tournament. It will run from July 30 to August 2, 2025. In this phase, a single-elimination is employed. That is, if a team loses one match, they are eliminated altogether from the tournament. The Quarterfinals and Semifinals are best-of-five (Bo5). The Grand Final is going to be a best-of-seven (Bo7) series. This knockout phase is meant to eliminate the weaker teams and leave the stronger teams.
Schedule
The tournament has been spread across nearly a full month to ensure proper pacing and viewer engagement. Here’s how the schedule has been laid out:
Wild Card Stage (July 10-13, 2025)
This initial stage was just a qualification event for one additional position in the Group Stage. For 4 days, the 8 Wild Card teams played double-elimination brackets. Each contest was staged as a best-of-three, and the playoff final was a best-of-five. This allowed organizers to maintain the time brief and still have competitive integrity.
Group Stage (July 23-27, 2025)
After a short break, the Group Stage has started. There are 2 groups with 8 teams each, i.e., 16 teams in total. There is a double-elimination format so that each match can be interesting. There are several broadcasts a day from afternoon till late night where you can watch several Bo3 series. This stage will decide the top 8 teams that will qualify for the Knockout Stage.
In this stage, the matches have been made short to ensure the players do not get too tired. For this reason, they can also play more games per day. The Group Stage has also reached its peak in terms of player activity globally. Home viewers are usually excited about their favorite team's win through in-game activities, such as purchasing skins and heroes using MLBB top up. This has helped a lot in increasing the hype among fans. The best platform to make the top-up is LDShop, it lets players top up for less and it is a great way to save money.
Knockout Stage (July 30-August 2, 2025)
This is the last leg of the tournament. Every game here counts more than ever—one wrong move would eliminate even the most powerful team. Quarterfinals and Semifinals will be Bo5s. The August 2 Grand Final is the main attraction of the tournament, featuring a Bo7 showdown for the MSC 2025 championship and a significant portion of the $1 million prize pool. The schedule has also been synchronized with other Esports World Cup tournaments so that you can easily watch several games.
Results
As of July 22, 2025, the only completed portion of the tournament is the Wild Card Phase. The Group Stage and Knockout Stage are going on or yet to begin.
Wild Card Outcome
The Wild Card stage was the final opportunity to join the main tournament. The 8 teams competing were divided into 2 groups. After a lot of close matches, the leading teams proceeded to the playoff stage. The highlight of the Wild Card was the show by Virtus.pro. Initially, their performance was not so impressive, but they climbed the lower bracket confidently and accurately. Their performance got better with each match, and eventually, they played against Rare Atom in the final of the Wild Card.
Virtus.pro won in the final series 3-1 to secure their position as the 16th MSC 2025 Group Stage team. The victory was a turning point for the team and its followers, especially because they fought their way through multiple elimination matches.
Group Stage and Knockout Stage
There haven’t been any matches played in the Group Stage yet. The opening match of this phase is on July 23, 2025. The Group Stage brackets are already set, and matchups will begin soon. You will find it really interesting to see how top teams like Blacklist International, ONIC Esports, RRQ, and fresh teams like Virtus.pro perform under pressure. The Knockout Stage has also not started. It will start once the Group Stage is completed. No final matchups have been determined yet.
Conclusion
MSC 2025 has been a thrilling and competitive event in the Esports World Cup. With its three-stage format, it has provided each team with an equal opportunity to showcase their talents. Spectators loved watching close matches, dramatic comebacks, and tactical plays. The final game on 2nd August 2025 will be a thrilling one. The $1 million reward and 1000 Club Points make this event extremely critical. MSC 2025 has proved why Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is still one of the leading global esports franchises. It has been and will be an unforgettable tournament for players and enthusiasts.
Savannah Reed Experienced Game Editor
Savannah Reed is a senior game editor at LDShop.gg, specializing in in-depth coverage of RPG and strategy games. With a strong focus on titles like Wuthering Waves, Honkai: Star Rail and Whiteout Survival, she combines industry insight with firsthand player experience to deliver clear, informative, and actionable content. Her work is dedicated to helping gamers make smarter decisions—whether it’s understanding new updates or optimizing their in-game strategy.
