M5’s Wildcard Tournament is almost upon us, and we are taking a closer look at each group, breaking down which teams could come out on top.
This year, the M5 World Championship is changing things up quite a bit, with a brand-new feature being added to the event – the Wildcard Tournament. This pre-tournament to the main event features eight teams from across the globe, all fighting for two spots at M5. Some of these teams are from battle-hardened Mobile Legends: Bang Bang regions, while others will be hoping to reach the hallowed grounds for the first time. Group A contains four such teams, and there is a very clear stand-out here.
Group A’s challengers
4Merical Esports
Niightmare Esports
Team Falcons
Team SMG
As we look at Group A, as mentioned previously, there is a clear team that stands out above the rest – that being Team SMG. While the team narrowly missed out on reaching the main event in a 3-4 loss to HomeBois in the grand finals of MPL Malaysia Season 12, they look to be the best team in the Wildcard Tournament and overcome all challengers to give MY a second team at M5. However, the path will not be an easy one for SMG by a long shot, with some fantastic teams in their path.
Group A also features the first-time challengers from Nepal, 4Merical Esports, who add a dark horse factor into the mix – as we do not really know much about the team. Having played through the MLBB Champion Battles Fall 2023, 4Merical made an impressive lower bracket run to claim victory and score their spot in the Wildcard. While they seem to be proficient in all the “meta” hero picks, they’ve also shown some interest in Julian and Balmond, which could throw a spanner into the works of more experienced squads.
Although Laos may not be new to MLBB in this form, Niightmare Esports is an organisation that we have only really seen at the Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup and its qualifiers over the years. Having attempted to qualify for M4, Niightmare fell short, but this time around, they clinched the Mekong challenge and will bring in another fairly unknown aspect to the Wildcard Tournament.
Finally, wrapping up Group A is Team Falcons – a team comprising of a few players who have been to the M-Series previously, and a few hailing from the SEA region too. With two players from the Occupy Thrones squad which competed at M4, who also have some great experience in winning the MPL MENA tournament, coupled with an ex-MPL MY winner in Lawtrick, Falcons have a real chance to secure a spot in the M5 main event.
When it comes to MLBB, there is no telling what will happen during a game, and with the Wildcard Tournament, this could not be clearer. While SMG is the favourites to go all the way, there is a high chance of some major upsets coming out, especially with so many unknown factors. The Wildcard Tournament kicks off on Thursday, November 23rd, with three days of best-of-three action before the crossover matches decide who will be moving forward to M5’s grand stage.
