MLBB Academy League Malaysia Season 3 format explained

Malaysia’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) tier-two league is heading into its third season tomorrow.

Here is everything you need to know about the revamped format of the MLBB Academy League Malaysia Season 3.

The MLBB Academy League Malaysia (MAL MY) is organised by the game’s developer, MOONTON Games, and IO Esports to provide grassroots MLBB talent with a path to professional esports.

Season 3 will feature a $20,000 (~£15,269) prize pool and a promotion slot to the country’s biggest MLBB esports stage, the MLBB Professional League (MPL) Malaysia.

The new season will also feature a more diverse talent pool with all-female team Johor Angels and collegiate team MSL x UITM. A total of 15 women athletes will participate in Season 3, the highest number in Malaysian MLBB esports history.

Season 3 of the Academy League will be divided into the Challenger and the Affiliated Conference. The Challenger Conference comprises the top four teams from MAL MY Season 2 and two from the Open Qualifier. Meanwhile, the Affiliate Conference includes six junior teams from Season 15 of MPL Malaysia.

With a similar format to Season 2, the Regular Season of MAL MY Season 3 will begin with Stage 1 from April 12th until May 6th, followed by Stage 2 from May 12th-22nd. The first stage will see teams play best-of-three (BO3) single round-robin matches within each Conference. The top eight teams from the Challenger Conference and the top four squads from the Affiliated Conference will advance to Stage 2.

Throughout the second stage, teams from the Affiliated and the Challenger Conference will face each other in single round-robin BO3 matches. The top six teams from the Challenger Conference and the top four from the Affiliated Conference will qualify for the Playoffs.

The Challenger Conference Playoffs will take place from June 26th-29th with a revamped format. The Semi-Finals match between the final two Challenger Conference teams will determine who may ascend to MPL Malaysia Season 16.

Afterwards, the losing team will face the 9th-placed squad from MPL Malaysia Season 15 in the ‘Challenger vs Defender’ match. The winner will also earn a slot in MPL Malaysia Season 16.