The Portuguese Esports Federation (FPDE) and MOONTON Games have renewed their official partnership in alignment with Portugal's Esports Vision 2030.
Building on two years of collaboration, the agreement underscores a shared commitment to grow Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) as a leading competitive esport in Portugal. It charts a strategic path for the nation, positioning the country as a hub for European MLBB competition while integrating it into the game's growing global esports ecosystem.Shaping Portugal's future in esports
The renewed partnership is part of Portugal Strategic Esports Plan - Vision 2030—a five-year plan to position Portugal as a leader in competitive integrity, innovation, and inclusion within esports. The plan focuses on four main areas: recognising esports as an official sport, supporting health and education programmes, developing competitive pathways with integrity frameworks, and promoting diversity and inclusion. The programme aims to create a sustainable foundation for competitive gaming in Portugal.
Central to this vision is MLBB, one of the world's most popular mobile Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games. The title has amassed over 1.5 billion installations and 110 million Monthly Active Users (MAU) leading up to its 10th anniversary in 2026. According to Esports Charts, the M7 World Championship (M7)—the seventh edition of MLBB's flagship M Series tournament—recently emerged as the most-watched mobile esports tournament in history. This milestone underscores MLBB Esports' global reach and the opportunities it creates to connect players to the broader international esports ecosystem.
Building on proven momentum
As part of the partnership, MLBB will feature as a flagship title at the Portuguese Esports Cup 2026—the country's largest esports event. Now in its third edition, the Portuguese Esports Cup 2026 will take place from 4 to 7 June in Fundão, Portugal. Organised by FPDE, the event will feature 20 competitions across 16 titles and offer a combined prize pool of over €15,000 (~USD 17,788).
The 2025 edition of the event delivered record-breaking results, generating 1.5 million impressions, 26,000 interactions, and €170,000 (~USD 201,688) in media value. Engagement across the gaming community reached new highs, with 63 hours of broadcast content and more than 230,000 minutes watched across online and offline platforms, resulting in a 126 percent return on investment for partners. MLBB emerged as one of the standout titles of the event, underscoring its growing relevance within Portugal's competitive gaming scene.
Strengthening pathways from national to international play
Beyond domestic competitions, FPDE has also worked to strengthen Portugal's presence on the international MLBB stage. In 2024 and 2025, the organisation nominated the MLBB National Team to participate in multiple international tournaments, showcasing Portuguese esports talent on a global platform. The renewal of this partnership underscores FPDE's commitment to position Portugal as a strategic hub for MLBB Esports, while expanding the reach of MOONTON Games' titles across Europe's esports landscape.
"This partnership with MOONTON Games represents a significant milestone for FPDE and demonstrates the viability of Portugal as a premium esports market," said Pedro Honório da Silva, President of FPDE. "Mobile Legends: Bang Bang has proven to be a community favorite, and we're committed to providing world-class competitive opportunities for our players on the international stage."
Vladislav Samokha, Esports Ecosystem Lead, Eastern Europe & Central Asia (EECA), Western Europe (WEU) at MOONTON Games, added: "Esports is about more than tournaments or titles—it's about building communities and inspiring the next generation of players. Through this partnership, we're supporting Portugal's national agenda while showcasing how MLBB Esports can be a meaningful part of Portugal's competitive landscape. With FPDE's professional and long-term approach to ecosystem development, we're building a local ecosystem where talent and passion can thrive."
The renewed partnership between FPDE and MOONTON Games marks another step in aligning Portugal with MLBB's global ecosystem, laying the foundation for long-term growth, international relevance, and a thriving mobile esports community nationwide.
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