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| The SM Mall of Asia Arena, which last hosted the 2024 Asia Pacific Predator League, could be a battleground for the 2026 IESF World Esports Championship if the Philippines gets the hosting rights. |
MAKATI—Philippine Esports Organization executive director Marlon "Lon" Marcelo dropped a bombshell during the Philippine Esports Awards on April 22 when he revealed that the Philippines is bidding to host the IESF World Esports Championship next year.
"We know for a fact that the Filipinos can host world-class esports events in the country, and it is rightfully so that we have a chance," Marcelo said during the Philippine Esports Awards' closing remarks.
Two weeks later, when he and Sibol general manager Jab Escutin dropped by the final night of the MPL Philippines regular season at the Green Sun Hotel Ballroom to officially unveil the national team's Mobile Legends Bang Bang men's team for this year's IESF Worlds, Marcelo detailed how the bid is taking shape at the moment.
"We're coordinating with the IESF committee because it's going to be a pitch. The PESO team is actually having plans to do an internal pitch and then hopefully manalo tayo for 2026," he told Dugout Philippines on Sunday night.
The next focus now, according to Marcelo, is to make as many arenas and accommodation venues as PESO can ready for the IESF Worlds.
"There are a lot of specifications like internet, venue, hotel, and flights. Everything is being considered by the organizing committee, and if pumasa tayo, then we can host that," he further said, acknowledging as well that the Philippines would be up for a challenge against other countries that are eyeing to bid for next year's hosting.
If the hosting bid is successful, among the arenas that could be considered to host at least some portions of the IESF Worlds are the SM Mall of Asia Arena, which hosted many major esports events even before the pandemic struck, and the nearby SMX Convention Center Manila, which hosted the MPL Philippines Season 11 playoffs in 2023, in Pasay.
"I'm no stranger to events. I've done ESL One Manila in SM MOA. I've done an event in SMX, so it's not a problem. It's more of how we are going to deliver a big and great event so that the organizing committee will choose us other than other countries or cities that will be bidding for the world championship," added Marcelo, who first became known as a popular shoutcaster for major esports events, especially in DOTA 2.
He then said that he only had an "internal" conversation so far with Philippine Sports Commission chairman Dickie Bachmann and Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino regarding the hosting bid.
"We have to double-check check muna yung mga kailangan, and then once we have the final pitch specifications, like anong klaseng venue ang pwede, then we will slowly talk to those that we need to talk to," Marcelo explained.
For now, the focus is on this year's IESF Worlds at a soon-to-be-announced venue with Team Falcons Philippines plus reinforcements Duane "Kelra" Pillas and Sanford Vinuya being the men's MLBB team, Smart Omega Empress as the women's MLBB team, and Execration being the DOTA 2 squad for Sibol.
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