Istanbul to host major mobile esports championships

Istanbul is set to become a central hub for global mobile esports, hosting two major upcoming international events.

The 2026 PUBG MOBILE Global Championship (PMGC) Grand Finals will take place from December 11–13 at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center. The tournament features a $3 million prize pool and will include a performance by DJ Alan Walker. Six teams from Turkey are expected to participate, with S2G Esports and ULF Esports already confirmed for the league stage.

Additionally, celebrations were held along the Bosphorus to mark the 10th anniversary of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB). The event served as a precursor to the M8 World Championship, which is scheduled to take place in Istanbul in three months. MLBB currently maintains over 1.5 billion downloads and 110 million monthly active users.