Smart's Omega Empress bound for 3rd MWI stint

MANILA, Philippines – The country's top all-female Mobile Legends Bang Bang (MLBB) team, Smart Empress, is heading to its third MLBB Women's Invitational (MWI) campaign after sweeping TNCZ4, 3-0, in the grand finals of the SILAB: Road to MWI tournament over the weekend.

With just one slot available for a Philippine team, a total of 256 squads from the qualifiers plus five teams from the franchise organizations of the Professional League competed in the hopes of representing the country in the third MWI, which will be part of the Esports World Cup slated in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in July.

Smart's Omega Empress had been a direct invite to the semifinals of the tournament, being the country's top all-female team as well as the SIBOL's Women's MLBB team in last year's 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.

TNCZ4 battled its way through the franchise qualifiers, securing a slot by besting other franchise teams: AP Bren Victress, RSG Giantess and ONIC ZOL.

In the grand finals, Omega Empress showcased why it is the top female team in the country, ending the first game in under 14 minutes. Though TNCZ4 put up a fight in the succeeding games, the Empress' were just always one step ahead, eventually sweeping TNCZ4, 3-0, to book their ticket to Riyadh.

The win also marks Omega Empress' third consecutive qualification to the MWI, having been part of MWI's novel year in 2022 along with Bren Victress.