RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s defending champions Team Vitality are heading into the MLBB Women’s Invitational (MWI) at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 in Riyadh with confidence, acknowledging the pressure of their title-holder status while targeting back-to-back victories.

Team Vitality’s women’s esports squad from Indonesia has admitted they are carrying the burden of being reigning champions but say they are mentally prepared to handle the pressure as they prepare for the MWI at EWC 2026.

Player Viorelle “Vival” Valencia Chen said the team is accustomed to high-pressure situations after competing together for a long time.

“There is definitely pressure, but the five of us, along with the coaching staff and manager, have been through a lot together and are used to it,” Vival said in Jakarta on Thursday, April 16, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

She added that the team has begun intensive training with the goal of defending their title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in July. “Preparation has already started, and of course the target is to be the best and become champions again,” she added.

On their rivals, Vival emphasized respect for all opponents and a focus on self-performance. “We always respect every opponent. We don’t underestimate anyone. We focus on ourselves and play our best,” she continued.

The EWC 2026 is currently Team Vitality’s main focus, especially since the MLBB Women’s event will not be included in the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Vival said the team had hoped to compete in the multi-sport Asian Games but accepted the decision with disappointment.

“We actually hoped it would be included because the Asian Games are bigger than the SEA Games. But since it’s not included, what can we do. There is a bit of disappointment,” she explained.

She previously helped Indonesia win gold at the 2023 SEA Games and bronze at the 2025 SEA Games in esports.

As reigning champions, Team Vitality has already secured a spot in the MWI EWC 2026 main stage, after an unbeaten run with a perfect 100 percent win rate, winning 13 games without dropping a single match.

The squad also features Venny “Fumi Eko” Lim, Cindy “Cinny” Laurent Siswanto, Michelle “Chell” Denise Siswanto, and Vivi “Vivian” Indrawaty. The Indonesian E-sport Association (ESI) has also provided bonuses for the women’s MLBB national team following their world title success. ***