Indonesia’s Esports Team Uses Domestic League to Sharpen for Asian Games

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Rather than retreating into closed training camps, Indonesia’s national esports squad is turning the Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) into a proving ground ahead of the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi‑Nagoya, Japan.

The decision reflects a strategy to keep players battle‑ready by immersing them in competitive match rhythm while simultaneously testing the results of their national training program.

Team manager Glorya Famiela explained that MPL offers both performance improvement and a live trial environment. “We hope they can improve this season, so it becomes a try‑out as well as a test match,” she said on Friday, August 14, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

She emphasized that participation in the domestic league does not disrupt preparations for the Asian Games, as schedules are carefully coordinated between the national team and club management. “We collaborate with clubs to make training fair and balanced,” she added.

Glorya noted that the MPL season helps maintain competitive rhythm and provides a platform to measure readiness against international standards. The Mobile Legends roster for the Asian Games is largely intact from the qualifiers, which strengthens team cohesion.

“Fortunately, the Mobile Legends squad is complete, except Albert. We hope they can improve through both national training sessions and the MPL season,” she remarked.

Indonesia’s MLBB team secured its place in the Asian Games main event after finishing third in Group A during the June qualifiers in Singapore, recording five wins and two losses.

The squad, drawn from esports club Alter Ego, included Alexander Owen Marcetami Buhe, Arif Fudin Dingarai Putra, Dalvin Ramadhana Putra, Muhammad Affan Wahyudi, Muhammad Halim Adicondro, and Syauki Fauzan Sumarno.

Later, Albert Neilsen Iskandar of EVOS joined the national roster, replacing Halim during the final entry process.

By leveraging the MPL as a competitive laboratory, Indonesia's esports team is signaling a broader approach: domestic leagues are not just entertainment platforms but integral to preparing athletes for global stages. The Asian Games will test whether this dual‑track strategy -- balancing club competition with national training -- can deliver podium results. ***