KUALA LUMPUR: The stakes are high for eight teams that will compete in the wildcard stage of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) M6 World Championship which begins on Thursday (Nov 21) in Putrajaya.
The competition, which will be held at the IOI Grand Exhibition and Convention Centre, is their only chance to qualify for M6 World Championships competition proper which starts on Nov 28.
The eight teams have been split into group A and B.
Group A is composed of DianFengYaoGuai (China), Geekay eSports (Egypt), Niightmare eSports (Laos), ULFHEDNAR (Turkiye) while Group B features Insilio (Russia), Legion (Vietnam), RRQ Akira (Brazil) and The MongolZ (Mongolia).
Some of the teams are returning to the M series, having competed in past editions.
RRQ Akira and Nightmare Esports are making their second appearances.
ULFHEDNAR may be making their M series debut but their squad is filled with experienced campaigners who were previously on the books at Fire Flux.
ULFHEDNAR's current player roster won three straight Turkish championships while under the Fire Flux banner and are considered the hot favourites to emerge the winners in the Wild Card stage.
Although there are no Malaysian teams featuring at this early stage, the country will still have representation in the form of DianFengYaoGuai (DFYG) coaches Lu "Sasa" Khai Bean and Saw "Loong" Kee Loong.
Both are former players who have the experience DFYG needs to guide them through the wildcard stage successfully.
At last year's M5 in Manila, the Philippines, Khai Bean and Kee Loong played for Team SMG and won the wildcard competition. The Malaysian team were, however, eliminated in the group stage.
Most teams advancing to the wildcard stage are the second-best from their respective countries. However, a few from emerging regions are the top teams in their country and are eager to prove their worth among the best.
Among them includes Legion Esports and The MongolZ.
Who among the eight teams has what it takes to join the 15 teams in the Swiss stage? That question will be answered during the wildcard stage grand finals on Sunday .