Bigo Live and MLBB Elevate MENA Esports Ecosystem with MPL Season 9 Partnership

 Manal Saleh

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: 13 April , 2026 – As the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region rapidly cements its position as a global powerhouse in the gaming and esports sector, Bigo Live, a leading global social livestreaming platform, announces a strategic partnership with Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB). This collaboration brings the highly anticipated MENA Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) Season 9 directly to the Bigo Live platform, empowering the regional gaming community with broader access to world-class competitive esports.

The MENA region's digital economy is experiencing an unprecedented boom, heavily driven by a thriving gaming sector that aligns with ambitious national strategies like Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. The Middle East gaming market is projected to grow from $4.56 billion in 2025 to $5.14 billion in 2026, with Saudi Arabia leading the charge through an annual gaming expenditure nearing $1 billion. The region's momentum is underscored by Sensor Tower data, which ranked the Middle East as the fastest-growing market globally for mobile gaming in-app purchase revenue in 2024, at 18% year-over-year. Bigo Live and MLBB are answering this call by co-creating an immersive, localized ecosystem where creators, fans, and professional players thrive together.

Running from 10 April 2026 through the Grand Finals on 23 May 2026, the partnership centers on a comprehensive restreaming collaboration of MENA MPL Season 9 matches on Bigo Live's official Gaming Community account. This initiative is designed to transform the viewing experience from a passive broadcast into a highly interactive, community-driven event.

Throughout the regular season, Bigo Live will host two live simulcast sessions per week, ensuring fans remain deeply connected to the tournament's progression. To further deepen fan engagement, dedicated bi-weekly Watch Parties will feature interactive viewer activities, including milestone-based winner announcements. These activations are purposefully built to foster a sense of belonging and make every match feel like a communal celebration of esports talent.

As the tournament intensifies, Bigo Live will expand its coverage. The Semi-Finals will feature three days of comprehensive live-streaming anchored on the Gaming Community account. For the the semi-finals and Grand Finals, coverage will expand with live commentary sessions in Arabic across the main Gaming Community account (BIGO ID: 80017), as well as BIGO ID: MENA.ESPORTS and BIGO ID: mlbbesportsmena, providing fans with multiple dynamic entry points into the action.

Bigo Live's strategy is rooted in its role as a Community Champion, ensuring the content is culturally relevant and localized. The Semi-Finals and Grand Finals will feature live Arabic commentary from two prominent Egyptian gaming creators, Restart (BIGO ID: 766558500) and Sokker (BIGO ID: 113293391). Their involvement brings authentic energy to the coverage, ensuring the experience resonates deeply with the local audience. Additionally, Bigo Live is introducing exclusive MPL-themed in-app effects, including a custom Entrance Effect and Pendant, allowing viewers to visually express their fandom during watch parties.

"Our ongoing collaboration with MLBB represents our deep commitment to the MENA gaming community," said a spokesperson from Bigo Live. "By pairing our interactive livestreaming infrastructure with culturally resonant content and local creator talent, we are not just livestreaming a tournament; we are empowering fans to be active participants in the region's digital growth. This partnership is a testament to our shared vision of building a sustainable, engaging esports ecosystem."

This latest collaboration builds upon a strong foundation of successful partnerships between Bigo Live and MLBB, including the recent livestreaming of MPL MENA 2025 and the historic M6 World Championship. The M6 event set a new benchmark for the franchise, drawing a record-breaking peak viewership of 4.13 million and averaging over 700,000 viewers over 120 hours of broadcast. Furthermore, the MENA circuit is rapidly expanding; MPL MENA Season 8 achieved 42,475 Peak Viewers and over 455,000 Hours Watched, making it one of the fastest-rising MPL leagues globally.

By continuing to invest in hybrid esports experiences and creator enablement, Bigo Live and MLBB are actively contributing to the evolution of the digital economy in the MENA region, ensuring that the future of gaming is built on community, innovation, and shared passion.

-End-

About Bigo Live

Bigo Live is one of the world’s fastest-growing livestreaming social communities where users broadcast in real-time to share life moments, showcase their talents, and interact with people from around the world. Bigo Live has more than 700 million users in over 150 countries. Launched in March 2016, Bigo Live is owned by BIGO Technology, which is based in Singapore.