The hype is on as last season's runner-up Smart Omega and third place finisher Execration clash head-on to kick off the MPL Philippines Season 7 wars next Friday, March 19.
Omega, which came up with a playoff finish in the M2 Mobile Legends World Championship in Singapore last January, will take on Execration at 6 p.m.
League newcomer Work Auster Force will then make its much-awaited debut against the revamped Cignal Ultra at 7:30 p.m.
Reigning MPL king and M2 world champion Bren Esports fires off its title defense versus two-time runner-up Onic PH in the main game on March 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Two-time MPL titlist Aura PH will battle Work at 4:30 p.m. while Nexplay Solid will collide with qualifier Laus Playbook Esports at 6 p.m.
Blacklist International will play its season debut versus Aura in the first game on March 21 at 4:30 p.m.
Bren is in Group A together with Aura, Onic, Cignal and Work while Omega is in Group B along with Execration, Blacklist, NXP and Playbook Esports.
Each team will play two best-of-three matches with the other four squads in its group and one best-of-three match against the five teams in the other group.
A point system will be applied with a 2-0 sweep amounting to three points, a 2-1 win granting two points, a 1-2 loss one point and a 0-2 defeat zero.
The top four teams from each group will advance to the playoffs while the bottom two finishers will be eliminated from Moonton's professional league.
The group stage (also known as regular season) will be held online for eight weekends until May 16.
An All-Star Weekend event is set on May 22-23 while the two-weekend playoffs which include the best-of-seven Grand Finals are slated on May 29-30 and June 5-6.