MANILA, Philippines – Filipino representative, Natus Vincere (NAVI) Philippines, secured their Grand Finals berth after eliminating Cambodia’s Galaxy Phoenix (GXP) at the MLBB Women’s Invitational (MWI) during the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Paris on July 17.

Revenge complete
GXP first swept the Filipino squad in the group stage, sending NAVI to the lower bracket.
The opening game was a close back-and-forth with the kill score ending at 14-13.
However, by the second game, NAVI controlled the second game from start to finish. They led with 4k gold and a 17-12 kill score under 18 minutes.
With the series on the line, NAVI denied GXP access to major objectives while punishing risky pick-off attempts.
While GXP seemed to recover during the mid-late game, NAVI remained confident as they took control of the base with the Lord in tow at the 21-minute mark.
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PH back in the Grand Finals
NAVI PH in the Grand Finals signals the return of Filipino representatives in the final stage, as the last Filipino team to reach the Grand Finals was Omega Empress in 2024.
Last year, Team Liquid Aqua were eliminated in the semis after falling to Indonesia’s Team Vitality.
As of publication, NAVI’s opponents will be determined by the match between Geltek Cyber Team and Team Vitality.
The Grand Final is scheduled for July 18, 2026.
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