Jakarta, 25 January, 2026 — Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency Irene Umar attended the Grand Final of the M7 World Championship 2026 at Tennis Indoor, Jakarta, on Sunday (25/1/2026). The international-scale Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) tournament brought together the host country’s esports team Alter Ego and the visiting team from the Philippines, Aurora.
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar delivers remarks at the Grand Final of the M7 World Championship 2026 at Tennis Indoor, Jakarta, Sunday (25/1/2026).
Although this year’s tournament title went to Aurora, Alter Ego’s competitive performance from the early stages demonstrated Indonesia’s strong standing in international esports competition.
In her remarks, the Deputy Minister of Creative Economy expressed appreciation for the event’s organization, which showcased Indonesia’s cultural richness while strengthening the national esports ecosystem. “The games and esports industry is a real industry that grows alongside its community, and today we are proud to see an Indonesian team shine on the global stage,” said Irene Umar.
She added, “For me, Alter Ego has already become a winner. Their presence in the final, along with the extraordinary enthusiasm of their fanbase, shows that Indonesia’s esports ecosystem is strong and has sustainable potential to become the new engine of growth for the creative economy.”
Doc. Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
Beyond the main match, the M7 Carnival series featured various local creative economy subsectors, including culinary, music, and creative products, all packaged to deliver a comprehensive experience for visitors. The festival also presented the official Mobile Legends pop-up store, interactive zones, and a wide range of Indonesian MSMEs.
Meanwhile, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, President of the International Esports Federation (IESF), stated that since the competition began, MLBB has become one of the largest and most influential games in the world. “All of this is related to capability, collaboration with the community that demonstrates pride, and the development of a sustainable ecosystem for players, clubs, content creators, and fans,” he said.
Doc. Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
Watched by more than five million online viewers and thousands of spectators directly at the arena, the event underscored the high level of public enthusiasm and the strong games and esports culture in Indonesia.
The M7 World Championship 2026 proved that Indonesia is capable of maximizing world-class esports events as a driver of the creative economy while strengthening global competitiveness, supporting the achievement of Golden Indonesia 2045, and reaffirming games and esports as strategic subsectors of the creative economy.
Doc. Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
Accompanying Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar at the event were the Minister’s Special Staff for Creative Economy Ecosystem and Data Strengthening, Jago Anggara, and Director of Games at the Ministry of Creative Economy, Luat Sihombing.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of the Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
