If you’ve spent any time scrolling through Mobile Legends Reddit groups or in-game chat in 2026, you’ve probably seen the same question pop up over and over: how many champions in Mobile Legends are actually playable right now? Moonton releases new heroes every few months, plus limited collab drops and occasional reworks of older characters, so it’s almost impossible to keep an accurate count if you don’t follow every patch note. I’ve been playing MLBB casually and competitively for 6 years now, and even I lose track of the total number sometimes when a new batch of heroes drops. This guide breaks down the exact 2026 count, role splits, upcoming releases, and tips for picking which champions to unlock first.
How Many Champions in Mobile Legends Are Playable in 2026?
As of Q1 2026, the official total of playable Mobile Legends champions sits at 147, including all permanently available heroes and limited-time collab characters that have been fully released to the public. That number doesn’t count heroes that are only available on the test server, as those often get scrapped or fully reworked before they launch for all players. Exact count as of Q1 2026: 147 playable champions, excluding test server only heroes.
12 of those 147 champions are event or collab exclusive, meaning they can’t be purchased with battle points or diamonds year-round. They usually rotate back into the in-game shop for 2-4 week windows once every 12 months, so you won’t miss out permanently if you don’t grab them during their first release. Moonton has confirmed they plan to add 8-10 new champions in 2026, so the total count will likely hit 152 or 153 by the end of the year.
Full 2026 Role Breakdown of Mobile Legends Champions
All Mobile Legends champions are split into 6 core roles, each with a specific job in team compositions. The number of champions per role varies pretty widely, with some roles having far more options than others for players to test out. Here’s the full breakdown as of 2026:
That means if you main support, you have far fewer options to choose from, but you also won’t have to spend as much time learning new heroes every update. I’ve mained support for 3 years, and I’m actually excited for the two new supports coming later this year, since they’re supposed to have unique utility kits that don’t overlap with existing ones. You don’t have to own every champion to climb ranked in 2026 – mastering 2-3 per role is more than enough to hit Mythic rank, even with the ever-growing hero pool.
Upcoming Mobile Legends Champions Coming in 2026
Moonton has already shared details of 4 confirmed new champions dropping in 2026, plus teasers for a possible third collab hero later in the year. First up is Kael, a shadow assassin releasing in Q3 2026 that can switch between melee and ranged forms, with a ultimate that lets him teleport to any enemy hero he’s marked within the last 5 seconds. The two supports coming in Q4 include a healer that can revive up to three allies at once (with a 5 minute cooldown to keep her balanced) and a roamer that can place permanent vision wards that only disappear if destroyed by an enemy.
If you want to see the full teaser clips for the upcoming heroes, you can check the official Moonton 2026 roadmap post for early access to skill previews and release date announcements. Limited collab champions usually return once every 12 months, so don’t panic if you miss their initial release window. I missed the 2025 Demon Slayer collab drop, but I was able to pick up Nezuko when she rotated back into the shop in February 2026 for the same diamond price as her original release.
Keep in mind that test server leaks aren’t always reliable. For example, the water mage that was leaked in late 2025 got fully scrapped because Moonton decided her kit was too similar to existing mage Kadita, so she never made it to the live server. Only trust official announcements for confirmed upcoming champions.
Tips for Choosing Which Mobile Legends Champions to Unlock in 2026
With 147 champions available, it can be overwhelming to decide which ones to spend your hard-earned battle points or diamonds on first, especially if you’re a new player. My first tip is to never unlock a brand new champion immediately after their release. New heroes are almost always overpowered for the first 2-3 weeks to drive sales, then get hit with heavy nerfs that make them barely viable. I made that mistake last year when I spent 32,000 battle points on the new assassin Lira, only for her to get nerfed so badly I never played her again after the first month.
Always test a champion in practice mode first before spending battle points or diamonds on them. The weekly free champion rotation lets you try 10 different champions for free every 7 days, so take advantage of that to test out different playstyles before you commit to buying a hero. If you’re a new player, start with easy-to-learn champions like Layla, Tigreal, or Nana before moving to more complex, high-skill heroes like Fanny or Ling that require dozens of hours of practice to play well.
If you’re focused on climbing ranked, check the current meta tier list before you unlock a new hero. Some champions are far stronger in the current patch than others, and picking meta heroes can make climbing 2-3 times faster, even if you’re not a top-tier player. Just don’t get too attached to meta picks, since balance patches drop every month and can shift the meta completely overnight.
Now you know exactly how many champions in Mobile Legends there are to play in 2026, plus how they split across roles, what new heroes are coming soon, and how to pick which ones to unlock first. The total count will keep growing as Moonton adds more content throughout the year, so bookmark this page and check back every few months for updated counts and new hero details. I currently have 112 champions unlocked, and I still find new favorites to main every couple of months, so don’t rush to unlock all of them at once. Take your time testing different heroes, and you’ll find the perfect fit for your playstyle in no time.