Big year in the offing for Kenyan Esports
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba flags off Kenya's esports national team of seven gamers for the Global Esports Games at Kasarani on December 13, 2022.
What you need to know:
- The Esports Kenya Federation has started early preparations by budgeting, engaging all stakeholders, educating gamers on qualification pathways, training of coaches and contacting the host cities as well as their embassies in Kenya
- Kenyan gamers will have the chance to represent the nation and rub shoulders with global superstars in at least five international esports events
- We encourage Kenyan gamers to turn out for the national team recruitment tournaments when the dates will be published by the Esports Kenya Federation
After a landmark year in 2022 where Kenya graced the international esports stage for the first time with participation in the Commonwealth Esports Championship, Birmingham and the global Esports Games, Istanbul, the doors for Kenyan gamers to compete globally has opened even wider this year.
Kenyan gamers will have the chance to represent the nation and rub shoulders with global superstars in at least five international esports events.
First off is the eLigue1Tour to be held in Paris, France on May 13-14. The FIFA23 tournament shall be played on Playstation 5 and will bring together gamers from around the world for a battle of a prize pool of 10000 Euros.
This will be followed by the historic moment of the inaugural Olympic Esports Week to be held in Singapore from June 22-25, 2023. The event shall include three mobile games, four console games, three physical games and one PC game.
Lagos, Nigeria will play host to the gamrX Africa challenge that brings together 12 African nations to compete in five game titles; PUBG mobile, COD mobile, FIFA 23, Tekken 7 and Street Fighter V.
The esports world will then gather in Iasi, Romania, from August 24 to September 4, for the World Esports Championship organised by the International Esports Federation. This championship will include six game titles: CSGO, Dota2, eFootball, Tekken 7, PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends - Bang Bang.
The curtains for the year will close in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the Global Esports Games by the Global Esports Federation which will include eFootball, Dota2, PUBG Mobile and Street Fighter.
The Esports Kenya Federation has started early preparations by budgeting, engaging all stakeholders, educating gamers on qualification pathways, training of coaches and contacting the host cities as well as their embassies in Kenya.
We encourage Kenyan gamers to turn out for the national team recruitment tournaments when the dates will be published by the Esports Kenya Federation. We also urge parents and guardians of talented Under-18 players to give consent to their children to participate as these competitions can be life-changing moments.
This promises to be a big year for esports in Kenya and the optimism has never been this high.
Ronny Lusigi is the team manager of Esports Kenya national team.
