By Rorisang Rampheteng
South Africa has qualified for the inaugural FIFAe Continental Championship 2026: Africa after successfully completing the final FIFAe Nations League qualifying week on Thursday, 16 July 2026.
The qualification sees South Africa join seven other leading African esports nations at the offline regional tournament, which will take place in Casablanca, Morocco, from 27 to 29 August 2026.
The South African team secured qualification in the 3v3 Rocket League category, becoming one of three African nations to advance in the title. However, the country was unable to qualify in the eFootball console and mobile categories.
Qualification decided through league format
The FIFAe Nations League qualification process was contested over three international windows, with teams accumulating points throughout the qualifying stages. The final standings were determined by the points collected across the qualifying weeks.
The qualifying campaign began in April and followed the international football calendar, with national esports teams competing during designated international windows.
New route to FIFAe World Cup Finals
The FIFAe Continental Championships will make their global debut in 2026 as a new regional stage on the road to the FIFAe Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The new competition will provide national teams from different regions with a dedicated continental platform to compete for a place at the global finals. The FIFAe Continental Championship in Africa is expected to serve as a major opportunity for the continent’s top esports nations to compete on home soil.
The Casablanca tournament will feature a single round-robin group stage before moving into a single-elimination knockout bracket. The top two teams will earn qualification to represent Africa at the FIFAe World Cup Finals 2026 in Saudi Arabia.
South Africa’s Rocket League squad
South Africa’s national Rocket League team consists of some of the country’s leading players, selected through the 2025 SAFA eCup, which was hosted by Telkom VS Gaming.
The country’s esports programme will also continue searching for emerging talent, with the next wave of players expected to be identified through future competitions. The talent search is set to reach a major point at Comic Con Africa in September, with further registration details expected to be announced.
The FIFAe Continental Championship will mark a significant milestone for African esports, with South Africa now preparing to compete against the continent’s best Rocket League nations for a place at the global FIFAe Finals.
