A big statement for the state of Esports in Kenya as a global competition touches down this year in June. The state of esports in the country continues to shape up with global esports firms’ interests looking to expand to African markets.

The announcement made last year by WRC creators Nacon alongside Toyota Gazoo Racing showcased a busy schedule ahead with a total of thirteen rounds kicking off this month in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

WRC Safari Rally 2021

The Kenyan stage will take place mid-year in June between the 18th to 21st. This is a huge step towards the growing state of electronic sports in Kenya. With efforts of growing the industry, Ace Pro Gaming has been highlighting the state of the casual motorsports community in Kenya that is slowly growing and morphing into a competitive group (Esports).

“Breaking away from seasons past when rounds have regularly taken place on the same weekends as WRC events, the 2021 Esports WRC season will see several rounds taking place a week before the actual rally, creating additional hype in the buildup to events. This is the case for Monte-Carlo, Rally Sweden, Rally Italy, Safari Rally Kenya and Rally Finland.”

After four weeks of great Kenyan University FIFA, the curtains close this Friday with the final four Conference teams battling it out in the e-Lig Series finals event dubbed The Fainali. 

The Fainali will run as the final event of the University FIFA Esports inviting four conference teams from the qualification weekends. As earlier reported, the second-placed teams were to meet in the 3rd/4th play-off match but we have re-formatted the Fainali event to have a direct semi-final play-off between the teams with the winners from each of the matches getting a direct ticket to 1st/2nd place match while the losers head directly for the 3rd/4th place play-offs. 

“Conference teams that finished first place in their respective groups will face off with the second-placed team from the other group e.g. Winner from Group A (1A) plays second-place from Group B (2B).”

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS 

As the e-Lig series comes to an end, it all comes down to the mental and psychological state of the players who will battle it out from home. The Nairobi region-based teams seem to be favorites heading into the final but this is Kenyan FIFA- anything can happen.

The first semi-final of the day will see Nairobi North Conference (JKUAT) Njiru Njeru take on Central Conference (KeMU) Victor Mwangi. Everything is on the line for Victor coming from a loss handed to him by UONs Frank Kibet while JKUATs Njiru Njeru will be entering this match with only one mission – TO WIN.  

The second semi-final will see the tournament favorite Frank Kibet take on Kisii University player Feswall Abdalla. Can Feswall Abdalla of Kisii University with his defensive play stop Frank’s offensive plays? Can Feswall Abdalla stand up to the pressure? 

The Fainali schedule

Match One: JKUAT_Njiru Njeru v. KeMU_Victor Mwangi 

Match Two: UON_Frank Kibet v. Kisii University_Feswall Abdalla

“Compete and Dominate” 

Aimed at attracting everyone from competitive & casual FIFA players, content consumers, to corporates at large, the e-Lig Series showcase is helping the Esports and casual video gaming in Kenya to engage, inform and inspire a new generation of digital sports enthusiasts. The ultimate goal of the series showcase is to bring an innovative way to compete amongst different Universities’ video gaming communities and also open up a conversation of how traditional and electronic sports can merge to develop electronic divisions that steer new ways to compete. 

The showcase tournament will be the first-ever sanctioned and licensed Esports tournament held in Kenya with teams franchised per University Conference. 

University Conferences

The e-Lig Series will see the six Kenya University Conferences compete in a grouped format with three conference teams per group. Each University Conference will have two representatives making this a twelve-person tournament. 

The six conferences include;

• Nairobi North Conference 
• Nairobi South Conference 
• Western Conference 
• Rift Valley Conference 
• Central Conference 
• Coast Conference 

 “Franchising teams based on their regional Conferences was a great idea for the tournament because it helps highlight not only the KUSA structure but various University institutions we have in Kenya,” says Fanuel, Ace Pro Gaming Head of Business and Leagues. 

SHOWCASE STRUCTURE

The tournament will see the six conference teams divided and placed in two groups (Group A & B). Each group will have three teams playing in a round-robin format on a selected weekend (Friday) tournament. Each Conference team will field two players to fit our new FIFA competition policy that is pushing for team-based competitions, unlike the usual individual format that we have been running in the past. 

GROUP A	GROUP B
Nairobi North Conference	Nairobi South Conference
Rift Valley Conference	Central Conference
Western Conference	Coast Conference

Group Stages

The group stages will follow a round-robin format with the winner getting a direct slot for the e-Lig Series Finals (Fainali). 

Each Conference team will field two players (Player 1 & 2) who will play against each conference team in their respective groups. 

For example:

Nairobi North Conference_Player 1 v. Central Conference_Player 1 

Nairobi North Conference_Player 2 v. Central Conference_Player 2

If there is a tie after both matches, the best players from each Conference will play in a tiebreaker to determine a win for the team

The winners of the group will be determined by their Aggregate Win-Loss Record and Goal Difference. 

Fainali

Fainali will be the official e-Lig Series Final tournament of the sanctioned KUSA Esports program. It will have two matches slated for the evening, the e-Lig Series third/fourth place playoff, and the main event Finals. 

The third-place playoffs will follow the Group stage format of play while the main Finals will have a different format. The final match of the e-Lig Series will see players from either team play against both players from the opponent team. 

Nairobi Conference v. Western Conference 

NNC_Player 1 v. WC_Player 1 

NNC_Player 2 v. WC_Player 2 

NNC_Player 1 v. WC_Player 2 

NNC_Player 2 v. WC_Player 1

This finals format brings all contenders from either team to get the taste of competition from both their opponents. If there is a tie, the best players will face off to decide who the winner will be. 

Follow e-Lig Series 

Twitter: @eLigSeries 

Instagram: @eLigSeries

Four Weekend FIFA Esports (Online) showcase competed by franchised Kenyan University Conferences

Nairobi, Kenya (2020): The e-Lig Series today announced its entrance into University Sports action after agreeing to a work agreement with Kenya University Sports Association (KUSA). The esports showcase promises to deliver a competitive demonstration for the FIFA Community in Kenya, content consumers, sports fans in Kenya, and the whole wider Eastern African region in regards to University Sports. 

e-Lig Series, a premier Competitive FIFA series developed by Ace Pro Gaming will provide a unique University-Only FIFA competition played by franchised teams based on University Conferences. 

“Esports continues to cement its place in the Kenyan sports industry as an alternative to entertainment, competition, and investment,” said Davy Kamanzi, Head of Community Relations at Ace Pro Gaming.   

The inaugural KUSA Esports program will get underway on October 30th with a match between two conference teams opening the showcase league set to kick-off a week later. The showcase will have all six franchises pooled in two groups (Group A & B) with three teams each competing in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will get direct qualification for the final day (dubbed Fainali) slated on the 20th November.  

Most important for the growth of e-Lig Series and Kenyan Esports, in general, will be that all matches- from the Group stages to the finals (Fainali) will be streamed live from our digital platforms. FIFA enthusiasts from Kenya and the wider East African region will get a chance to follow a University sanctioned Esports tournament.

“We seek to serve sports fans with an exciting competitive tournament of selected FIFA Players who featured in our previous trial season (season zero) staged at Kenyatta University Students and Business Centre Hall.”  

In Kenya, many sports leagues, competitions, and events remain suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic health measures set by the Government. With traditional sports being in the dark, Esports continued to offer an alternative to how players compete and engage. Ace Pro Gaming through its two Esports titles, Savanna Fight Night (Tekken 7) and e-Lig Series (FIFA 20/21) continued its online division leagues through the pandemic. 

As part of the e-Lig series investment, the organizers will continue to push for the development of Kenya’s competitive and casual FIFA players to join and build FUT squads so as to prepare and position themselves for standard international and regional events. The campaign will be run during the showcase tournament period.  

“This is a revolutionary step towards merging competition, innovativeness, technology, and a thriving young Kenyan market,” said Mr. Joseph Sandagi, Secretary-General Kenya University Sports Association.  The Kenya University Sports Association sets its foot towards embracing new ways sports are consumed, engaged, and broadcast. 

The e-Lig Series will be moving away from playing individually to a team-based competitive 2v2 format. This format is designed to grow competitive FIFA in Kenya by inviting established teams rather than individuals as it has been in the past tournaments held in and around Nairobi. 

About the e-Lig Series

The e-Lig Series brings a KUSA sanctioned competitive FIFA to a National stage with a showcase/demonstration tournament. For the first time in Kenya, franchised University teams get to go head to head with each other in an online FIFA.  The competitive Series will kick off on October 30th with six teams embarking on a three-week journey to cement their names as the best University Franchised team in Kenya. 

Twitter: @eLigSeries

Instagram: @eLigSeries

Twitch: twitch.tv/eLigSeries

 About Kenya University Sports Association

Kenya University Sports Association is the governing body mandated to run and manage University Sports in Kenya. KUSA, with its unique structure, has enabled the growth of various sports disciplines in Kenya producing great athletes that have shone bright lights on Kenyan sports. With the Esports investment, the Association positions itself with a growing global and domestic industry. 

“Compete & Dominate”

The Masters of Mayhem came into the match with one thing in their mind and that is to dominate and scoop up all matches in both rounds. Led by the “FIFA god” Flossin Mauwano showed great skill, composure and pure class against both opponents from Horizon Esports, all this not downplaying their opponents Horizon Esports who put up a spirited fight against the MoM.

The e-Lig Series
A premier online FIFA Esports Competition held in Kenya joining Savanna Fight Night (Tekken 7) as the second game in our Online Division. The e-Lig Series seeks to cement the FIFA Community and develop the competitive edge of many Kenyan players. The competition has seen two exhibition matches held in the past weeks to showcase how the League will look like when we kick-off (Announcement will be made soon).

The series will see a change in direction for FIFA Esports in Kenya as players will compete in their respective Esports Organization (teams) rather than play as individuals.

Masters of Mayhem v. Horizon Esports
“Two Esports Teams, Two players in each team, four matches, everything on the line”

Esports lovers were treated to a great match this past weekend when two of the best teams locked horns in a FUT Mode exhibition match played online. The exhibition featured Kenya's great players such as Flossin Mauwano & BariMaina from (Masters of Mayhem) and Zack, Bazenga from (Horizon Esports).

BariMaina v. Bazenga (1-1) | (3-4)
Full in-game 90 minutes was not enough to get a winner, neither was extra time enough to seal it for either of the players. The match headed to penalty shoot outs that saw Bazenga win for Horizon Esports.

Flossin Mauwano v. Zack (2-0)
Two of the best players from both organizations locked horns in the second match of the night. Flossin Mauwano went into this match knowing a win was a must for him because it would equate the match wins for Masters of Mayhem.

Peter “Flossin Mauwano” Mumu managed a 2-0 win against Zack to even the Esports battle.

Flossin Mauwano v. Bazenga (1-0)
After a win against Zack, Flossin Mauwano came back to seal a 2-0 W-L record winning 100% of his matches.

BariMaina v. Zack (2-1)
Another cracker to seal the night saw Zack go head to head against Masters BariMaina. A goal by BariMaina seemed to seal the deal but Horizons Zack had plans of pushing the game to extra time after he netted an equalizer. Zack’s mission was equalizing the Match Wins (MW per Team) which stood at 2-1 for Masters of Mayhem heading into this game. A win for Zack would mean a draw for the night but BariMaina slotted in a cracker to end the night and give the Kings of FIFA in Nairobi a reason to celebrate.

Follow our official social media pages for new information on the commencement of the e-Lig Series.

@AceProGaming_Ke
@eLigSeries

The e-Lig Series (Online) will see two of the best Esports Organizations go neck to neck on the 4^th of September

While the last few weeks have been filled with Tekken 7 streams, the Kenyan FIFA market will be happy to follow the e-Lig Series (Online). FIFA Esports has always been a booming market in Kenya filled with players from different age groups, Universities, and estate hoods exhibiting various playstyles, knowledge of the game, and healthy competition.

The Esports programs run by Ace Pro Gaming and Tekken254 continue to successfully pivot the industry and shed light on competitions at a time when traditional sports and other outdoor events are canceled or suspended. Globally, video games have seen a surge in downloads and playtime from new customers. This has further boosted the surge in esports (competitive video gaming) as many casual gamers are slowly entering the competitive market of the different games released.

TWO OF THE BEST

Seated at home due to health safety reasons, many people have turned to the internet for various reasons such as tutorials (DIY), online classes, watching series, and gaming. The e-Lig Series (Online) that kicked off last week with a derby between players from Horizon Esports will be back next month with the first official match between Kenyas FIFA most decorated organization Masters of Mayhem and University of Nairobi based Esports team Horizon Organization.

Two of the best teams will go head to head in what we see as the biggest FIFA Esport match to be live-streamed in Kenya. Video games (FIFA) lovers get a chance to see the assassins from Masters of Mayhem Peter Mumu (Flossin Mauwano), Kevin Omondi (Kevo CK) take on the quiet ninjas from UoN.

We are looking at something awesome come next month as Kenyas Esports teams kick off the e-Lig Series (Online) competition. As an alternative, Kenyas FIFA and Tekken competitive series of competitions will fill the gap that has been left after the cancellation of many traditional sports across the country.

One year ago, six esports organizations assembled at Kenyatta University to compete in a premier FIFA esports competition run and organized by Ace Pro Gaming.

The competition opened up arguably a hot topic in the FIFA community in Kenya. The e-Lig series enabled the growth and development of Esports teams helping the sports franchise develop much deeper in the esports ecosystem in Kenya.

Arguably the biggest game in Kenya, FIFA boasts of a huge following accounting to 95% of the game played in every game lounge located in Nairobi. The FIFA competitive market has also seen a huge jump in numbers of entries as casual gamers continue to transition from the day to day casuals to going up against competitors.

The e-Lig saw players get tournament experiences and new competition from players who they do not face regularly.

ONLINE EXPERIENCE

The e-Lig series was set to kick off this year after the 2019 trial dubbed Season Zero but was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series is set to have its online division kick off this month as we commence on building our local FIFA scene.

With the Tekken 7 Savanna Fight Night (SFN) ongoing, the FIFA competition will bring our roster of competitions to two with plans to add the Mortal Kombat community into our online division.

We look forward to having a great competition of FIFA while engaging Kenya’s biggest esports community.

Follow our social media pages for new information concerning the FIFA competition.

#BuildingCommunities

“You issued the challenge, and now you have it”

Robert “T-Vet PokerFace” Mathu’s statement during Fight Night Two is all the competitive series is all about. You called me out, here I am, let’s get going. Kaffi “Ghost” issued a challenge to DVK and for sure he got it. The challenges are the foundation of the competition. Challenging anyone registered in the SFN online battles is also a challenge to self, the competition also automatically makes you challenge yourself.

The Savanna Fight Nights (SFN), happening bi-monthly continues to showcase Kenya’s Tekken and Esports community. The online battles are a package game mechanics, fun, style of play, character knowledge, and the most important thing, the community.

So, what about challenges, what are they?

“I called you out, itabidi you show up and battle”

So far, twelve registered players from the Tekken254 Circuit, two weekends in the month, a live stream, and lots of fun. The challenges are made to ease the understanding of the game within the Kenyan Tekken community, build rivalries, and maintain competitiveness after the Offline League got suspended.

Issuing Challenges

With four-fight schedules on the roster, any player can issue a challenge to anyone registered for the competitive battles. The challenges are issued immediately after the end of any SFN Battles with a deadline on the Wednesday leading to the next Savanna Fight Night. The challenges always have an undercard fight which is played in a First-to-Three sets format while the main card fight features the First-to-Five format.

Challenges which feature players ranked in the top five positions always head down to the community to voting for which Fight will feature in the main card fight of the given Night.

Winning and losing

If a lower-ranked player beats his opponent during any challenge, he or she takes up the rank spot of the loser and at the same time pushes players below them by one place. Take an example DVK v. Ghost fight last weekend.

DVK v. Ghost

So, DVK accepted the challenge from Ghost, what does this mean?

This simply means, DVK, ranked second in the SFN fought against Ghost (ranked 12^th) during the Fight Night undercard fight (First-to-3 sets). DVK had to respond to the challenge but had he lost; he would fall to 12^th place leaving space for Ghost to jump 11 places up to the second position.

The challenges offer the SFN and the Tekken254 community a competitive edge like no other. The community continues to showcase its strength and growth since its inception. The beauty about these challenges is the individual players’ character knowledge, the competitive format and the stakes of each Fight. The fact that we get to watch Kenya’s best Tekken players go head to head in a competition which is selected by themselves. Giving the players a chance to choose their opponents also gives it a good friendly rivalry in the community plus all the fun that comes with it.

The SFN heads to its third night next weekend (10^th July) with only one out four fights scheduled.

Visit: www.tekken254.co.ke

After a mouth-watering clash between Frost and Xstar just a week ago, we head into the second Fight Night showdown next week (26^th, June) with four more fights slated on the card.

The second Fight Night will see Mickey, Xstar, Battousai, Darktempest and Nixx Fury get back to the schedule while DVK and PokerFace get their inaugural fights in the SFN.

Scheduled Fights

1. DVK v. Ghost

They will be making their inaugural fight feature for the night. Ghost as the challenger seeks to dethrone WTCH_DVK from the second spot just behind the Tekken254 Circuit champ Mickey.

2. Xstar v. Battousai

Coming from a win against Frost last week, Xstar continues to send a message to the top players in the SFN rank table. Xstar will be going head to head against Battousai who suffered a loss against Mickey last weekend.

3. Mickey v. PokerFace

After beating Battousai, Mickey is set to meet another T-Vet member by the name of PokerFace next weekend. Coming from a 3-1 win against Battousai last weekend against Battousai, Mickey goes into FN2 to defend his number one rank.

4. Darktempest v. Nixx Fury

From dominating the set against Harem Shoryu, Darktempest is back but this time against Nixx Fury who is one rank below him.

Savanna Fight Night

This is our online Tekken 7 competition series played in a lineal system based on ranks. Registered players were ranked using the W-L record from the suspended Tekken254 season 4 Circuit (www.tekken254.co.ke). Fight Night seeks to continue building the Kenyan Tekken 7 presence with an intense and entertaining competitive series played from home.

Savanna Fight Night 2

June 26^th, 2020

1900hrs (EAT)

The e-Lig Series will enter its new season with a new division set to tap into the vast competitive FIFA market in Kenya. Introducing the Xbox competitive division as part of our Series brings into the competition a new edge of competition. The series season zero featured the most popular console in Kenya, the PS4 and we got a taste of Kenya’s top University-based players to compete.

The new division furthermore grows our initiative to tap and develop new competitive communities in Kenya. The Xbox Division competition will feature in the e-Lig Series season which is set to be officially announced soon.

Stay Safe.