12 October 2024 – In a significant milestone for the South African esports community, the South African Football Association (SAFA) is excited to announce its partnership with Telkom VS Gaming. This collaboration officially accredits the Telkom E-Diski leagues and finals as SAFA National qualifying competitions, allowing players the opportunity to represent South Africa in FIFA-operated global esports events. This partnership marks a transformative moment for esports in South Africa, bridging the gap between traditional football and competitive gaming. By aligning the E-Diski leagues with the SAFA eCup, Telkom VS Gaming is providing a premier platform for local talent to thrive while promoting growth within the esports ecosystem. “SAFA is excited to collaborate with Telkom VS Gaming to operate the SAFA eCup under the E-Diski league banner,” stated Ms. Lydia Monyepao, CEO of SAFA. “Since joining the FIFA eGlobal series in 2019, our teams have achieved impressive results, including a top-four finish at the recent FIFAe World Cup in Liverpool. The E-Diski leagues will further our reach to new players and inspire a new generation of gamers to excel and proudly represent South Africa on the global esports stage.” “We are thrilled to partner with SAFA in this ground-breaking initiative, which highlights our dedication to advancing esports in South Africa,” said Gugu Mthembu, Chief Marketing Officer of Telkom. “By recognising the E-Diski leagues as the official qualifying competition for the SAFA eCup, we are granting our players a unique opportunity to showcase their skills on an international stage.” The E-Diski leagues have quickly become a leading platform for esports football in South Africa, cultivating a passionate community of gamers and enthusiasts. With SAFA’s support, Telkom VS Gaming is enhancing the profile of these leagues, establishing them as a vital pathway for aspiring esports athletes to pursue their dreams of national representation. “We have witnessed a massive rise in interest in gaming and esports across the globe in recent years and it was always a matter of time before we saw a similar boom take place in South Africa.   Our VS Gaming platform has become a catalyst to a major rise in interest in local gaming and that has illustrated the amazing local esports talent we have in the country,” Mthembu concluded. The partnership kicks off with an exciting Rocket League showdown, where four players will represent South Africa at the next FIFAe World Cup of Rocket League, featuring 16 nations. The domestic qualifying competition will take place this weekend October 12-13, 2024. Teams that registered on www.fifa.gg including those that qualified via the E-Diski League competition on Rocket League.

2 December 2024 – The South African gaming team are on their way to the FIFAe World Cup of Rocket League in Saudi Arabia. The event kicks off on 5 December 2024 and the team is made up of players who qualified through winning a national tournament operated by Telkom’s VS Gaming that was hosted on 12-13 October this year. The team is made up of Joshua ‘Sweaty’ Kleyhans, Nicholas “cpZebra” Fourie, David “2die4” Moergenrood and captain Gareth “Snowyy” Spiers, and they all hail from the renowned Limitless Gaming team. The Limitless Gaming team is equipped with international experience, and they dominated the national tournament, finally earning their place in the national team after winning the event. They have vast international experience and will challenge top nations in Group A consisting of Spain, hosts Saudi Arabia, England, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany to get to the knockout stages. This is the third gaming team competing in the global stage starting with the FIFA23 team last year, which finished 26th in the world and in the top 4 finishing Football Manager in Liverpool in July this year. “SAFA Gaming is determined to create opportunities in eSports for football enthusiasts within the FIFA ecosystem. Our partnership with Telkom VS Gaming will increase our reach among the youth to ensure continuous competition in gaming titles involving football. This helps us increase our participation among the youth in SAFA competitions. “We wish our team all the best. They must do their best and they must also enjoy the experience of representing South Africa, joining our other national teams here at SAFA,” said SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao. To follow their progress at the FIFAe World Cup, follow on fifa.gg and all our SAFA social media platforms.