Wednesday, 26 March 2025

Last chance to qualify for BRICS Esports Championships - 14th Provincial Online Championships to be held on 5 April 2025.

Robin Hankey, member of the 2024 Protea Esports Team for the Tekken 8 title in the sword throne at the wonderful VK Play Arena, Moscow, Russia.

Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA) is the world's oldest and most respected National Federation for esports and will celebrate its 40th year in December 2025.

On 1 April 2025 MSSA shall be holding its 14th Provincial Online Championships.

What with MSSA in the process of selecting, and getting its National Protea esports team approved for IESF's 17th World Esports Championships, MSSA's 14th Provincial Online Championships. affords all esports athletes an opportunity to qualify for IESF's 18th World Esports Championships as well as an opportunity to qualify for MSSA's National Team trials which will select National Teams in all the other game titles for which teams have not been selected.

It is now common knowledge that MSSA has already agreed to participate in the 2025 edition of the BRICS Esports Championships as hosted by Russian eSports Federation (ReSF) from 28 May to 3 June 205 in the VK Play Arena, Moscow, Russia.

The 14th Provincial Online Championships to be held on 5 April 2025 is the last chance for players to qualify for the National Team Trials at which a team will be selected for the 2025 BRICS Esports Championships.

Such National Team Trials shall be held on 13 April 2025 and will only be held in the TEKKEN 8 esports title.

In order to participate, players must be registered for the 2024/2025 season.

The championship shall be held on 5 April 2025.

Game titles to be played are:


Period/genreTitlePlatformAge restrictionPlayers
Shooter
CS 2PC165 v 5
PUBGMMobile181 v 1
Sport
EA SPORTS™ FC 25Console121 v 1
eFootballConsole121 v 1
Rocket LeaguePC121 v 1 and
3 v 3
MOBA
Clash of ClansMobile121 v1
Clash RoyaleMobile121 v 1
DotA 2PC125 v 5
Mobile Legends Bang BangMobile125 v 5
Fighting
Tekken 8Console161 v 1
Street Fighter 6Console121 v 1

Players are to acquaint themselves with the rules apropos substitutes and loadshedding.

Tournament Structure:


As per the MSSA's rules, being:

  • If less than six teams, the championship shall be a Round Robin Championship
  • If 6 to 10 teams enter the championship there shall be four rounds as played to the Swiss System
  • If 11 or more teams enter the championship there shall be five rounds as played to the Swiss System

Eligibility:

  • Any team consisting of players who are Registered Players affiliated to a MSSA member club may enter.

Entries:

  • Entry is R100.00 per Registered Player.
  • Only fully-paid-up Registered Players may participate in this event.
  • Entries must be submitted by midnight 4 April 2025
  • To enter, the club must complete the Google Drive document. 
  • The entry form may be found on Google Drive. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_ERR6815uVjSMu4t5KkRxYqGJ_AA88kkz31qRgksASc/edit#gid=287696184
  • Clubs are to download the entry form, completed the downloaded form, and e-mail it to Mind Sports South Africa. 
  • Photographs of players must accompany the entry.
  • Only entries submitted via email and on Excel shall be accepted.

Medals:


Medals shall be handed over to winners at the next MSSA LAN that they attend. 


      MALE:

  • PREMIERMedals shall be awarded to the first three teams.
  • UNDER 24: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams that have not won a Premier medal and which are comprised entirely of students currently registered at any officially recognized University.
  • SCHOLARSMedals shall be awarded to the first three teams of learners currently registered at any officially recognized school, provided they have not received any Premier medals. 
        FEMALE:
  • PREMIER: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams.
  • UNDER 24Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams that have not won a Premier medal and which are comprised entirely of students currently registered at any officially recognized University.
  • SCHOLARS: Medals shall be awarded to the first three teams of learners currently registered at any officially recognized school, provided they have not received any Premier medals.

Colours:

  • Protea Colours: Only Players that are selected to represent South Africa in International Championships may earn National Colours if the Protea Colours Board's criteria are met.
  • National Colours: All Players that win all of their Matches at a National Championship will earn National Colours.
  • Provincial Colours: All Players that win all of their Matches at a Provincial Championship will earn Provincial Colours. All Players who score within the top 50% in a specific Period at a Provincial Championship, and who also score within the top 50% at a National Championship in the same period and in the same year, will earn Provincial Colours.

        General:

        • The championship shall be played on: 5 April 2025.
        • The first round will start at 10H00. Players shall be given 60 minutes to complete each round.
        • Players playing 3 v 3 Rocket League shall be given 1.5 hours to complete the round.
        • The championship is accredited as being of the same status as a provincial championship. 
        • The championship shall be used for the awarding of provincial colours;
        • The championship shall be used for the awarding of medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in Premier, Under 24, and School categories;
        • The championship shall be used for the ability to qualify for National Team Squad.
        • All medals shall be awarded to the recipients at a MSSA LAN championships.

        Umpires:

        • Umpires may only be contacted over Discord on the day of competition. Any communication not on the Discord channel shall not be entered into.

        Ladder:

        • All games shall count towards the National Ladder.

        Shout casting:


        Additional reading:

        Other African News:


        ReSF to host BRICS Esports Championship 2025 in Tekken - 28 May 2025 to 3 June 2025.

        The wonderful VK Play Arena, Moscow, Russia.

        The BRICS Esports Championship 2025 in Tekken is expected to be held in Moscow, at their wonderful VK Play Arena, Moscow, Russia.

        The modern Park Tower hotel.
        ReSF which has already hosted many spectacular events. Again the accommodation will then be in the Park Tower Hotel which too has hosted many Protea Esports Teams in the past.

        The modern Park Tower hotel, known for its services for tourists, businessmen, sportsmen, youth, school children and families will be home to the South African Students Esports Team while in Russia. The hotel boasts  of every amenity and is famous for its breakfasts....

        The event shall start on 28 May 2025 and continue through to 3 June 2025.

        ReSF is hosting this prestigious event in their silver anniversary as the ReSF was founded 25 years ago. MSSA has already congratulated ReSF of their fine achievement and is honoured to have participated in every BRICS event hosted in Russia.

        "You cannot find a better host", said Colin Webster (President of MSSA). 

        "ReSF's standard in all aspects of hosting events is beyond compare, and every athlete that has attended these events is always made to feel welcome and special", Colin continued to say.

        MSSA is already committed to sending a team, and will be holding National Team Trials in order to select a team on 13 April 2025.

        Additional reading:

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        Botswana has an esports Federation

        Letso Baker, the newly elected President of the Botswana Electronic Sports Federation

        The newly created Botswana Electronic Sports Federation  (BESF) has now been accepted into affiliate membership with the IESF.

        Certificate of affiliate membership.

        Letso Baker had liaised consistently with Colin Webster (President of Mind Sports South Africa - MSSA).

        "Letso is energetic, hardworking and disciplined, and the esports community expects great things from both Letso and Botswana as a whole," said Colin Webster.

        Boban Totovski, General Secretary of IESF, has sent warm congratulations and has stated that IESF looks forward to collaborating with BESF in the future.

        It is therefore, of no surprise, that BESF is already able to put teams forward in the Mobile Legends Bang Bang, PUBGM, and eFootball titles.

        All those interested in participating in official international esports events for Botswana should contact Letso Baker on WhatsApp +267 71 702 143

        Additional reading:

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