Thursday, 29 January 2026

MSSA enters Global Esports Games to be held in Mumbai, India.

Zaid Williams (Clash Royale) and Matthew Raubach (Captain of DotA) have been selected to officially represent South Africa as members of the Protea Esports team that will play in GEG25.

 Further to the article 'Clash Royale esports athletes may win a trip to Mumbai....', Mind Sports South Africa has submitted tits entry to Mumbai 2025 Global Esports Games (GEG25).

The event should have been held in 2025, but due to a variety of factors, the
GEG25 World Finals will be held in Mumbai, India, from 26 February to 1 March 2026. 

However, it must be noted that regional qualifiers will be held prior to the finals.
 
Entry is for the following titles: 
 
  • DOTA 2 (PC): FIVE (5) Athletes + ONE (1) Coach per team, per country/territory  
  • Clash Royale (Mobile): ONE (1) Athlete per country/territory 

The current MSSA Protea Team for the DotA esports title will again take to the field while MSSA selected its Clash Royale athlete at its recent Northern Cape Online Provincial Championships.

The DotA team is arguably the best DotA team to ever represent South Africa and under Matthew's leadership, the South African Protea DotA 2 team recorded decisive wins over Madagascar and Namibia in 2025 IESF (International Esports Federation) regional matches

The team consists of:

TitleNameClubNickProvince
Clash RoyaleZaid WilliamsDimension GamingslimzaidyWestern Cape
DotA
Matthew Raubach (Capt.)ZAG AcademybeeGauteng
Callum FosterZAG Academysk3pWestern Cape
Lennard KoekemoerZAG AcademyremedyGauteng
Berend van StadenZAG AcademyBerendGauteng
Suhail KhanZAG AcademySoupGauteng
ManagerJohan van BredaZAG Academy-Gauteng

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Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Sportsmanship Award - Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships

Irene Banda, of Sunnyridge Primary School in Germiston, is one of the up-and coming stars in South African esports.

A sportsmanship award serves as a testament to the values of fairness, respect, and integrity in sports. It acknowledges athletes who exemplify these qualities and contributes to fostering a positive sporting environment conducive to character development, teamwork, and enjoyment for all involved.

At every event MSSA selects the person who most embodies the concept of sportsmanship. At the end of the year, the Sportsperson of the Year is selected from those who have been selected at official MSSA events.

The Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships held on 24 January 2026 was the first championship held in 2026 to deliver a winner of a Sportsmanship Award and a candidate for the end of year Sportsmanship of the Year Award.

Irene Banda only started competing on a provincial and national championship level in 2025 where Irene won the 2025 Provincial School Online Championship for all provinces, and the 2025 South African National Championships to earn Gauteng Primary School Colours, South African Senior National Colours and South African Primary School National Colours.

In the Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships held on 24 January 2026 Irene convincingly won the female section for the Clash Royale esports title to win both Senior and Primary School Gauteng Provincial Colours. Irene won with both charm and grace, and at not time did she stop smiling....

Therefore Sportsman of the Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships is:

Irene BandaOld Edwardian Mind Sports Club

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Sunday, 25 January 2026

RESULTS: Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships - 24 January 2026.

Rowell Pillay, who captained the Female Protea Team for the MLBB esports title, again demonstrated her leadership skills.

Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA) Northern Cape Online Provincial Championships proved to be a popular event with players participating from seven (7) provinces. MSSA's Northern Cape Online Provincial Championships allowed athletes to play around with perfecting new tactics and strategies leading up to the 2026 team selection.

Athletes are reminded that by finishing in the top 3, or top twenty percent - whichever is greater, at MSSA's Northern Cape Online Provincial Championships, such athletes qualify for selection to the national squad and for the Protea Team.

Of special note, the Northern Cape Online Provincial Championships saw a huge increase in the number of female participation with an increase up to 27% of all participants being women.

Rowell Pillay, also known by her gamer handle “Ketsuka,” is a member of the all-women Protea Esports Team representing South Africa in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) 

Rowell earned the title of Most Valuable Player (MVP) during South Africa’s second match against Mauritius in the MLBB test series held on May 1, 2025, part of a successful campaign that also included a clean sweep of Madagascar and Ghana.

Thus no-one was surprised at her performance in the Northern Cape Online Provincial Championships and led the team to outstanding victories, highlighting her skill in the game.

The winners of the Northern Cape Online Provincial Championships are as follows:

TitleName of player/teamClubColours awarded
Clash Royale - PremierZaid WilliamsDimension Gaming
Clash Royale - FemaleIrene BandaOld Edwardian Mind Sports ClubGauteng Provincial (Senior & Primary)
DotA
Dimension Gaming
Talhah EdriesDimension GamingWestern Cape (Senior)
Nizar EdriesDimension GamingWestern Cape (Senior)
Fritz KonigDimension GamingWestern Cape (Senior)
Ihsaan EdriesDimension GamingWestern Cape (Senior)
Heshaam EdriesDimension GamingWestern Cape (Senior)
MLBB - Premier
Equilbrium Esports
Shaden Dre Shabalala (Capt.)ParadoxGauteng Provincial (Senior)
Umer Ali KhanParadoxGauteng Provincial (Senior)
Toseef Ali KhanParadoxGauteng Provincial (Senior)
Mogamat Junaid IsmailParadoxWestern Cape (Senior)
Slindokuhle NdlovuParadoxGauteng Provincial (Senior)
Gideon Pieter Van ZylParadoxGauteng Provincial (Senior)
MLBB - Female
Seraphs
Rowell Pillay (Capt.)ParadoxGauteng Provincial (Senior)
Rashmika NanakanParadoxGauteng Provincial (Senior)
Ranya SujeeParadoxGauteng Provincial (Senior)
Felicia SinghParadoxWestern Cape (Senior)
Shanel ArunachellamParadoxGauteng Provincial (Senior)
Amy WilkinsParadoxWestern Cape (Senior)
Kim LuParadoxFree State
StreetFighter 6 - PremierIsmaeel WilliamsDimension GamingWestern Cape (Senior)
Tekken 8 - PremierSilumko MgebisaBattle Arena ProductionsGauteng Provincial (Senior)
Tekken 8 - PremierSydney WoodTeam PlayBellWestern Cape (Senior)
Sportsmanship AwardIrene BandaOld Edwardian Mind Sports Club


Waylander Gaming LIVE streamed MSSA's Northern Cape Online Championships for the MLBB esports title for MSSA on:

https://youtube.com/live/28UrxsQq6ss?feature=share

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Saturday, 24 January 2026

Who qualifies for MSSA National Team Trials?

Mind Sports South Africa has reached its 40th anniversary and is the oldest national federation for

backgammon, esports, Morabaraba, and wargames in the world.

Eligibility for Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) National Team trials is generally limited to players who meet all of the following criteria, in accordance with MSSA regulations and selection policies:

  1. South African Citizenship or Eligibility

    • The player must be a South African citizen or otherwise eligible to represent South Africa under MSSA and international federation rules.

  2. Current MSSA Membership

    • The player must be a fully paid-up and registered MSSA member in good standing at the time of trials.

  3. Affiliation Through a Recognised Club or Body

    • The player must be affiliated to MSSA through a recognised club, provincial structure, or national body as required by MSSA regulations.

  4. Participation in Recognised Events

    • The player must have participated in MSSA-recognised competitions, leagues, or ranking events relevant to the discipline for which trials are being held.

  5. Performance-Based Qualification

    • Qualification is typically based on:

      • National rankings

      • Results in sanctioned events

      • Selection thresholds determined by the relevant Selection Committee

    • MSSA reserves the right to limit trials to players who meet minimum performance standards.

  6. Compliance With MSSA Codes and Policies

    • The player must comply with:

      • MSSA Code of Conduct

      • Anti-doping and fair-play regulations

      • Transformation, safeguarding, and governance policies where applicable

  7. Availability for International Representation

    • Players must confirm availability for:

      • The full duration of the international event

      • Training camps and preparatory activities

      • Travel and administrative requirements

Important Notes

  • Trials are not automatically open to all members; eligibility is determined per discipline and per event.

  • MSSA may also make direct selections or invite specific players to trials at its discretion.

  • Final authority rests with the relevant Selection Committee and the MSSA Executive.

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