With a number of international events likely to happen in 2026 it is always better to enter MSSA events earlier rather than later in order to qualify for MSSA's National Team Trials.
Previously MSSA brought out a post on Tuesday, 10 March 2026, titled "Important Official Announcement!" in which MSSA stated that National Team Trials would be held on 25 April 2026.
However, it must be noted that IESF has still not advised its membership of affiliated National Federations of the date and venue of its WEC26 (World Esports Championships), therefore all members and athletes must be aware that:
1. The Online Provincial Championships shall still be held on 25 April 2026, and that
2. The date for National Team Trials will be announced as soon as IESF has has announced its WEC26.
The good news is that all athletes have another event in the Online Provincial Championships - 25 April 2026 to qualify for National Team Trials (NTT).
It is in MSSA's National Team Trials that teams will be selected for Protea teams that will officially represent South Africa in international events.
Remember that you cannot officially represent South Africa in an international event unless selected by MSSA.
MSSA's KwaZulu Natal Online Esports Provincial Championships to be held on 18 April 2026 offers all esports athletes the first chance in 2026 to to qualify for National Team Trials. Thus the hunt is on for the 2026 National Protea Esports Teams.
To have a chance to qualify for selection, players must be members of an affiliated club and qualify for National Team Trials at a MSSA event.
In order to participate, players must be registered for the 2025/2026 season.
The championship shall be held on 18 April 2026.
As usual Waylander Gaming is streaming the MLBB matches on behalf of Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) on:
Game titles to be played are:
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 17 April 2026
- 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/1xggSHejr_fG4X5pAiGZVp6OmqQtdjA_1FeWtsGZr2Jo/edit?gid=0#gid=0
- 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.
- All players must be on MSSA's Discord at 9H00 - https://discord.gg/wp63EaU
Medals shall be handed over to winners at the next MSSA LAN that they attend.
MALE:
- PREMIER: Medals 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.
- 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.
FEMALE:
- PREMIER: Medals 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.
- 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: 18 April 2026.
- 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:
- MSSA shall decide who may shout-cast the games.
- Anybody wishing to be appointed as a Shout-Caster must apply in writing to mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com
Additional reading:
- 2026 Calendar of events
- AEC24 - Champions of all of Africa - Protea Female Counter Strike 2 Esports Team wins AEC24
- AEC24 - Forged in battle - a Counter Strike story...
- AEC24 - Thato Maredi outperforms Bafana Bafana!
- ACES - Avenging Bafana
- ACES - Thato advances to the knock-out stages!
- Affiliation: Private Clubs
- Affiliation - Procedure to be followed by school clubs affiliating for the 2026 season.
- Clubs - Newly-affiliated Backgammon clubs are ready to get things rolling…
- Events - 6th GAUTENG Online Esports Provincial Championships - 7 March 2026.
- Events - 6th KWAZULU NATAL Online Esports Provincial Championships - 18 April 2026.
- Events - 7th Western Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships - 28 February 2026.
- Events - 15th Online Inter-school Provincial Championships - 14 February 2026
- Events - City of Cape Town Regional Junior Backgammon event - Sunday, 22 February 2026
- Events - Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships - 24 January 2026.
- GEF - Clash Royale esports athletes may win a trip to Mumbai....
- GEF - Even Titans fall!
- GEF - Protea DotA 2 Esports team heads towards GEG25 in Mumbai.
- GEF - Protea DotA 2 Team to represent South Africa in GEG25 qualifiers - Saturday, 7 February 2026
- GEF - Proteas match against Mongolia is being streamed.
- GEF - Zaid Williams to represent South Africa in Clash Royale - Saturday, 7 February 2026
- General - Relationship between Mind Sports South Africa and independent esports operators
- National Team Trials - Who qualifies for MSSA National Team Trials?
- Notice - Important Official Announcement!
- Rankings - Clubs - The 2025 Top 5 ranked schools for esports ahead of 15th Online Inter-school Provincial Championships to be held on 14 February 2026
- Results - Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships - 24 January 2026.
- Sportsmanship Award - Sportsmanship Award - Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships
- Streaming - Streaming of MSSA's 6th Gauteng Online Championships - 7 March 2026
- Streaming - Streaming of MSSA's Northern Cape Online Championships for the MLBB esports title.
Athlete's rights:
- 2026 Calendar of events
- AEC24 - Champions of all of Africa - Protea Female Counter Strike 2 Esports Team wins AEC24
- AEC24 - Forged in battle - a Counter Strike story...
- AEC24 - Thato Maredi outperforms Bafana Bafana!
- ACES - Avenging Bafana
- ACES - Thato advances to the knock-out stages!
- Affiliation: Private Clubs
- Affiliation - Procedure to be followed by school clubs affiliating for the 2026 season.
- Clubs - Newly-affiliated Backgammon clubs are ready to get things rolling…
- Events - 6th GAUTENG Online Esports Provincial Championships - 7 March 2026.
- Events - 6th KWAZULU NATAL Online Esports Provincial Championships - 18 April 2026.
- Events - 7th Western Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships - 28 February 2026.
- Events - 15th Online Inter-school Provincial Championships - 14 February 2026
- Events - City of Cape Town Regional Junior Backgammon event - Sunday, 22 February 2026
- Events - Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships - 24 January 2026.
- GEF - Clash Royale esports athletes may win a trip to Mumbai....
- GEF - Even Titans fall!
- GEF - Protea DotA 2 Esports team heads towards GEG25 in Mumbai.
- GEF - Protea DotA 2 Team to represent South Africa in GEG25 qualifiers - Saturday, 7 February 2026
- GEF - Proteas match against Mongolia is being streamed.
- GEF - Zaid Williams to represent South Africa in Clash Royale - Saturday, 7 February 2026
- General - Relationship between Mind Sports South Africa and independent esports operators
- National Team Trials - Who qualifies for MSSA National Team Trials?
- Notice - Important Official Announcement!
- Rankings - Clubs - The 2025 Top 5 ranked schools for esports ahead of 15th Online Inter-school Provincial Championships to be held on 14 February 2026
- Results - Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships - 24 January 2026.
- Sportsmanship Award - Sportsmanship Award - Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships
- Streaming - Streaming of MSSA's 6th Gauteng Online Championships - 7 March 2026
- Streaming - Streaming of MSSA's Northern Cape Online Championships for the MLBB esports title.
