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.

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!
• Affiliation: Private Clubs
• Affiliation - Procedure to be followed by school clubs affiliating for the 2026 season.
• ACES - Avenging Bafana
• ACES - Thato advances to the knock-out stages!
• Events - Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships - 24 January 2026.
• GEF - Clash Royale esports athletes may win a trip to Mumbai....
  
• National Team Trials - Who qualifies for MSSA National Team Trials?
• Streaming - Streaming of MSSA's Northern Cape Online Championships for the MLBB esports title.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) never takes selection for a national team lightly.

I have written much on players receiving Protea Colours over the years.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) never takes selection for a national team lightly.

Since being selected to officially represent South Africa for esports is the same as being represented by any other South African National Federation for any other sport, team selection must have great meaning to the esports players. The award of National Team status for esports also leads to comparisons from other sports as it is the highest level in esports, just as much as the Springboks are the highest level in rugby.

The selection process always has a dilemma as it is known that when choosing a team for international duty, concepts such as 'potential' does not have any meaning. Also, with South Africa being so far away from mainstream events, it is always difficult to relate how players who have performed well  at regional, provincial, and national championships will perform at a international level.

One only has  to remember the 2017 WESG earlier this year where South Africa's self-proclaimed 'best' team was slaughtered in both CS: GO and DotA 2.

That is why, with MSSA there is no automatic selection to the team.

Every player standing for selection has to reprove him/herself.

International competition is tough. Much tougher than  anything that you will encounter in South Africa, and that is part of the problem.

In my opinion a number of events, with their large cash prizes, do nothing to develop strength or depth. Such events seem to only promote the same old favoured few with no real eye to developing real gaming strength for the future. Without a long-term view, South African gaming will never improve and South African teams shall, in my opinion, remain the whipping boys of the international community.

I am too reminded of when MSSA brought out SK Gaming's CS:GO and DotA 2 teams in 2008.

MSSA arranged, as a courtesy, a 'friendly' between SK Gaming's CounterStrike: GO team against a South African club team. The match  was so one-sided, it was horrible. Since it was BO3, SK Gaming rather than thrash the local team again, just gave them the third game.

Such act lead to the local team claiming how they held off SK Gaming instead of taking a long hard look at themselves. People always tend to believe their own propaganda.

But I ramble.

In conclusion, for South Africa to  do well overseas, all teams must buy-in to a  long-term development programme and  not look to quick gratification. The average standard of play must be improved upon if players expect to improve the highest level of play.

While there are the exceptional cases of individuals who may achieve greatness in spite  of their surroundings, generally speaking, successful athletes are produced in successful environments which  have successful coaches, expert administrators, and efficient administration.