Esports Tournaments in South Africa: Calendar and Prize Money
From a rooftop LAN in Johannesburg to the African Gaming Championship in Cape Town, these are the local events worth knowing about. On top of that, we list the big international events you can actually bet on.
Esports Tournaments Coming Up in South Africa
November is the busiest month of the year, because the qualifiers all lead to rAge Nation in Johannesburg. After that, the season ends with two December events in Cape Town and Durban.
International Events You Can Bet On
In general, bookmakers rarely price local events, so you will not usually find odds on the tournaments above. Instead, the betting is on the big international events, and the next one starts this month. For teams and markets, see our CS2 betting guide.
Esports since 2026
Esports and live bettingThe Biggest Esports Tournaments in South Africa
To start with, these are the dates that matter most for local players and fans. Also, each one is a good place to spot the players who might one day go overseas.
rAge Nation
The longest running gaming show in the country, now on the rooftop at Fourways Mall. For more, read our rAge Nation 2026 guide.
African Gaming Championship
Run by ACGL at GrandWest in Cape Town. In 2026, it paid out more than R150,000 across seven games, including Valorant, EA FC and Fortnite.
Varsity Esports
University teams play two splits in Valorant, Rocket League and EA FC. Then the Grand Final, with a R90,000 prize pool, comes to rAge from 27 to 29 November.
Kasi Flare
Township EA FC tournaments run through local hubs by Mettlestate. Entry is free, and then the season ends at rAge.
Free Online Esports Tournaments in South Africa
However, you do not have to wait for a LAN to compete. Mettlestate runs free online cash cups most weeks, and ACGL runs weekly cups as well.
For example, a Mettlestate cash cup has a R1,000 base pool, split R500, R300 and R200 for the top three. In the first week of November, the cups covered:
Your Questions Answered
What is the biggest esports tournament in South Africa?
By prize money, it is the African Gaming Championship in Cape Town, which paid out more than R150,000 across seven games in 2026. Meanwhile, rAge Nation in Johannesburg is the country’s longest running gaming show.
How can I enter an esports tournament in South Africa?
Start with the free weekly online cash cups from Mettlestate. They cover games such as EA FC, Fortnite and Marvel Rivals, and the top three share up to R1,000. ACGL runs weekly cups too.
When is the next big esports event in South Africa?
rAge Nation runs from 27 to 29 November 2026 at Fourways Mall in Johannesburg, and it hosts the R100,000 Nedbank Summoner Cup final.
Can you bet on South African esports tournaments?
Rarely, because bookmakers seldom price local events. However, you can bet on international events such as the PGL Major Singapore at licensed sites like Hollywoodbets, as long as you are 18 or older.
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Photo: Clash Royale Esports (CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons). Details from the organisers, Cinga eSports and Esports Central, checked 11 November 2026. Dates can change, so check with the organiser before you enter or travel.