“South Africa’s university esports season reaches an important stage today as the Varsity Esports Split 2 Finals begin at Rembrandt Hall at the University of Pretoria’s Tuks Sports Campus, bringing finalists together across EA SPORTS FC 26, Rocket League and VALORANT. After weeks of competition involving more than 500 players from 18 universities, the two-day event on 2–3 October provides a major platform for student competitors while also feeding into the tournament’s wider pathway toward the rAge Grand Finals.”
Varsity Esports takes centre stage in Pretoria
Competitive gaming is taking its place alongside South Africa’s established university sporting activities as the Varsity Esports Split 2 Finals get underway in Pretoria. The competition, being held at UP-Tuks Rembrandt Hall on 2 and 3 October 2026, brings together the leading university competitors who survived the qualification and playoff stages.
The event is part of the second season of Varsity Esports, a competition created to provide South African university students with a structured environment for competitive gaming. The league operates through two splits during the academic year, giving universities multiple opportunities to compete and progress toward the Grand Finals.
The Split 2 competition has attracted substantial participation. According to Varsity Sports, more than 500 players representing 18 universities took part in the qualification process before the field was reduced to the finalists competing in Pretoria.
The scale of participation provides an indication of how competitive gaming is developing within South Africa’s university environment. Rather than being limited to informal gaming communities, university esports now has organised qualifiers, playoffs, live finals, sponsors, spectators and prize money. Varsity Esports describes itself as South Africa’s official premier university esports league, with competition across three major titles.
Twelve finalists across three major titles
The Split 2 Finals feature 12 finalists across EA SPORTS FC 26, Rocket League and VALORANT. Each title has its own competitive format and representatives from different universities.
In EA SPORTS FC 26, the finalists include Kani18 representing the University of the Free State, THIEFUSER from Stellenbosch University, mAnton17 from Tshwane University of Technology and Sue-Da-Knees representing the University of Pretoria.
The Rocket League competition features Tuks Reset for the University of Pretoria, SuperNova from the Central University of Technology, Wits Rocket League representing the University of the Witwatersrand and DraMaties from Stellenbosch University.
Meanwhile, the VALORANT field includes two teams from Emeris — Dominion and Eclipse — alongside Maties Valorant from Stellenbosch University and the UJ Orange Army from the University of Johannesburg.
The different games also demonstrate the breadth of university esports. EA SPORTS FC 26 focuses on football simulation, Rocket League combines football concepts with vehicle-based gameplay, while VALORANT is a tactical first-person shooter. Bringing these titles together creates a multi-game competition rather than a tournament centred on a single gaming community.
From hundreds of competitors to the final stage
The road to Pretoria began with a much larger field. Varsity Esports’ Split 2 qualification process included universities from around South Africa, followed by group-stage competition and playoffs. The official tournament schedule records registrations during June and July, preparation during late July and early August, group-stage competition from August into September, playoffs from 7–13 September and the Split 2 Finals on 2–3 October.
The reduction from hundreds of participants to 12 finalists gives the Pretoria event its competitive significance. Players and teams have already passed through several stages before reaching the live finals, meaning each finalist arrives with the experience of sustained tournament competition.
The format also connects the Split 2 Finals to the wider Varsity Esports season. Teams from the two splits can progress toward the tournament’s rAge Grand Finals, which are scheduled for November.
This creates a longer competitive calendar for university gamers. Instead of a single isolated event, players can compete through qualifiers, group stages, playoffs, split finals and ultimately the Grand Finals.
Prize money raises the stakes
The tournament also carries significant financial incentives. Varsity Sports states that the 2026 competition has prize money aligned with major Varsity Sports competitions, with R200,000 for first place, R100,000 for second and R50,000 for third among the top universities. A separate R90,000 prize pool is available for the top players and teams across the three titles.
The prize structure adds another dimension to the competition. For students, esports can provide experience in teamwork, communication, strategy and competitive performance, while successful participation can also increase exposure to the wider gaming industry.
Varsity Esports’ organisers have presented the competition as part of a broader pathway for students interested in taking gaming seriously. The league’s stated objective is to provide opportunities for the next generation to compete while strengthening university esports in South Africa.
More than matches on the main stage
The Pretoria finals are also designed as a spectator event rather than simply a series of matches. Organisers have planned sponsor activations, gaming stations, challenges, giveaways, food and entertainment around the competitive programme.
FNB is expected to provide gaming stations featuring titles including Mortal Kombat, EA SPORTS FC and Tekken 8. Red Bull is bringing its Events Vehicle, while Roman’s Pizza will provide food at the venue. Citroën is also supporting a sim-racing challenge in which participants can compete for the fastest lap and merchandise.
PlayStation gaming stations will provide additional opportunities for spectators to participate, while a special show match is planned to connect traditional university sport with esports by putting a spectator against a Varsity Sports athlete.
The event therefore reflects the expanding entertainment side of esports. Competitive matches remain central, but live esports events can also combine gaming, sponsorship, music, food, audience participation and social interaction.
A growing university esports ecosystem
Varsity Esports was launched by Mettlestate and ASEM in 2024 as a structured platform for university students. Its second season in 2026 has continued the focus on creating a competitive pathway for students while expanding the tournament’s campus presence.
The official league currently lists Valorant, Rocket League and EAFC as its three major titles and describes a structure involving two splits followed by a Grand Final.
Other South African esports organisations are also contributing to the country’s competitive gaming ecosystem. Cinga Esports, for example, tracks local tournaments and gaming activities, while Esports Central reports on South African competitions and events.
The broader environment includes grassroots competitions as well. Recent South African esports coverage has highlighted Mettlestate Cash Cups and community-based competitions, illustrating how competitive gaming extends beyond major university events.
Pretoria becomes the meeting point for university gaming
For the competitors arriving at UP-Tuks, the Split 2 Finals represent the culmination of weeks of preparation. The finalists are not only competing individually or as teams; they are also representing their universities in a national university competition.
The finals are scheduled from 09:00 to 20:00 on Friday, 2 October, and from 09:00 to 18:00 on Saturday, 3 October. Admission is free, although spectators are required to register for tickets before attending.
The event comes at a significant point in the South African esports calendar, with the competition moving from online and campus-based stages into a live finals environment.
As the matches begin, attention will turn to which university competitors can translate their earlier playoff performances into success on the Pretoria stage. The results will also help shape the next stage of the Varsity Esports season and the road toward the November Grand Finals.
For South African esports, however, the significance of the weekend extends beyond individual results. The participation of hundreds of students, the involvement of universities and commercial partners, the live audience experience and the substantial prize structure all demonstrate the increasing organisation surrounding competitive gaming.
The Varsity Esports Split 2 Finals therefore provide a snapshot of a developing South African esports ecosystem: university players competing through structured leagues, gaming communities gathering around live events and organisers building pathways between student competition and the wider professional gaming industry.
With the Split 2 Finals taking place today and continuing on Saturday, Pretoria is set to become the centre of South African university esports for the weekend. The competition across EA SPORTS FC 26, Rocket League and VALORANT will determine the Split 2 champions while setting the stage for the next phase of the 2026 Varsity Esports season.
