Esports has been an official sporting code at the university since the beginning of 2025, and interest among students is growing fast. At the start of 2026, 100 students registered for EAFC trials alone.
An appetite for competitive gaming
“At the moment we have about 28 students in teams,” says
Louzanne Coetzee, Sports Coordinator at
KovsieSport and manager of Esport and Parasport. The current teams include three players in Rocket League, five in Valorant and five EAFC players who can be entered for competitions.
There is plenty of interest beyond those numbers, she says. A women’s EAFC side is also being developed, with the aim of expanding the number of teams as capacity grows.
The Varsity Esports competition brings universities from across South Africa together in structured competition, with more than 18 universities competing for a place in the Grand Final and a share of the R90 000 prize pool.
While the UFS Rocket League and Valorant teams did not progress to the semi-finals, Mohlabane has kept the university’s flag flying in EAFC.
Mohlabane, a third-year BCom Business Management student from Qwaqwa in the Free State, says his love for EA FC and passion for competitive gaming have driven him to compete at this level. “I've always enjoyed challenging myself, improving my skills, and competing against players who push me to become better,” he says.
In EAFC, one player competes as one team, putting the focus squarely on individual skill and performance. According to Mohlabane, reaching the semi-finals is a sign that the time and effort he has put into the game are paying off. “I am so happy to be in the semi-finals,” he says.
Mohlabane’s will now represent the UFS in Pretoria in early October, where he will compete for a place in the Grand Final at rAge later in the year. The rAge Expo is South Africa’s premier gaming and digital lifestyle exhibition, taking place in Johannesburg.
Getting to compete in the semi-finals starts with the trials. According to Coetzee, the UFS holds trials once each semester across all three gaming titles, giving students an opportunity to compete for selection and become part of the university teams.
The response suggests that there is a much larger pool of potential players than the current team numbers indicate. The 100 EAFC trial registrations at the beginning of 2026 point to an appetite for competitive gaming among UFS students, while the development of a women’s EAFC team could open another route into the sport.
As the code develops, KovsieSport is also working on the practical side of competitive esports. Students currently practise in residences, the KovsieSport boardroom and other available spaces. The Education Department has also made a venue available for Valorant practices during 2026.
Coetzee says the teams receive support from KovsieSport through equipment, funding to attend USSA championships and local tournaments, as well as two volunteer coaches who assist the EAFC and Valorant teams.
The beginning of something bigger
The competitive calendar gives players plenty to work towards. The Varsity Esports semi-finals are followed later in the year by the Grand Final at rAge, while the UFS players will also have the USSA Esports Championships at Wits University in December.
Coetzee sees this as the beginning of something much bigger.
“I think Esports will grow massively across South Africa.”
The UFS is still building its esports programme, but the interest from students and the progress of its players suggest there is plenty of room for it to grow. With more teams, a developing women’s side and students already competing against universities from across the country, esports is becoming an increasingly visible part of university sport.