As FIFAe concludes its playoffs for the Nations Cups, teams have begun securing their spots for the 24-nation tournament in Saudi Arabia.
Similar to the traditional FIFA World Cup, qualifiers were divided into different regions: Europe, Asia & Oceania, the Middle East & Africa, North & Central America, and South America.
In the Middle East & Africa region, 8 nations qualified for the playoffs and competed for the 2 available slots allocated to the region for the grand finals. Morocco and South Africa emerged as the winners who will now compete in Saudi Arabia for the $400,000 cash prize.
Morocco emerged as the overall winner of the regional playoffs, defeating Qatar 1-1, 3-2 in the winners’ bracket. South Africa, despite losing to Morocco in the semi-finals, had a second chance to redeem themselves through the losers’ bracket, where they defeated Qatar 0-4, 7-1 to secure the second slot in the playoffs.
The qualification of 2 African countries in a playoff group comprising Middle Eastern nations demonstrates the growth of African esports on a global scale. Many stakeholders are excited and expect that both countries will not only perform well individually but also make a significant statement for Africa as a whole.
By making it to the list of 24 nations for the grand finals, both countries automatically secure at least $2,500 from the prize pool of $4,000,000, which is shared among all 24 teams.
Here is the breakdown of the cash prize:
1st place - $120,000
2nd place - $60,000
3rd-4th place - $30,000
5th-8th place - $15,000
9th-16th place - $10,000
17th-24th place - $2,500
How will Africa perform in Saudi Arabia? Only time will reveal, but one thing is certain: the entire African continent will be cheering for them.
