Competitive gaming took centre stage at the University of Pretoria (UP) as the Varsity Esports Split 2 finals brought together university players from across the country for two days of competition, campus pride, and entertainment at Rembrandt Hall on 2 and 3 October.
The tournament featured three competitive titles: EA SPORTS FC 26, Rocket League and VALORANT. With students representing their universities, the competition offered more than an opportunity to claim a title, providing players with a platform to showcase their skills and contribute to the growing recognition of esports within South African university sport.
The finals followed weeks of qualification matches involving players from 18 universities across the country, with more than 500 players participating in the competition’s qualifying stages. The tournament forms part of a broader effort to establish competitive gaming as a structured sporting discipline, with pathways towards national competition and professional opportunities.
For UP-Tuks, hosting the event also provided an opportunity to strengthen its esports community and bring competitive gaming to a wider student audience.
Bethuel Mututoane, the team manager, highlighted the importance of creating an environment where students could experience the competition beyond the matches themselves. The event included sponsor activations, giveaways, and live entertainment, allowing spectators to engage with esports even when they were not watching the main competition.
Bethuel identified the match-ups as one of the most exciting aspects of the tournament, particularly as rivalries between universities continue to develop.
The growth of these rivalries reflects how university esports is evolving beyond recreational gaming. Players are increasingly competing for institutional recognition, while universities are investing in opportunities for students to represent their campuses on a competitive stage.
For Tuks esports player Joshua Clark, winning the Split 2 title would have offered both personal and institutional benefits.
Clark explained that a victory could help attract sponsorships and greater recognition for the sport, though his enjoyment of gaming remained a central motivation. Preparing for the competition involved practising throughout the week and developing greater co-ordination with his teammates.
Reflecting on the team’s progress, Clark said that working together had helped them reduce mistakes during matches. He also viewed the possibility of winning as an opportunity to measure his own development as a player.
Teamwork and composure were similarly important for Diaan, a Rocket League player representing the Central University of Technology (CUT).
Ahead of the competition, Diaan identified the team’s recurring encounters with Stellenbosch University’s DraMaties as a particular challenge, explaining that the two sides had traded wins and losses. Maintaining composure and ensuring that the team remained on the same page would therefore be crucial.
For Diaan, winning would have carried significance beyond individual achievement.
“It will be great to actually win something for the university,” Diaan said.
The emphasis on representing an institution illustrates the role that university esports can play in building campus identity. Like traditional university sport, competitive gaming gives students the opportunity to compete under their university’s name while developing skills that extend beyond the game itself.
The event also highlighted the importance of sponsorship in expanding esports’ reach. Citroën was among the brands involved, offering spectators an opportunity to experience a driving simulator alongside the tournament’s competitive matches.
Siyanda, representing Citroën at the event, described investment in university esports as a way to introduce more people to sport and encourage interaction with competitive activities. The partnership also provided an opportunity for the brand to connect with the student market.
However, the growth of esports also presents an opportunity to broaden participation. Siyanda identified greater female participation as one area that deserved more attention, emphasising the importance of encouraging women to become involved in sport.
For spectators, the tournament offered a chance to see competitive gaming in a different context. David Engongo, who attended while completing first-aid duty hours, said he was interested in seeing the difference between recreational gaming and competition at a higher level.
Engongo described the atmosphere as tense and competitive, noting that players were warming up and preparing at their stations ahead of their matches.
He also highlighted the value of universities recognising esports as a legitimate competitive pursuit, arguing that reaching an elite level requires skill and dedication beyond simply playing games with friends.
This recognition is central to the development of university esports in South Africa. The Varsity Esports competition provides a structured environment in which students can develop their abilities, represent their institutions and pursue further opportunities in competitive gaming.
According to Bethuel, players can also work towards representing South Africa internationally through recognised esports structures, including University Sport South Africa and Mind Sports South Africa.
As university participation and sponsorship continue to grow, esports is creating more opportunities for students to pursue competitive gaming while strengthening their campus communities.
The Varsity Esports Split 2 finals demonstrated how gaming can bring together competition, university pride and spectator engagement. Beyond the results on the scoreboard, the tournament reflected a growing effort to establish esports as a recognised part of South Africa’s university sporting landscape.
Cayden Coetzer