Esports – Call of Duty Mobile World Championship opens door to Africa’s gamers
For the first time in history, African Call of Duty: Mobile players can fight for a shot at the $1m global prize, thanks to Carry1st’s landmark partnership with Activision.
South Africa.- After five long years on the sidelines, African Call of Duty: Mobile (CODM) players have finally been handed a ticket to the world stage, and it’s worth a cool $1m.
Gaming publisher Carry1st announced that its flagship tournament, the Carry1st Africa Cup, has been formally recognised by Activision as an official qualifier for the 2025 CODM World Championship. This move places Africa in the ring alongside North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
“This is a watershed moment for African esports,” said Guillaume Noé, VP of Growth at Carry1st in a statement to Techpoint Africa.
“African gamers are no longer just spectators in global events; now they’re part of the main stage.”
Despite a passionate and growing community, African players have long been excluded from Activision’s competitive CODM ecosystem until now. The announcement marks a seismic shift in the global esports landscape.
Over 200 teams participating
The battle begins in May through to July, with regional qualifiers set to run across seven zones including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa. Over 200 teams and more than 1,000 players are expected to take part in the qualifiers, all chasing a chance to represent the continent.
The grand finale will be held in Lagos, Nigeria, in August 2025, as a live LAN event. A $15,000 prize pool will be awarded to top performers, but more importantly, the winning team will advance to the global finals, gunning for their share of the $1m purse.
While African creators have already made waves in international creator tournaments – six Nigerians competed in a $10,000 CODM event hosted by Irish creator Luke Fergie in 2024 – this is the first time the continent has a direct pipeline to the pro circuit.
With Activision launching dedicated African servers in late 2023, and the local esports market projected to hit $66m this year, the continent’s competitive gaming future just hit a new level.
This tournament isn’t just a milestone, it’s a new era for African esports.
