Gamers across Senegal are dedicating countless hours daily to their mobile screens, honing their skills. eFootball, the popular mobile football game from Japanese developer Konami, has become a widespread phenomenon throughout West Africa, especially in Senegal, a nation deeply passionate about traditional football. More accessible than console games, its success now surpasses them. Highly organized teams in the country are pushing for professionalization and championship titles. In Dakar, numerous players are currently preparing for the prestigious eFootball World Cup qualifications.
With phones clutched in hand, players are intensely focused. The eFootball World Cup, set for November in Riyad, is just hours away from its qualification rounds, and the national team’s coach, Ibrahima Diop, known as Ibzo, delivers his final instructions.
Ibzo has assembled the nation’s top players; his team achieved the number one ranking in Africa for the first time last March. The free-to-play game has now surpassed console versions in popularity. Mohamed, or Medzo, a 17-year-old who traveled from Saint-Louis for the qualifications, shares his enthusiasm: “It’s simply enjoyable. There’s real competition. You tell yourself, ‘You’re not going to beat me.’ It’s easy to play. Plus, you don’t need an expensive phone. While consoles are costly, a small phone with 3GB RAM is enough to play. Senegalese players are good, numerous, and incredibly focused on the game.“
Mohamed, like law student Pape Mouhamed Saloum Sow, dreams of a professional career. Sow states, “I want to reach the highest level. I believe eFootball has become more than just a game. We met here as strangers and now we’re like a family.“
Challenges for Senegalese eFootball Players
Despite their talent, these Senegalese players face several disadvantages. Firstly, on TikTok, the platform they use to publish analyses and tips, content monetization is not yet available in Africa, unlike in Europe or the United States. More critically, connectivity issues put them at a disadvantage against certain opponents. “Here in Senegal, we struggle with server problems,” Ibzo explains. “In Africa, there’s only one server, located in South Africa. We suffer greatly from excessive latency. You make a pass, and it takes two minutes for the action to register.“
To help structure the e-sport sector, Ibzo established his own club. He also benefits from the national electronic sports federation, Fesseda, founded two years ago. Its president, El Hadji Mansour Jacques Sagna, elaborates: “We’ve signed an agreement to implement what we call ‘e-navétanes’ – electronic versions of traditional local football tournaments – which will allow a large number of young people to participate in organized competitions nationwide.“
The federation also announced the upcoming launch of an e-sport analysis and performance center, to be housed at the Léopold-Sédar-Senghor stadium, designed to support the professionalization of the discipline.
