On their phone screens, players dedicate hours each day to practice. eFootball, the popular mobile football game from Japanese studio Konami, has become a widespread phenomenon across West Africa, particularly in Senegal, a nation where real-world football is a deep-seated passion. More accessible than its console counterparts, this mobile title is now surpassing their success. Highly organized teams here are striving for professional recognition and championship titles. In Dakar, several talented players are currently honing their skills for the upcoming eFootball World Cup qualifications.
With their phones firmly in hand, the players are intensely focused. In a matter of hours, they will compete in the qualifiers for the eFootball World Cup, the globe’s most popular mobile football game, with the main event scheduled for November in Riyad. The national team’s coach, Ibrahima Diop, known as Ibzo, delivers his final instructions.
He has assembled the nation’s top players; just last March, his squad impressively secured the number one spot in the African rankings for the first time. Being a free-to-play title, the game now eclipses the popularity of console productions. Mohamed, a 17-year-old player nicknamed Medzo, who traveled from Saint-Louis for these qualifiers, shared his enthusiasm: “It’s a lot of fun, first of all. There’s a real competitive spirit. You tell yourself, for example, ‘you’re not going to beat me.’ It’s easy to play. Plus, you don’t need expensive phones. While consoles are costly, you just need a modest phone with 3 GB RAM, and you’re good to go. Senegalese players are skilled, numerous, and particularly dedicated to the game.“
This young talent dreams of a professional career, a sentiment echoed by Pape Mouhamed Saloum Sow, a law student: “I aspire to reach the next level and compete at the highest tier. I believe eFootball has evolved beyond just a game. We met here as strangers and now we’re like a family.“
“The server challenge”
However, these aspiring Senegalese eFootball players face significant obstacles. Firstly, on TikTok, the platform where they share analyses and tips, content monetization is not yet available in Africa, unlike in Europe or the United States. More critically, they contend with connectivity issues that put them at a disadvantage against certain international opponents. “Here in Senegal, we grapple with server problems,” explains Ibzo. “Across Africa, there’s only one server, and it’s located in South Africa. We suffer greatly because of excessive latency. You make a pass, and it takes two minutes for the action to register.“
To help structure the burgeoning industry, Ibzo took the initiative to establish his own club. He also benefits from the support of the national electronic sports federation, Fesseda, which was founded two years ago. “We have signed an agreement to implement what we call ‘e-navétanes’ – electronic versions of traditional local competitions,” states its president, El Hadji Mansour Jacques Sagna. “This initiative will enable a large number of young people to participate in organized competitions across the national territory.“
Furthermore, the federation has announced the imminent launch of an e-sport analysis and performance center, which will be housed at the prestigious Stade Léopold-Sédar-Senghor, aimed at fostering the professionalization of the discipline.
