Hour after hour, their eyes are fixed on phone screens, training diligently. eFootball, the popular mobile football game from Japanese studio Konami, has surged into a widespread phenomenon across West Africa, particularly in Senegal, a nation where the beautiful game is a national obsession. Its accessibility, surpassing that of console-based games, has propelled its success. Here in Senegal, highly organized teams are now striving for professional status and championship titles. In Dakar, numerous players are intensely preparing for the upcoming eFootball World Cup qualifiers.
With phones clutched firmly, the players exhibit intense focus. In just a few hours, they will compete in the qualifiers for the eFootball World Cup, the planet’s most played mobile football game, scheduled for November in Riyadh. The national team’s coach, Ibrahima Diop, widely known as Ibzo, delivers his final instructions.
He has assembled the nation’s top players; last March, his squad achieved the number one spot in the African rankings for the first time. Being free to play, the game now eclipses console productions in popularity. “It’s simply enjoyable,” shares Mohamed, also known as Medzo, a 17-year-old who traveled from Saint-Louis for these qualifiers. “There’s a real competitive spirit. We challenge each other, saying, ‘You won’t beat me.’ It’s easy to play, and you don’t need an expensive phone. Since consoles are too costly, a simple phone with 3GB RAM is enough to join in. Senegalese players are skilled, numerous, and, most importantly, deeply focused on 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 highest level. I believe eFootball has become more than just a game. We met here as strangers and now we’re like a family,” he explains.
“The server challenge”
However, these dedicated Senegalese players face significant hurdles. Firstly, on TikTok, the platform they use to share analyses and tips, monetization is not yet available in Africa, unlike in Europe or the United States. More critically, they contend with persistent connection issues that put them at a disadvantage against international opponents. “Here in Senegal, we struggle with server problems,” Ibzo elaborates. “Africa has only one server, located in South Africa. We suffer greatly from latency. You make a pass, and it takes what feels like two minutes for the action to register.“
To help structure the burgeoning sector, Ibzo established his own club. He also benefits from the support of a national e-sports federation, Fesseda, which was founded two years ago. “We signed an agreement to implement what we call ‘e-navétanes,’ or electronic local competitions,” details its president, El Hadji Mansour Jacques Sagna. “This initiative will allow a large number of young people to participate in organized competitions across the national territory.“
Furthermore, the federation announced the imminent launch of an e-sport analysis and performance center, to be housed at the Léopold-Sédar-Senghor stadium, aimed at fostering the professionalization of the discipline.
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