Esports Africa News Joins EVO France Panel to Champion Africa’s Place in Global Esports
Africa’s esports future is no longer a distant conversation. It is increasingly a practical one, shaped by organisers, players, media leaders and community builders working across the continent and its diaspora. That reality was on display at EVO France, Nice, on Friday, 9 October 2026, where Esports Africa News took part in a panel discussion titled “Africa’s Place in Global Esports.”
The session brought together voices with different but complementary experiences across the ecosystem. Gabriel Sikanku, Founder of Esports Africa News, was joined by Brian “Thee Beast” Diang’a, FGC player and Africa Esports Ambassador from Kenya, and Pierre Tambouran, President of Association Make Your Clutch in La Réunion. The panel was moderated by Désiré Koussawo, President of SAGES Africa.
Together, the speakers offered a grounded look at what esports in Africa actually looks like today. Too often, the continent is framed only in terms of potential. While that potential remains significant, the discussion in Nice focused on the work already underway: building local fighting game communities, organising events, improving governance, expanding infrastructure and creating more inclusive systems that allow African talent to participate and compete on stronger footing.
For Esports Africa News, participation in the session reflected a wider mission. The organisation has consistently positioned itself as both a media platform and an ecosystem enabler, documenting developments across African gaming and esports while helping connect local stories to international audiences. Appearing on the EVO France stage was therefore more than a speaking opportunity. It was a statement that African esports stakeholders are not simply asking to be noticed; they are contributing to the global discussion with lived experience, practical ideas and credible leadership.
The themes raised during the panel were especially important for the fighting game community, which has often grown through grassroots effort rather than institutional support. Across many African markets, progress continues to depend on committed organisers, volunteers, player leaders and emerging partners willing to invest time and belief into long-term development. The obstacles are real: limited infrastructure, uneven funding, fragmented governance and restricted access to global circuits. Yet those constraints have also produced resilient communities that understand how to build from the ground up.
That is why international platforms matter. Events such as EVO France provide an opportunity not only to showcase African voices, but also to strengthen relationships with organisations, publishers, tournament operators and communities from other regions. Visibility alone is not enough, but visibility combined with credibility, collaboration and continuity can help open new pathways.
The panel in Nice underscored a simple point: Africa is not waiting for esports to happen. It is already happening, though unevenly, and often through determined local effort. The task now is to turn those efforts into stronger systems, better support structures and broader international integration.
For Esports Africa News, the message from EVO France was clear. Africa is ready — and the continent’s esports future will be shaped by those building it today.
