On their phone screens, players dedicate countless hours daily to practice. eFootball, Konami’s popular mobile football game, has surged into a major phenomenon across West Africa, particularly in Senegal, a nation where traditional football is a deeply ingrained national passion. More accessible than its console counterparts, this mobile version now surpasses them in popularity. Highly organized teams here are striving for professional status and championship titles. In Dakar, several talented players are currently honing their skills, preparing for the upcoming eFootball World Cup qualifiers.
With their phones firmly gripped, the players are intensely focused. In just a few hours, they will compete in the qualification rounds for the eFootball World Cup, the globe’s most played mobile football game, with the finals scheduled for November in Riyadh. The national team coach, Ibrahima Diop, widely known as Ibzo, delivers his final tactical instructions.
Ibzo has assembled the nation’s top players; his team achieved the number one ranking in Africa for the first time just last March. This free-to-play game has now eclipsed the popularity of its console counterparts. “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 strong competitive spirit. We challenge each other, saying, ‘You won’t beat me.’ It’s easy to pick up. Plus, you don’t need an expensive phone. While consoles are costly, a simple phone with 3GB RAM is enough to play. Senegalese players are skilled, numerous, and incredibly dedicated to the game.“
This young enthusiast dreams of a professional career, a sentiment echoed by Pape Mouhamed Saloum Sow, a law student. “I aspire to reach the highest level of play,” Sow states. “I believe eFootball has become much more than just a game. We met through it, strangers, and now we’re like a family.“
Challenges on the virtual pitch: ‘server issues’
However, these talented Senegalese players face several significant hurdles. Firstly, regarding TikTok: the platform, which they use to share analyses and tips, does not yet allow content monetization in Africa, unlike in Europe or the United States. More critically, persistent connection problems put them at a disadvantage against certain international opponents. “Here in Senegal, we constantly encounter server issues,” explains Ibzo. “Across Africa, there’s only one main server, located in South Africa. We suffer greatly from the high latency. You attempt a pass, and it feels like two minutes before the action registers.“
To help formalize and grow the sector, Ibzo founded his own club. He also benefits from the support of a national electronic sports federation, Fesseda, established two years ago. “We have signed an agreement to implement what we call ‘e-navétanes,’ or electronic local competitions,” elaborates 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.“
The federation has also announced the upcoming launch of an e-sport analysis and performance center, which will be housed within the Léopold-Sédar-Senghor stadium, designed to further support the professionalization of this burgeoning discipline.
