Abuja will host the grand finale of the Carry1st Africa Cup 2026, Africa’s biggest mobile esports tournament, on September 5 and 6, with the winning team earning the opportunity to represent the continent at the Call of Duty®: Mobile World Championship.

Carry1st, in partnership with Call of Duty: Mobile, announced that the Grand Finals will take place at the Los Angeles Event Centre in Abuja, bringing together the continent’s top mobile gaming teams for the decisive stage of the tournament.

The event will also serve as the official African qualifier for the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship.

Now in its third year, the Carry1st Africa Cup has grown from its inaugural edition in 2024 into one of Africa’s biggest mobile gaming competitions.

This year’s tournament is targeting a record turnout and aims to become the largest Sub-Saharan African mobile esports gathering to date.

Road to Abuja

The tournament’s regional qualifiers have been ongoing since June, with the winning teams from five regions advancing to the Grand Finals in Abuja.

The teams will battle it out in a live LAN competition on September 5 and 6, with the eventual champion securing the opportunity to represent Africa at the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship.

Tickets for the Grand Finals are expected to go on sale in August, allowing fans in Nigeria and across Africa to attend the tournament and watch the continent’s leading mobile gamers compete for the title.

The 2026 edition comes as competitive gaming continues to gain ground across Africa, driven by a young and digitally connected population and the growing popularity of mobile gaming.

The tournament combines online regional qualifiers with live LAN events, allowing players from across the continent to compete while giving fans the opportunity to experience the action in person.

Growing Africa’s Esports Scene

Since its launch in 2024, the Carry1st Africa Cup has become a major fixture on Africa’s esports calendar.

Beyond the competition itself, the tournament has expanded its content offering to include a docuseries and a bi-weekly esports podcast aimed at growing the gaming culture and community across the continent.

The Carry1st Africa Cup is also the official African qualifier for the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship.

About Carry1st

Carry1st is a publisher of games and digital content focused on markets across Africa.

Founded in 2018, the company develops, licenses and publishes games and provides monetisation solutions through Pay1st, its proprietary payments and online marketplace, and the Carry1st Shop.

Carry1st has worked with major gaming titles, including Call of Duty®: Mobile, and is backed by investors such as Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), BITKRAFT and Google.