Africa’s leading games publisher, Carry1st, today announces an all-female Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) tournament at Insomnia in Cairo, Egypt.
The Carry1st Africa Cup: MLBB Women’s Invitational (MWI) Qualifier will kick off the Carry1st Africa Cup 2025, and also function as the official Esports World Cup (EWC) MWI 2025 Africa Qualifier, with victors qualifying for the MLBB Women’s Invitational at the Esports World Cup 2025 in Saudi Arabia later this year.
As the first event of the Carry1st Africa Cup 2025, it is the first in a series of esports competitions to take place across the continent this year. Carry1st’s inaugural Africa Cup in 2024 hosted top esports pros from across the continent battling for a $15,000 prize pool.
The Carry1st Africa Cup MWI Qualifier will provide a dedicated stage for female gamers to compete and showcase their talents at the highest level. It will unfold in multiple stages:
- Two online qualifiers, one for Egypt and another for the rest of Africa, will feature 32 teams each, competing in a double-elimination bracket of playoffs and final rounds
- The winners of the qualifiers will go on to compete in a grand final at Cairo’s Insomnia event, where the champions will secure a spot at the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Saudi Arabia later this year
Key dates:
- Wednesday 26th March: Registration opens on the website.
- Wednesday 2nd April 2025: Registration closes for applicants to the MLBB qualifiers
- Friday 4th to Sunday 6th April: Online qualifiers for teams competing from the Rest of Africa category, which covers South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Cameroon, Senegal, Rwanda, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Uganda, Tunisia, Algeria
- Thursday 10th to Saturday 12th April: Online qualifiers for competitors based in Egypt
- Thursday 24th to Saturday 26th April: During Insomnia Egypt, two teams will compete on the esports stage in a single elimination championship final, with the winners booking their ticket to the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia
Despite Africa’s growing gaming community, the continent remains underrepresented on the global esports stage, with limited participation in major gaming tournaments due to infrastructural and logistical challenges. As it supports Africa’s burgeoning gaming ecosystem, Carry1st is committed to changing that, one tournament at a time.
Lucy Hoffman, co-founder and COO at Carry1st, comments:
“I am especially excited for MLBB; it marks the first women’s tournament for the Carry1st Cup and sets the stage for an exciting year ahead, with even more to come. Last year, the Cup was a huge success, and this year, we’re taking it to the next level. Africa has the talent, passion, and drive, and we are committed to providing players with the platform they truly deserve.”
Ray Ng, Head of Esports Ecosystem at Moonton Games, comments:
“MOONTON Games is delighted to join forces with Carry1st to extend our esports initiatives to Africa. We are witnessing a thriving esports ecosystem across the continent and are particularly proud to be able to help talented female players from Africa make their mark on the global stage. This partnership represents our commitment to nurturing diverse talent and creating inclusive competitive opportunities for all players, everywhere.”
This is the first instalment of the Carry1st Cup 2025, with more tournaments taking place throughout the year. Stay tuned for key timelines, announcements, and the full roadmap as Carry1st continues to redefine Africa’s presence on the global esports stage.
MLBB has grown into a popular game in the global esports scene and was one of the most-watched titles at the Esports World Cup (EWC) last year, with the 2024 MLBB The MWI 2024 Grand Finals peaking at over 250k viewers.
