Almost 500 university gamers are competing in the Varsity Esports Split 2 playoffs, with places at the Pretoria finals and the season-ending rAge stage still on the line.
The Varsity Esports 2026 season has entered its final qualification phase as student players across South Africa begin the Split 2 playoffs.
The group stage concluded on 6 September, and the playoff rounds run from 7-13 September. The strongest players and teams will advance to the Split 2 Finals at the University of Pretoria on 2 and 3 October.
“Almost 500 players are currently gaming their way through the playoff rounds across the university campuses around South Africa,” said Marnus van Huyssteen of ASEM. The field spans EA Sports FC 26, Rocket League and VALORANT, making it one of the largest organised student gaming cohorts on the South African calendar.
The race to Pretoria is on
Varsity Esports uses a two-split structure. Each split has its own qualification phase and finals event, giving universities two opportunities to push players and teams towards the concluding competition at rAge in November.
The October event will be hosted at Rembrandt Hall on the Tuks Sports Campus in Pretoria. It moves the spotlight from May’s Split 1 Finals at Stellenbosch University to another major university esports hub.
Three titles, three competitive routes
The playoff field covers three of South Africa’s most active competitive games, but each title uses a different team structure.
- VALORANT: five-player teams with space for two substitutes.
- Rocket League: three-player teams with one substitute.
- EA Sports FC 26: individual one-versus-one competition.
Universities can register up to five teams in each title, allowing large campus clubs to create multiple routes into the national competition.
Split 1 set the early benchmark
The first split established the teams and players that the new playoff field will be measured against.
Emeris player Aasim defeated 2025 champion Kennedy 2-1 in an all-Emeris EA Sports FC 26 final. Emeris is the 2026 unified brand of IIE Varsity College, IIE MSA, IIE Vega and IIE HSM. Stellenbosch University’s TaMATIES defeated EM Substitutes 3-1 in the Rocket League final, while Stellenbosch’s ODIN overcame UP-Tuks Capitals 2-1 in a competitive VALORANT final.
Those results give Split 2 competitors a clear target. The second split is not simply a repeat of the first; it is another opportunity for university teams to reach the national stage and change the balance of the season before rAge.
The Pretoria finals are free to attend
Spectator entry for the Split 2 Finals is free, but attendees must reserve a ticket before arriving. The pass covers both days and is delivered by email through AetherPass.
Competition begins at 09:00 on both days. At publication, AetherPass lists a 20:00 finish on Friday and 18:00 on Saturday, while the organiser’s promotional poster states 18:00 on both days. Spectators should confirm the latest closing time on AetherPass before travelling. Organisers are also planning sponsor activations, gaming activities, prizes, food trucks and live music around the matches.
Players and visitors looking for places to compete or practise outside the tournament can also explore Cinga’s Play Spots directory, which maps gaming venues and community spaces around South Africa.
University esports is becoming harder to ignore
The size of the Split 2 field is the most important part of this week’s announcement. Almost 500 competitors means Varsity Esports is building participation well before the arena lights and final-stage broadcasts begin.
Varsity Esports launched in 2024 through Mettlestate and ASEM’s Nextgen partnership, before staging its inaugural season in 2025. Its second year is supported by FNB, Citroën, Nivea Men, Roman’s Pizza and Red Bull.
For the 2026 season, organisers have announced university awards of R200,000 for first place, R100,000 for second and R50,000 for third. Separately, a total R90,000 prize pool will be shared among the leading players and teams across all three titles.
The money matters, but so does the structure around it. Campus qualifiers, two split finals and a route to rAge give student competitors a visible season to follow rather than a single isolated tournament.
The next step happens this week. By 13 September, the field heading to Pretoria will be clearer, and a new group of university players will be one event away from the biggest stage of the Varsity Esports season.
Official sources
- Varsity Sports: Split 2 finals qualification announcement
- Varsity Esports: Split 2 schedule and tournament information
- AetherPass: Split 2 Finals tickets and venue information
- Varsity Sports: Split 1 Finals highlights
- Varsity Esports: official Split 1 results recap
- Emeris: official institutional overview