Summoners, this one’s for you. Mettlestate’s 2026 Nedbank Summoner Tournament is taking League of Legends teams for two online qualifier weekends in November. The top four squads go through to a R100,000 LAN final on the rAge Nation stage at Fourways Mall.
Short left: the quick version
- Two online qualifiers: 7 and 8 November, then 14 and 15 November. The top two teams from each go to rAge Nation.
- Register by 6 November for Qualifier 1, or by 13 November for Qualifier 2.
- Four teams play a double-elimination final at rAge Nation from 27 to 29 November, for R100,000.
This is the second edition. Mettlestate says the first one paid out R100,000 to South Africa’s best amateur League teams, and Nedbank is back as headline sponsor of rAge Nation 2026.
Stop 01
Your road to rAge
- Qualifier 1Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November, 10:00 to 18:00 both days. Registration closes 6 November.
- Qualifier 2Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November, 10:00 to 18:00 both days. Registration closes 13 November.
- Finals day oneFriday 27 November at rAge Nation. Check-in from 08:00, then both semi-finals.
- Finals weekendSaturday: lower bracket semi and upper bracket final. Sunday: lower bracket final and the grand final.
The qualifiers are single elimination, with best-of-three matches depending on how many teams sign up. Games run on a rolling schedule, so there’s no booking match times with your opponents: your squad needs to be online and ready when your next game is called. Block out the whole weekend. All times are SAST.
Every match at the finals is a best of three.
Stop 02
Check your squad before you enter
Squad checklist
- Game: League of Legends on PC, 5v5 on Summoner’s Rift, EUW server.
- Who can play: a South Africa-only league. Teams must be made up mainly of South African citizens or permanent residents, and admins can ask for ID.
- International players: one is allowed during the online stages, but your rAge lineup must be fully local and able to play in person. Fielding an international player online with no plan to bring them to the LAN counts as piggybacking and breaks the rules.
- Accounts: every player needs a Riot account with no active bans, verified and linked to a complete Mettlestate profile. Your Mettlestate name must match your in-game name.
- Finals: qualified teams must attend rAge Nation in person.
Not sure about a player? Get a ruling from the admins on the official Discord before you register or book travel.
Stop 03
How to register
- Make your accountSign in or create a Mettlestate account, then link and verify your League account in your profile.
- Build your teamPick your qualifier, create or select your team and add all five players. Check every profile is complete.
- Read the rulesGo through the rulebook, then join the official tournament Discord, where all announcements are made.
- Lock it inConfirm your registration before the deadline and check your qualifier page for the exact check-in time.
Stop 04
What’s at stake
The per-player amounts are how Mettlestate splits each prize across a five-player team. The rulebook says winnings are paid into Mettlestate wallets, so confirm the payout process with the admins once you qualify.
One-trick comps won’t carry you here. Deep champion pools will.
That’s because the tournament uses Fearless Draft. Once a champion has been played by either team in a series, nobody can pick it again for the rest of that best of three. Teams track their picks with the Drafter tool, and sides can be settled with a coin flip on the Mettlestate Discord.
Ready to lock in?
Get your five together, check your accounts and grab your qualifier slot.
Heading to rAge anyway? Our rAge Nation 2026 guide has the rest of the weekend covered, and the Radar has more tournaments you can enter now. Join the official tournament Discord for live updates.
Sources: Mettlestate on X, 27 October 2026, Nedbank Esports Arena, tournament rulebook, finals event page and team registration. Rules and times can change, so check the official pages before you enter. Details checked on 31 October 2026.
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