Carry1st brings Call of Duty: Mobile tournament to Africa as championship qualifier

Carry1st, Africa’s mobile game publisher, announced the return of its flagship Call of Duty: Mobile tournament as part of the Carry1st Africa Cup 2025.

With 200+ teams and over 1,000 players, this year’s tournament is set to be the largest and most competitive yet. In a landmark move for African esports, the Carry1st Africa Cup has also been officially recognized by Activision as a qualifying tournament for the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship 2025.

This unlocking a direct route for African talent to compete internationally at the biggest stage.

Building on the success of last year’s event, which featured teams from five African regions, the 2025 edition will include players from seven African regions: Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, North Africa (Egypt & Morocco), Kenya, Uganda, and Francophone West Africa (Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Senegal). This marks the second installment of this year’s flagship Carry1st Africa Cup, highlighting the company’s continued commitment to Africa’s competitive gaming scene.

Carry1st’s Call of Duty: Mobile tournament will run from May through to July, culminating in August with the LAN Grand Finals in Lagos, Nigeria, where a $15,000 prize pool will be up for grabs. The champions of the Carry1st Africa Cup will secure Africa’s coveted slot in the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship 2025 and compete for their share of an astounding $1 million prize pool on the global stage.

Regional qualifiers will run over the next three months to determine which teams advance to the LAN Grand Finals. With matches to be held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, each region will go through its own group stage, playoffs, and regional finals.

“We are excited to announce the return of Call of Duty: Mobile as part of our Carry1st Africa Cup this year,” said Guillaume Noé, VP of Growth at Carry1st, in a statement. “Last year was incredible and showed us what this continent’s talent can do when given the right platform.

“Now we’re raising the stakes with more players and more regions. For the first time, our tournament has also been recognized by Activision as a qualifier for the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship 2025, meaning that gamers aren’t just playing for home pride; they’re also competing for the chance to play against the world’s best.”

As part of Carry1st’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity for gamers across Africa, a special Wildcard Slot has also been introduced to the Qualifiers. This Wildcard will allow African teams from countries outside the seven primary qualifying regions, such as Mauritius and Tunisia, to enter, ensuring the chance for pan-African representation on the world stage.

“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Carry1st on the Africa Cup. This tournament is shaping up to be a major moment for African esports, creating real opportunities for the best Call of Duty: Mobile players regionally to break through and compete globally,” said Jeffrey Gullett, Co-Head of Call of Duty: Mobile at Activision.

How to Enter

Registration opens on Saturday, 3rd May, via the Carry1st Africa Cup website. Closing dates vary by qualifying region; please check the website for details.

Teams must consist of a minimum of five starting players and one substitute. The competition welcomes both amateur and professional gamers, provided participants are residents of the country they represent in the qualifiers. The regional qualification stages will run from May to July, culminating in the LAN Grand Finals in Lagos, Nigeria. Carry1st will also support travel arrangements for qualifying teams, ensuring that all teams can attend the finals.