Esports giant ESL has today announced its first championship on the African content. The two games of choice are Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Blizzard title Hearthstone.

The ESL African Championship will be presented by Kwesé Sports, Econet Media’s premium sports content platform. The prize money on offer will total R2,000,000 (£116,000) for 2017 which is a considerable chunk considering the infancy of the scene.

The inaugural series of the African Championship will run from April to June and then will be followed directly by the second series starting in July. The grand finals of series two will be held at the rAge Gaming Expo in the Ticketpro Dome of Johannesburg in October. Four top CS:GO teams and four of the best Hearthstone players will get their chance to take to the big stage and battle it out to be crowned champion.

ESL’s Global Chief Operating Officer, Malte Barth commented in a statement: “We are excited to bring the ESL African Championship to the local esports community. By giving gamers the opportunity to compete at the leading global leagues and tournaments, we help them pave their way to create legendary moments within the ESL esports universe. Together with our partner Kwesé, we are committed to making the ESL African Championship a great success!”

Joseph Hundah, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Econet Media said: “Kwesé is incredibly proud to partner with the ESL to introduce such an exciting tournament to the African continent. We know esports are growing in popularity on the continent so it’s important for us put esports on the map, and make it accessible for participants and viewers through initiatives such as these. We pride ourselves in being innovative in our approach to entertainment, and have a keen interest in making non-conventional sports and entertainment formats available on our platforms.”

Esports Insider says: ESL continues its good work on the grassroots scene around the world. There’s a substantial amount of prize money up for grabs here so it provides great opportunity for any aspiring players.