Martin Kibiwott and Shirley Ndirangu emerged victorious at the Kenya eSports national qualifiers held at the Homeboyz Entertainment Studios (HIT Esports Arena) in Nairobi on July 18–19, earning places in Team Kenya for the 2026 Global Esports Games (GEG) in Los Angeles, USA.
The duo triumphed over 96 gamers who were competing for 26 slots to represent Kenya across seven major game titles at the global championships.
Kibiwott won the men's Open category after edging Harry Thuku 2-1 in a closely contested final, while Ndirangu defeated Shantel Wanjiru 2-0 in the women's final. The qualifiers featured seven game titles: eFootball, Rocket League, NBA2K, Clash Royale, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), iRacing and Counter-Strike 2.
Speaking after his victory, Kibiwott said the win was a reward for persistence.
"Winning this tournament means everything to me. The competition was extremely tough, and facing Harry in the final pushed me to my limits. I'm honoured to represent Kenya in Los Angeles, and I'll work even harder over the coming months to ensure I make the country proud," he said.
Their victories mark another milestone for Kenya's growing eSports scene. The qualifiers attracted 64 players in the Open category and 32 in the women's competition as part of the country's selection process for the Global Esports Games, which will be held in Los Angeles from December 3 to 10.
Following the successful qualifiers, Kenya eSports Federation chairman Ronnie Lusigi said the country's achievements reflect its growing recognition in competitive gaming. He noted that Kenya is also among more than 110 FIFA member associations participating in the expanded 2026 FIFAe ecosystem.
Kenya will now compete at the Global Esports Games, organised by the Global Esports Federation, an international event that brings together national teams from around the world to compete in multiple gaming disciplines. Athletes from more than 100 countries are expected to take part.