By: Adekunle- Oni Daniel

From kicking footballs to throwing arrows and punching opponents, traditional sports have always been about physical activity and community connection. For years, sports were characterized by physical strength, endurance, and the joy of face-to-face competition.

But in recent times, things have started to evolve. The world of sports is now expanding. Sports participants now find themselves not only on a field or court, but in front of screens. What used to be simple mobile games have gradually evolved into a new world of competition called E-sports.

E-Sports games like EA FC, Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG, Free Fire, Clash of Clans, and even Candy Crush are now gaining prominence among the global competitive sports. These mobile games have produced  professional gamers who are internationally recognized. This shift, as may be debated, is not a vice.  Rather, it is a reflection of how technology is changing the way we play, compete, and connect.

Before Esports: The Era of Traditional Games

Before the evolution of mobile tournaments, the idea of sporting competition was rooted in traditional sports. These games helped build strong community bonds. On the streets, children and adults played football, basketball, and ran races all in the spirit of friendly rivalry. They exhibited their sporting dexterity based on what they had watched professional athletes do on the screen.

Each traditional sport has a deep history. For example, football can be traced back to ancient China, Greece, and Rome. The modern version was shaped in medieval England and became popular enough to inspire the creation of FIFA in 1904. International tournaments like the World Cup gave football its global fame.

Basketball can be traced to Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1891. A physical education instructor named James Naismith invented the game to keep students active during winter. What started with just 13 rules and nine players per team later became a global sport. By 1932, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) was formed, and today, it has a very big fan base in over 200 countries.

The Rise of Esports

So, what will the history of Esports sound like in the future? The story begins in the late 20th century, a time of rapid innovation and digital development. Games started in arcades and later moved to mobile phones. At first, they were just fun distractions for kids. Remember Snake Xenzia on old Nokia phones or the classic Bounce game? These simple games sparked early interest in mobile gaming.

Soon, the virtual competition entered the mix. Games like Real Football and Playman Summer introduced sports-based gameplay with a focus on winning just like real-life sports. Multiplayer modes changed everything. First, players could take turns on one device. Then came Bluetooth gaming, which allowed friends to connect their phones. Consoles also introduced multiplayer features, like using two controllers to battle it out on Winning Eleven, PES, or Mortal Kombat.

Technology kept improving. The arrival of the internet transformed mobile gaming. Suddenly, you could play with people across cities, countries, or even continents. A student at the University of Ibadan, for example, can  now compete with someone at the University of Port Harcourt. Distance was is no  longer a barrier.

Esports Today: A New Industry

Esports is now much more than virtual games. It has advanced into a professional industry with players, coaches, teams, fans, sponsors, and massive tournaments. Events like The International (Dota 2), League of Legends World Championship, Fortnite World Cup, and the Esports World Cup are now global attractions with millions of dollars in prize money.

The Esports World Cup (EWC) was first announced in late 2023. It replaced the former Gamers8 tournament. The first edition of the EWC took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 3 to August 25, 2024. It featured 22 games and a prize pool of $62.5 million.

In 2025, the event expanded. 24 games were played and the prize pool grew to $70 million. The tournament included live performances, fan events, and a grand opening ceremony. Games featured included Counter-Strike 2Call of Duty, Valorant, Rainbow Six Siege, Dota , League of Legends, among others.

Esports in Nigerian Universities

Even here in Nigeria, Esports is gaining ground especially at some Nigerian Universities. In 2025, the University of Students’ Union hosted the first edition of SEALS Cup tournament, which featured Esports competitions E-Sports competition saw students from different faculties compete for a prize pool of ₦150,000. The event marked a turning point for the gaming community in UI, bringing gamers together and boosting the visibility of Esports on campus.

By extension, the University   further to participated in inter-university E-Sports competitions, competing against the University of Port Harcourt in the NESA Games 2025, which featured four E-Sports, including Call of Duty Mobile, Free Fire, Online Chess, and a Gaming Quiz.

Running for three weeks from August 18, the tournament had a total prize pool of ₦150,000. UI would later emerge as the overall winner, scoring 60,783 points, ahead of UNIPORT’s 57,685 points.

Additionally, University of Ibadan dominated the Free Fire category with 12,666 points, while UNIPORT led in Call of Duty Mobile with 15,156 points. In chess, a UI player known as Blending, topped the leaderboard with 8,350 points, winning 82 games in total. The gaming quiz was also swept by UI players, who took the top four spots.

What Lies Ahead

Esports has come to stay. What began as simple entertainment has now grown into a billion-dollar industry, bringing people and cultures together just like traditional sports once did and still do.

In the future, we may see Esports teams becoming as big as football clubs, with full stadiums, fan chants, sponsorship deals, and international fame. For the young gamers holding controllers today, this is just the beginning. What was once seen as “just playing games” is now becoming a career path, a competitive sport, and a global phenomenon.

The journey from traditional street sports to organized online gaming tournaments shows how much the world of sports has evolved. Esports is not here to replace traditional sports, but to stand alongside them creating new opportunities,new champions, and new communities.