Seen Here: Champions forged in focus, precision and relentless preparation. 🏆🎮 Kitsune ZA has conquered the 2026 Telkom VS Gaming Masters Counter Strike title with a commanding 3–0 victory over HighBorn at Comic Con Africa. A triumphant display of skill, strategy and composure under pressure — another golden chapter in South Africa’s ever-evolving esports story. Three maps. One mission. One champion. Kitsune. 🏆🔥Photo Credit: Supplied
29 September 2026 | Johannesburg — Kitsune has been crowned the 2026 Telkom VS Gaming Masters Counter Strike champion, delivering a commanding 3–0 victory over HighBorn in a thrilling grand final at Comic Con Africa in Johannesburg.
The decisive showdown, held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre on Sunday, brought an action-packed weekend of competitive esports to a spectacular close, with Kitsune maintaining its composure and consistency across all three maps to secure the championship.
The victory further strengthens Kitsune’s reputation within South Africa’s competitive Counter Strike scene, with several members of the squad celebrating their third Telkom VS Gaming Masters tournament victory.
Telkom Senior Manager: Content and Gaming, Johann Von Backström, congratulated the team on its achievement, highlighting the preparation and competitive discipline that carried Kitsune through the final.
“Congratulations to Kitsune on a well-deserved victory and another impressive performance at the Telkom VS Gaming Masters. Their preparation, consistency and ability to perform when it matters most were evident throughout the final. We are proud to support a platform that gives South African esports players the opportunity to compete at this level, and we congratulate the entire team on a memorable achievement.”
For Kitsune player Wiljahne Smith, the championship represented the reward for months of preparation and hard work.
“It’s always an elating feeling to win at the Comic Con Africa finals because we work really hard throughout the year to qualify for this. It means a lot to us, and for most of us, this is our third time winning this tournament,” said Smith.
Experience, preparation and composure
Kitsune’s success was underpinned by a combination of tournament experience, regular training and exposure to international competition.
The team has competed in European esports tournaments, providing its players with valuable experience against high-level opposition. That exposure, combined with consistent preparation throughout the year, helped the squad remain focused when the stakes were at their highest.
The 3–0 result also highlighted Kitsune’s ability to translate its preparation into a disciplined grand-final performance, completing its championship campaign without allowing HighBorn to take a map.
A weekend celebrating the future of esports
The Masters Counter Strike final formed part of a broader celebration of competitive gaming at Comic Con Africa, which ran from 24 to 27 September at the Johannesburg Expo Centre.
Alongside the Masters competition, the 2026 Telkom VS Gaming High School Esports League Counter Strike competition showcased emerging talent from South African schools.
St John’s College emerged as the high school champions, adding another dimension to a weekend that celebrated both established competitive players and the next generation of esports talent.
The two champions — Kitsune ZA at Masters level and St John’s College at high-school level — underline the breadth of the local competitive gaming ecosystem, from developing school players to experienced professional and semi-professional competitors.
Building South Africa’s esports ecosystem
Through Telkom VS Gaming, Telkom continues to invest in the development of South Africa’s esports ecosystem by creating platforms where players can compete, sharpen their skills and gain valuable tournament experience.
Beyond the competition itself, these platforms contribute to the broader professionalisation of gaming, providing opportunities for players to develop careers in an industry that increasingly encompasses competitive gaming, content creation, broadcasting, coaching, production and technology.
With Kitsune’s latest championship and St John’s College’s high-school triumph, the 2026 Telkom VS Gaming season closed with two distinctly different generations of competitors taking centre stage — offering a compelling glimpse into the depth and continued growth of South Africa’s esports landscape.
2026 TELKOM VS GAMING MASTERS COUNTER STRIKE CHAMPIONS:
Kitsune ZA
2026 TELKOM VS GAMING HIGH SCHOOL ESPORTS LEAGUE COUNTER STRIKE CHAMPIONS:
St John’s College
