Orange Liberia marked a significant milestone in youth engagement and digital innovation with the esteemed culmination of the EA SPORTS FC™ 26 Tournament, held on Friday, October 31, 2025, at New Liberia Entertainment, situated at Du-Port Road Junction, Paynesville. The distinguished event assembled over 300 young gamers, influencers, and enthusiasts from throughout the nation, culminating in an exhilarating competition that demonstrated not only competitive prowess but also the burgeoning digital enthusiasm of Liberia.
After a long week of intense gameplay, which saw the preliminaries hosted at Stella Maris Polytechnic University on Monday and Tuesday, eight qualifiers advanced to the quarterfinals. The final four battled fiercely for the crown in front of a roaring crowd, an atmosphere charged with anticipation, pride, and the unmistakable energy of a nation embracing its digital future.
The week-long journey, co-organized with local partner, Echo House, provided a significant platform for developing digital skills and fostering disciplined competition.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Mabel Mason, Communications Manager at Orange Liberia, delivered a stirring message that captured the spirit of the event: “It’s been an incredible week filled with excitement, passion, teamwork, and pure digital energy. From Monday until today, we’ve witnessed young Liberians showcase not just their gaming skills but their creativity, discipline, and competitive spirit. This tournament goes beyond gaming—it’s a bold step toward digital inclusion, youth engagement, and innovation. At Orange Liberia, we believe in creating spaces where technology meets talent; where entertainment becomes empowerment.”
She added that the initiative perfectly reflects Orange’s mission of “energizing youth creativity and building the digital future of Liberia”.
The preliminary rounds, hosted by Stella Maris Polytechnic University, were crucial to the tournament’s success. Zaza Mulbah, Senior Manager of the Orange Digital Center (ODC) and Project Manager for the tournament, praised the institution’s role: “Hosting the preliminaries at Stella Maris Polytechnic University for two days was instrumental in making this tournament accessible and successful. It cemented the link between academic institutions and digital innovation, demonstrating that gaming, technology, and learning can powerfully converge to unlock talent in our youth. This is how we build Liberia’s digital economy: from the ground up.”
Orange Liberia’s Chief Executive Officer, Jean Marius Yao, expressed his pride and enthusiasm as he joined his executive team in celebrating the tournament’s success.
“This event exemplifies the very essence of Orange Liberia’s mission—bringing young people together, fostering innovation, and inspiring unity through technology. Today’s finale is not just a celebration of gaming excellence, but a powerful reflection of our commitment to youth empowerment and digital transformation across Liberia,” CEO Yao stated.
The evening concluded with a celebration as Gyude Plato Prowd, the esteemed champion, was awarded Orange Money US$1,000 along with an all-expenses-paid trip to Casablanca, Morocco, sponsored by Orange Liberia. This trip will serve as Liberia’s representative at the EA Sports AFCON Tournament scheduled for December 2025. The runner-up, Terry Mulbah, was also awarded Orange Money US$500, marking a memorable conclusion to a significant event that has definitively positioned Liberia on the international e-sports stage.
Andy Y. Quamie, Deputy Minister of Youth & Sports, participated in a distinguished moment as he presented the plague to the Campion of the winner of the Orange EA Sports FC26 Tournament.
An overwhelmed Gyude stepped forward to thank Orange Liberia for the life-changing opportunity: “This means everything. Thank you, Orange Liberia, for believing in us—for giving us a platform to shine, to compete, and to dream beyond borders.”
Through this successful initiative, Orange Liberia has unlocked a new era of youth empowerment and digital innovation, proving once again that when innovation meets intention, the result is transformation. For every young Liberian who watched, played, or cheered, this was not just a game—it was a glimpse of what’s possible.
