3Crown Triumphs at Garena’s Free Fire Clash Cup Nigeria

With ₦8.2 million at stake, Garena’s Free Fire Clash Cup Nigeria showcases Nigeria’s rising esports scene as 3Crown claims the country’s biggest-ever gaming prize, writes Iyke Bede

Days ago, esports team 3Crown emerged as winners of Garena’s Free Fire Clash Cup Nigeria, taking home ₦4.4 million from a prize pool of ₦8.2 million, which sets a record as the biggest prize pool for a Nigerian esports event so far.

​What preceded this win was a series of battles to the finals involving 128 teams that entered the online contest, distilling the field to just four teams that advanced to the LAN finals at the Balmoral Event Centre, Ikeja, Lagos. The other teams that made the cut were UnionX, Akatsuki, and Noobz.

​“This was an official Garena event, which means the game publisher itself came to the country to put together an event for its fans and gamers,” founder of 10N8E, Adebayo Onigbanjo, explained. “10N8E was selected to help put the tournament together. ₦8.2 million is a significant prize pool and one where the winner took home the biggest prize money in the country to date.”

​While this is Garena’s first independent event, organised by 10N8E, the publisher had earlier backed Deca Cup, a 10N8E Free Fire event held mid-year of 2025.

​With a packed audience, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation. As sections of the crowd actively cheered their favourite teams, the die was cast with the first semifinal game between UnionX and Akatsuki in a best-of-three match, where UnionX scaled through, taking advantage of Akatsuki’s lack of strategy with its snipers, albeit with greater firepower. Similarly, 3Crown annihilated Noobz in a no-mercy game to advance to the finals, where they faced UnionX.

​With both teams seemingly capable of strategising, a heavy air of uncertainty hung over the arena, but that tension quickly dissipated as the first round began, when 3Crown won with little effort. The final deciding round saw the team deploy some of its brutal tactics, pinning every UnionX effort to the wall and snatching the trophy with a 4–0 sweep, delivering a disappointing and unexpected loss to UnionX.

​3Crown received a cash prize of ₦4.4 million, with UnionX receiving half of the sum. Both Akatsuki and Noobz received ₦800,000 each.

​“The organiser felt it was important to reward teams. In this format, the two losing semifinalists get the same amount, as they both contributed equally to the finals,” Onigbanjo explained. “Additionally, because we were running both the semifinals and finals on the same day, there was limited time for a third-place match. However, the third-place position was determined by which team had the most kills in the semifinals among the two losing semifinalists.”

​The ₦8.2 million prize is inarguably indicative of the growth of esports in the local scene, with international publishers willing to host tournaments for their fans on this side of the world. However, certain struggles persist, the kind that not only affect the ecosystem but also rear their ugly head across almost all sectors.

Onigbanjo noted that, in addition, infrastructure, especially broadband internet, was a huge challenge despite having all the service providers’ services at the venue, including alternatives such as satellite and microwave.

“These had a huge impact on the production and the product fans online were experiencing, and hence were not satisfactory at all, and we know we can do better and will do,” stated Onigbanjo.

​He added, “On the other side, we were excited to see a bigger crowd and more people understanding the concept of esports and engaging. We also had a lot of parents in the building who came to support their kids, which is really important for the ecosystem.”

​While Garena decides the next steps for the winners, the tournament highlights how Nigerian teams are increasingly serious about competition. These events are becoming proving grounds, where skill, strategy, and structure are tested, and where the next generation of Nigerian esports players is beginning to take shape.