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Sinza B14 Esports have been crowned the first champions of Pamoja Esports League Season 1, finishing the inaugural campaign with a 5-2 victory over Nane Sifuri Esports across eight games, while their star player Hermes walked away with the MVP award and another TSh 500,000.
It was a fitting ending to a league that gave Tanzania’s FC 26 scene something different. Instead of another one-day tournament where everything is decided in a few hours, teams had to survive a full league campaign, climb their groups, make it into the knockout stage and then deal with the pressure of the final.
And at the end of the three weeks, Sinza B14 were the team standing at the top. Even better for B14, Hermes finished the season at the top of the individual MVP race, giving the club two of the biggest reasons to celebrate.
Pamoja Esports League Season 1 Belonged to Sinza B14
From the group stage, B14 looked like a team that meant business. They were placed in Group A alongside Mwanza Nyuki Esports, Tabata Esports, Kigamboni Vikings Esports, Kitunda Mufasa Esports and Kijichi Certified Gamers Esports.
By the time the group stage was over, there was no debate about who had been the strongest team. Sinza B14 finished first with 103 points, comfortably ahead of Mwanza Nyuki, who collected 69 points.
ALSO READ: Everything You Need to Know About the Pamoja Esports League Ahead of Its Season 1 Kickoff
Tabata came very close behind with 68 points, while Kigamboni finished on 51. Kitunda collected 40 and Kijichi ended the group stage with 15.
The Group A standings were:
- Sinza B14 Esports: 103 points
- Mwanza Nyuki Esports: 69 points
- Tabata Esports: 68 points
- Kigamboni Vikings Esports: 51 points
- Kitunda Mufasa Esports: 40 points
- Kijichi Certified Gamers Esports: 15 points
That 103-point campaign immediately put B14 in a strong position heading into the knockout stage. But the job was far from finished.
Nane Sifuri Were Waiting on the Other Side
Group B produced a much tighter race at the top. Nane Sifuri Esports finished first with 79 points, but Kilimanjaro Esports were right behind them on 74.
Mbezi Beach El Professor Esports finished third with 50 points, followed by Kinondoni Snipers Esports on 20 and Temeke Gladiators Esports on nine.
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The Group B standings finished:
- Nane Sifuri Esports: 79 points
- Kilimanjaro Esports: 74 points
- Mbezi Beach El Professor Esports: 50 points
- Kinondoni Snipers Esports: 20 points
- Temeke Gladiators Esports: 9 points
The playoff structure was simple but unforgiving. The winner of Group A would face the second-placed team from Group B, while the winner of Group B would face the second-placed team from Group A.
That created the following semifinal matchups:
Sinza B14 Esports vs Kilimanjaro Esports
Nane Sifuri Esports vs Mwanza Nyuki Esports
There was no losers bracket this time. Lose at this stage and the season was over. B14 and Nane Sifuri survived their respective semifinals, setting up the last battle of the inaugural season.
The Final: B14 Finish the Job
The final between Sinza B14 and Nane Sifuri was played over eight games. B14 came out on top with five wins, while Nane Sifuri managed two victories and one draw. That gave B14 the final record they needed to become the first champions.
Sinza B14 Esports 5-2 Nane Sifuri Esports
It was not a perfect run through the final. Nane Sifuri found ways to fight back and took two of the eight games, while another ended level. But across the full series, B14 were simply more consistent. Five wins in an eight-game final is a strong way to close out a league campaign, especially when there is a championship on the line.
ALSO READ: Motomkali FC26 World Cup Tournament: Salim Defeats Hermes to Win TSh 700,000
For Nane Sifuri, the runners-up finish was still a major achievement after topping Group B and making it all the way to the final. But the first Pamoja title belonged to B14.
Hermes Dominates the MVP Race
While Sinza B14 were fighting for the championship, Hermes was building his own case for the individual award. And by the end of the season, the numbers were hard to argue with.
Hermes finished first in the MVP standings with:
- 72 Player Points
- 97 Goal Difference
- 1,690 Pamoja Points
His teammate Saleem also had an outstanding campaign, finishing second with 66 Player Points, an 82 goal difference and 1,480 Pamoja Points. That is a huge statement from B14. Their two players finished first and second in the individual race, while the club itself went on to win the league.
The top 10 MVP standings were:
- Hermes, Sinza B14: 72 Player Points, 97 Goal Difference, 1,690 Pamoja Points
- Saleem, Sinza B14: 66 Player Points, 82 Goal Difference, 1,480 Pamoja Points
- Sahil M4, Nane Sifuri: 47 Player Points, 56 Goal Difference, 1,030 Pamoja Points
- Stormzy, Kilimanjaro: 43 Player Points, 18 Goal Difference, 610 Pamoja Points
- Ashrafyzo, Nyuki: 38 Player Points, 22 Goal Difference, 600 Pamoja Points
- Najim, Kilimanjaro: 35 Player Points, 7 Goal Difference, 420 Pamoja Points
- Erne, Tabata: 29 Player Points, 9 Goal Difference, 380 Pamoja Points
- Mido, Kigamboni: 22 Player Points, 12 Goal Difference, 340 Pamoja Points
- Haruna, Tabata: 19 Player Points, 15 Goal Difference, 340 Pamoja Points
- Pep, Nane Sifuri: 19 Player Points, 14 Goal Difference, 330 Pamoja Points
The MVP award was decided by the performances across the league, with Hermes’ strong goal difference and production helping separate him from the rest of the field.
For the player who has already been making headlines beyond Tanzania, this was another big addition to his 2026 story.
Hermes now has his eyes on the Sportsbiz Africa tournament in Rwanda.
“I’m really happy with what we have achieved with Sinza B14, but now my focus is on SportsBiz. I can’t wait to get to Rwanda, compete against some of the best players in Africa and see how far I can go. I’m ready for the challenge.” He told East Gamers News.
A Huge Payday for B14 and Hermes
There was also plenty on the line financially. The league’s prize pool remained the same as announced before the season, with the champions taking home TSh 1 million and the runners-up receiving TSh 500,000.
That means the final prize distribution was:
- Sinza B14 Esports: TSh 1,000,000
- Nane Sifuri Esports: TSh 500,000
- Hermes, MVP: TSh 500,000
Why It Matters for Tanzanian FC 26 Esports
The importance of this season goes beyond who won the money. Tanzania has no shortage of talented FC players. What has often been missing is a structure that gives teams a reason to compete together over a longer period. And that is where the Pamoja concept becomes interesting.
The first season brought together 11 teams and turned the competition into a proper league campaign. Players had to worry about points, standings, goal difference and qualification instead of simply surviving one tournament bracket. That creates a different kind of pressure. It also gives teams something to build around.
Sinza B14 are now the first name in the competition’s history to finish a season as champions. Their players can look back at the group stage, the knockout run and the final knowing they were the team that handled the entire journey best. And the fact that Hermes and Saleem finished first and second in the MVP standings makes B14’s victory even more impressive.
This was not just a team sneaking through a tournament and getting hot at the right time. Their strongest players were also among the strongest players in the entire league.
What the First Season Leaves Behind
The inaugural campaign has now reached its end, but the bigger question is what comes next. The first season has shown that there is an appetite for a more organized FC 26 competition in Tanzania.
There are teams to follow. There are players developing rivalries. There are individual stars who can become the faces of their clubs. And now there is a first champion to defend the crown.
For Sinza B14, the challenge will be even harder next time. Every team knows their name now. For Hermes, the MVP award adds another achievement to a year that has already seen him compete on major stages and establish himself as one of Tanzania’s most recognizable FC players.
The first season belonged to B14. And when the next one begins, everyone will be coming for them.
Conclusion: Pamoja Esports League Season 1 Has Its First Champions
There is something special about being the first. Long after the prize money has been spent and the individual games have been forgotten, the name Sinza B14 will remain attached to the history of the competition as its inaugural champion.
They topped Group A with 103 points, survived the knockout stage and then beat Nane Sifuri across eight games in the final. Hermes finished the season at the top of the MVP race, Saleem followed him in second, and B14 walked away with both the league title and the biggest team prize.
For Tanzanian FC 26 esports, that is a strong way to close the first chapter. Now the question is simple. Who is going to stop Sinza B14 next season?
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