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NHAYCH7 has already done something most FC players can only dream about: he represented Chelsea in the ePremier League at just 16.
Now, after a disappointing exit from the SportsBiz Africa Esports Cup in Kigali, the Chelsea star has revealed exactly how he got that opportunity and what he believes players need to do if they want to reach that level.
And his answer is actually quite simple. Keep improving. Play better players. Learn. Then do it again.
That message came after a difficult day in Kigali, where he admitted he was disappointed with his performance despite finishing top of Group B and entering the knockout stage as one of the tournament’s favourites.
ALSO READ: How East Africa Performed at SportsBiz Africa Esports Cup 2026
“I’m a bit sad because of how I performed today,” he told commentator Ribia.
“But nevertheless it was good being in Kigali and it was a great experience overall and it’s nice to represent your country as well.”
That combination of disappointment and perspective says a lot about the ePremier League star. He expected more from himself. But he also understood what representing Somalia on an international stage meant.
NHAYCH7 Already Knows What the Big Stage Feels Like
Coming into SportsBiz Africa Esports Cup 2026, NHAYCH was not just another player in the 32 man field. He had already experienced one of the biggest club based esports competitions in the world.
He had represented Chelsea in the ePremier League. He also came into Kigali with the experience of competing at a high level outside East Africa.
ALSO READ: Egypt’s Anas Badr Wins SportsBiz Africa Esports Cup 2026
That is why his Group B campaign mattered. NHAYCH finished first with 18 points, earning a direct route into the Final Stage. He then defeated Randy 7-4 before eventually losing 9-3 to Xmozaa in the losers bracket after being defeated in the winners bracket by Kenya’s Prorate. .
His tournament was over, and for a player who arrived as one of the favourites, it was not the ending he wanted. But the story became more interesting when Ribia asked him about his Chelsea experience.
How He Got to Represent Chelsea
NHAYCH explained that his ePremier League journey started in 2023.
The competition has an official qualification system rather than simply allowing Premier League clubs to pick whoever they want.
The Premier League and EA open online qualification to eligible UK based players aged 16 and over. Players compete through qualification windows, with the strongest players moving into club specific playoffs. In the 2025/26 season, the top eight players for each club advanced from the online qualifiers to the club playoffs, where they battled through a double elimination bracket.
ALSO READ: Robi Joins Manchester City Esports at Just 15
NHAYC7 used that pathway. And he did it when he was only 16.
“So I began it in 2023,” he explained.
“For ePremier League you have to sign up on open qualifiers so anyone that is a UK resident can sign up then you play qualifiers and go stage by stage and you have to win it in order to represent the club.”
Then came the moment every football gamer understands. He got to represent the club he supported.
“I did it when I was 16 and was over the moon playing for the club you support.”
Imagine that. You start by playing FC. You enter an open qualifier. You keep winning. And eventually, you are wearing the colours of the Premier League club you grew up supporting. That is a completely different level of gaming experience.
He Failed Once Then Came Back
There is another part of NHAYCH7’s story that makes the achievement even better. He did not qualify every year.
“2024 I didn’t qualify,” he admitted.
But he came back.
“Then 2025 and 2026 I qualified.”
That is important. Because esports careers can look easy from the outside when people only see the final result. They see Chelsea. They see the Premier League. They see the big stage. They don’t always see the failed qualification attempt in between.
NHAYCH does. And that experience clearly shaped the way he looks at improvement.
The 2025/26 season featured 40 players representing all 20 Premier League clubs, with £100,000 in prize money and places at the EA SPORTS FC Pro World Championship on the line.
NHAYCH7’s Advice: Stop Playing the Same Players
Ribia then asked the question every young player wants answered.
How do you get opportunities like this? How do you travel the world? How do you get onto these stages?
NHAYCH did not give some complicated secret formula. He gave one of the most important pieces of advice an upcoming player can hear.
“I think you have to be constantly improving.”
Then he added something even more important.
“Also, you need to make sure that you’re playing against other good players.”
Why? Because staying comfortable can become a trap.
“You can’t get good playing against the same people.”
If you keep beating the same five players every weekend, eventually you learn very little. The stronger test is playing someone who exposes the parts of your game you thought were already good.
Why His Story Matters to East Africa
SportsBiz showed how much talent is already sitting in this region. Kenya sent Kappa, Prorate, Shaq and Dav8. Uganda had Joabin, Bashir, Ezra and Aksam. Tanzania had Hermes and SahilM4. Rwanda had Samy, Tresor, Franklin and Praise. And Somalia had NHAYCH7.
Fifteen players. Eight players made it through the group stage. NHAYCH was one of the players who went furthest. But his story is not only about one tournament. It is about what happens when a talented player finds a route beyond his local scene.
That is the part East African esports still needs more of. More international tournaments. More opportunities. More exposure. More players testing themselves against opponents they do not normally meet.
Conclusion
NHAYCH7’s SportsBiz campaign ended earlier than he wanted. That disappointment will probably stay with him for a while. But perhaps that is exactly what he needs.
Because the player who first represented Chelsea at 16 is still chasing something. He is still learning. Still competing. Still finding ways to test himself.
And that is why NHAYCH’s story is bigger than what happened in Kigali. He has already shown that an East African FC player can reach a premier esports stage.
Now the challenge is finding out how much further he can go. And for the next generation watching him, the message is clear. Keep improving. Play better players. Learn from them. Then go again. That is how he got here. And the road ahead is still open.
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