Matthew Raubach, the captain of the Protea Esports Team for the DotA 2 esports title, has had to watch two more teams forfeit instead of playing honorably. This happened again during the regional qualifiers for the Global Esports Federation’s GEG25 World Finals. The event will be held in Mumbai, India, from February 26 to March 1, 2026.

Even though we already wrote about Botswana and Zambia failing to show up for battle against South Africa’s strong Protea Esports Team, Namibia and Malawi also failed to turn up. It seems that when other sub-Saharan teams face the Protea Esports Team for the DotA 2 title, they would rather just give up. While a win is still a win, this shows a big problem in esports and perhaps a bigger problem with how teams think.

The Problem With Teams Forfeiting Matches Instead of Losing

In competitive esports, losing is normal. Every team, no matter how strong, will eventually lose. But in recent years, a bad habit has become common and damaging to the competitive scene. Teams are forfeiting matches rather than playing them out and accepting the loss.

At first, forfeiting might look like a quick solution. Maybe the team is frustrated, not ready, upset, or dealing with problems inside the team. But when a team chooses to forfeit instead of competing, it sends a message to opponents, fans, tournament organizers, and the whole esports community. And that message is rarely a good one.

Forfeiting Shows a Lack of Competitive Integrity

Esports is built on competition. The whole purpose of a tournament is to test teams under pressure and find out who performs better. When a team forfeits, they remove the most important part of the sport: the contest itself.

No one expects a team to win every time, but people do expect them to show up and fight. Even if the result seems obvious, playing the match is part of the responsibility of being a competitive team. Forfeiting is not just quitting the match—it is quitting the challenge.

It Disrespects Opponents Who Prepared

Behind every match is preparation. Opponents practice strategies, review gameplay, and plan their approach. Coaches and analysts invest time. Players stay disciplined to be ready. Even small teams put effort into showing up. When a team forfeits, it wastes all of that work.

Winning by forfeit does not feel like a real victory. It denies the opposing team the chance to prove themselves and improve. It turns what should have been a meaningful match into an empty result. In competitive environments, respect is earned through effort. Forfeiting throws that respect away.

It Damages the Tournament and the Fan Experience

Tournaments rely on structure. Schedules, broadcasts, brackets, and audience engagement all depend on matches actually happening. When a team forfeits, it disrupts everything. Fans tune in expecting competition. They want to see the best plays, the clutch moments, and the storylines.

A forfeit kills excitement instantly. It leaves the audience disappointed and makes the event look unprofessional. Esports already struggles with being taken seriously in some circles. Frequent forfeits only reinforce the stereotype that esports lacks maturity compared to traditional sports.

It Hurts the Team’s Reputation More Than a Loss Ever Could

Some teams forfeit because they think losing will look embarrassing. But forfeiting is usually far worse for a team’s image. A loss can be explained: the opponent played better, the draft was wrong, mistakes were made. But a forfeit suggests something deeper—poor leadership, lack of discipline, or emotional instability.

Sponsors and organizations pay attention to this. If a team cannot handle defeat, they become a risky investment. A forfeit can create long-term damage to a brand, while a loss is simply part of the journey. In many cases, losing honorably earns more respect than forfeiting ever will.

Losing is How Teams Improve

One of the most overlooked facts in esports is that losing is valuable. Losses expose weaknesses. They show what strategies fail. They teach teams how to adapt under pressure. A forfeit removes that learning opportunity. Instead of gathering data and experience, the team avoids the problem.

This creates a cycle where the same mistakes keep happening because they are never confronted in real matches. Championship teams are not built by avoiding defeat. They are built by surviving it, studying it, and growing stronger because of it.

Forfeiting Often Reveals Poor Leadership

When teams repeatedly forfeit, it usually points to internal issues. Maybe communication is weak. Maybe the coach has lost control. Maybe players do not respect each other. Whatever the reason, forfeiting is often the symptom of a deeper failure in leadership and team culture.

A strong team does not collapse after one bad scrim, one bad draft, or one lost round. They adjust, refocus, and continue playing. The ability to stay composed when things go wrong is one of the most important traits in competitive success. A forfeit is a sign that the team lacks that strength.

There Are Valid Reasons—But They Should Be Rare

To be fair, forfeiting is not always unjustified. Emergencies happen. Internet outages, health issues, or serious personal situations can make playing impossible. But these cases should be rare and clearly communicated. When forfeiting becomes a habit, it stops being a necessity and becomes an excuse.

The esports community can understand unavoidable problems. What it cannot respect is a team forfeiting simply because they are tilted, unmotivated, or afraid of losing.

Additional Reading

• 2026 Calendar of events
• AEC24 – Champions of all of Africa – Protea Female Counter Strike 2 Esports Team wins AEC24
• AEC24 – Forged in battle – a Counter Strike story…
• AEC24 – Thato Maredi outperforms Bafana Bafana!
• ACES – Avenging Bafana
• ACES – Thato advances to the knock-out stages!
• Affiliation: Private Clubs
• Affiliation – Procedure to be followed by school clubs affiliating for the 2026 season.
• Clubs – Newly-affiliated Backgammon clubs are ready to get things rolling…
• Events – Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships – 24 January 2026.
• GEF – Clash Royale esports athletes may win a trip to Mumbai….
• GEF – Even Titans fall!
• GEF – Protea DotA 2 Esports team heads towards GEG25 in Mumbai.
• GEF – Protea DotA 2 Team to represent South Africa in GEG25 qualifiers – Saturday, 7 February 2026
• GEF – Zaid Williams to represent South Africa in Clash Royale – Saturday, 7 February 2026
• National Team Trials – Who qualifies for MSSA National Team Trials?
• Results – Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships – 24 January 2026.
• Sportsmanship Award – Sportsmanship Award – Northern Cape Online Esports Provincial Championships

Athlete’s rights

• Is a professional gamer in South Africa entitled to a salary?

Employment opportunities

• #TuksSport is looking for a Deputy Director: Sports Operations Management