New Zealand Secondary School Esports
New Zealand Secondary School Esports
Welcome to official information page for New Zealand Secondary School Esports.
Dive into the world of scholastic esports by competing against schools from across the country every week. Build new friendships, engage with students and join the positive wellbeing gaming movement!
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Get Involved
Selecting a Tournament Organiser: Start by reviewing the list of academic tournament organisers below who have been approved under the Academic Accredited Tournament Organiser criteria set out by School Sport NZ and NZ Esports. Choose an operator that offers games your students are likely to be interested in. This ensures both safety and engagement.
Team Formation and Announcement: Announce in the school newsletter the opportunity to join the esports club and compete in selected games. Make sure to inform about the entry fees and potential rewards of each tournament.
Team Registration: Once teams are formed, register them with the chosen tournament providers. Deadlines often close during Term 1, so be consistent. Remember, you can participate in multiple tournaments if schedules overlap.
Preparation and Management: Success in esports requires more than just skill. Consider appointing a student coach or a team manager to handle logistics like ensuring timely participation in games. Establish a practice space and schedule, and decide how the team will communicate and play, whether it’s from home, school or another location. Preparation is key to a smooth-running club.
Commitment to the Season: Talk to your players about the importance of commitment. Missing games or failing to show up not only affects their team but also the opposing school team, who lose out on a chance to compete. Consistency and responsibility are vital in maintaining the integrity of the competition and your school.
Academic Accredited Tournament Organisers
| Logo | Name | Badge | Games Offered | Location | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | The Fuse Cup |  | Just Dance, Minecraft, Brawlout, Rocket League | ANZ | Website |
 | Te Papatipu Matihiko | | Minecraft, Rocket League, PUBG Mobile, Pokemon Unite, Tekken8, Overwatch, E-Football, Fortnite, NBA2K | National | Website |
 | The University of Waikato | | Valorant, League of Legends | National | Website |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Like all sports, tournament operators or schools may choose to charge fees to cover costs of uniforms, team managers, and other expenses. This varies between different competitions.
We take into consideration several factors when choosing the games to include each year in NZSS Esports.
- Accessibility
- We love games that are free to play and available on multiple devices so whether you have a custom build gaming PC with an RTX 4090, a PS4 or a humble mobile phone – you can still compete!
- Publisher Permission
- Every game has a publisher or developer who has invested a lot of time, money and effort into building the games you love. We include games from publishers who have given us their trust and permission to include their games.
- Esports Enabled
- We include games that are designed with competition in mind that help us deliver fun and smooth competitive experiences.
If you feel there are games that meet all of these requirements that you’d like to see included next year, reach out to us or write to the publisher and let us know! We’re always working hard to include more titles every year.
Yes. Your registration must include the contact information of a valid teacher in charge who is aware of the competition.
If you feel a team has cheated during your match, please submit a formal complaint.
Of course! There is nothing stopping your school from competing in multiple esports competitions.
However it’s important to know that NZSS Esports is the only official and regulated competition supported by the NZ Government.
This competition was created to ensure that student competitors can compete in a safe environment where their only interactions are with police vetted and trained officials, student data is not sold or mishandled, and the competition is not run for commercial profit.
If you are going to compete in a commercial league, look out for the Accredited Tournament Organiser badge to make sure the operator is an experienced New Zealand operator.
Our committment to protect students
We believe that our tamariki and rangatahi have the right to compete in a safe and protected environment that is free of abuse, prejudice, exploitation and commercial interests. Esports is a new and rapidly growing space and by choosing to participate in official New Zealand Secondary School Esports, parents, schools, and caregivers can rest assured that their children are protected.
We are committed to our duty of care to protect the safety and wellbeing of children. To achieve this, we work closely with game publishers, New Zealand government organisations, and local esports organisations who share our values. Together, we support the long-term growth of esports in New Zealand schools without compromising the safety and wellbeing of our tamariki and rangatahi.
New Zealand Secondary School Esports has comprehensive child safeguarding protections aligned to the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989. These unique protections include NZ Police background checks, protecting student privacy and information from commercial third parties, comprehensive training for all staff, volunteers, and contractors, and partnerships with specialized child protection services and expert local organizations.
For more information about our child safeguarding protections, please see our full resources below.
What is NZSS Esports?
NZSS Esports is the only official esports competition for secondary schools. We provide an inclusive and protected pathway for students to compete in esports, with a focus on physical, digital, and social wellbeing. Supported by NZ Esports, Sport NZ, and School Sport NZ, NZSS Esports offers a non-commercial and safe competition for students to develop their skills and promote the positive aspects of gaming and esports.
The story behind the NZSS Esports Logo | Te tohu motuhake o NZSS Esports
The NZSS Esports logo features a shield, symbolizing our commitment to protecting the wellbeing of our students. The mangōpare, or hammerhead shark, represents unity and progress, as we strive to develop and improve together. Within the centre crest, two taniwha face off against each other, embodying the fierce competition of esports. However, when viewed as part of the larger image, the taniwha merge together to form a single face, representing our unity and togetherness outside of competition
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