Grete Lajal and Mariam Musa crowned winners of the UK's first-of-its-kind women's only esports initiativeMonday 11 November 2024
The initiative, which featured three phases and a prize pot of £50,000, as well as the chance to win professional contracts, came to a thrilling conclusion with the Women's Esports Finals this weekend
The ground-breaking tournament was created by Sky Broadband in partnership with Guild Esports and Gaming whose ambassador is David Beckham
The Women's Esports initiative aimed to promote diversity and inclusion in the gaming world following research revealing a mere 5% of pro gamers are women
Images to download here: https://www.flickr.com/gp/taylorherringpr/5MfW5Ku8x4 & https://www.flickr.com/gp/taylorherringpr/W107yVVNn8
Video to download here: https://we.tl/t-a1MU3p0grR
The winners of the first-of-its-kind women's only esports initiative have been crowned.
Grete Lajal and Mariam Musa both from London came out on top, as the three-phase tournament brought to life by Sky Broadband in partnership with Guild Esports and Gaming came to an end this weekend.
The winners of the Women's Esports Finals have secured themselves professional contracts, a portion of the £50,000 prize fund, which is shared between all finalists, and free Sky Broadband for 24 months. The tournament marks a significant milestone in the journey towards a more inclusive esports industry.
The first-of-its-kind women's only esports initiative was launched in April by Sky Broadband, in partnership with Guild Esports and Gaming, and their ambassador, David Beckham. The initiative was designed to provide a platform for talented women gamers to showcase their skills, following research that revealed out of all esports pros only 5% (1) are women, despite 47% (2) of UK gamers being women.
In the run up to the Women's Esports Finals, competitors from across the UK have gone head-to-head in Racers Eseries (a sim racing-based competition) and Football Eseries (EA SPORTS FC 25) tournaments. It is the first women's esports tournament to award professional contracts as well as cash prizes, a share of which was given to all finalists.
The coveted esports pro contracts will see Grete and Mariam receive access to top-class facilities and opportunities to connect with other professionals and sponsors as they develop their skills. The winners will also receive support from experts including the setting of KPIs to guide their progress, coaching and mentorship to help develop their competitive play.
The finalists battled it out at Sky's headquarters with the event live streamed on Sky Sports and Guild Esports' YouTube channels hosted by renowned esports presenter Frankie Ward.
She led the charge with Rachel Stringer who helped break down the action alongside Alia Harvey, and Anita Abayomi who stepped into the football commentator's seat. Presenter Iain Chambers was also joined by Nina-Jade Paul and commentator George Morgan for the Racers Eseries.
Nine of the best women drivers in the UK competed on fan favourite tracks where Grete Lajal topped the podium in the sim racing-based competition. Grete, the Racers Eseries winner said:
I am so happy, and also surprised! I definitely didn't know what I was getting myself into! I would have never thought I could participate in a race like this if it wasn't for this event. I'm so excited about finding a new hobby where I can constantly improve at the Sky Guild Gaming Centre. Today went really well, but I know there's so much more to come.
Fellow Racers Eseries competitor Clara Bucciacchio won a Guild Esports and Gaming academy contract following an impressive set of races. The contract will give her access to support and training to raise her game to the professional level.
After a hard-fought regular season, the Football Eseries saw six players go head-to head in four rounds of EA SPORTS FC 25 followed by an all-or-nothing final. Mariam was top of the league in her performance during the Football Eseries winning the final match 5-2. Mariam Musa the Football Eseries winner said:
It feels crazy to be the Football Eseries champion, it doesn't feel real. It was amazing to have that many women come out and showcase their talent at Sky. I'm looking forward to the support that Guild Esports and Gaming can offer. Hopefully I can work with their coaches, compete in more tournaments and show more representation as a person of colour as it's really hard to enter the space.
Sky Broadband is the official partner of Guild Esports and Gaming, supporting the esports company in their shared mission to make the industry inclusive and equal for all.
Amber Pine, MD, Sky Connectivity, said:
Huge congratulations to Grete Lajal and Mariam Musa on becoming the first ever champions of our Women's Esports Finals. At Sky Broadband, we're incredibly proud to have partnered with Guild Esports and Gaming on this groundbreaking initiative, together we are changing the game and proving that esports is a space for everyone.
Luke Jones, VP, Commercial, Esports, and Gaming from Guild Esports and Gaming, said: We are excited to welcome Grete Lajal and Mariam Musa to Guild Esports and Gaming. This tournament was about showcasing the immense talent within the women's gaming community, and these two players have undoubtedly proven themselves to be the best. This is just the beginning of their journey as professional esports athletes, and we are excited to support them every step of the way as they compete at the highest level.
Monica Dinsmore, Senior Director of Esports & Ventures Brand, EA Sports, said:
The passion and skill these women bring to the virtual pitch is inspiring. Having been in the space for more than a decade, it's rewarding to see organizations like Sky Bro
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner CCATech
Industry veterans Carlos Abrah o and Bruno Lopes strengthen local support and expand IPCs prese...
20/08/2026
Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment with MTC Jockey Club
Worlds Oldest Horse Racing Club in the Southern Hemisphere Selects Zixis Softwar...
20/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di...
20/08/2026
Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen 20 August 2026
Dr Georgie McClean, Dr Rebecca Huntley (L-R)
By Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebec...
20/08/2026
How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image displays a student about to mix be...
20/08/2026
Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Reality TV veteran Eric Gardner create...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
Grete Lajal and Mariam Musa crowned winners of the UK's first-of-its-kind women's only esports initiativeMonday 11 November 2024
