2025 AEL High School Cup
The AEL High School Cup is your gateway to nationwide esports competition! Represent your school, showcase your gaming skills, and build lasting friendships in our structured, action-packed tournaments. Esports isn’t just about playing games – it develops teamwork, strategy, and communication skills.
Compete throughout the school year and showcase your talents in a variety of games and tournaments conducted during each term of the school year. The best team in each tournament will earn their school a trophy and the top three teams in each division are recognized with medals and merit certificates.
Registration form must be completed by a teacher
Register
Tournament Info
Team Size
3-5 (3 core + up to 2 subs)
Platform
PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch & PC
Schedule
Term 1
Game Day 1 (Swiss Ranking Cup): Saturday, 15th February, 1pm AEDT
Game Day 2: Saturday, 22nd February, 1pm AEDT
Game Day 3: Saturday, 1st March, 1pm AEDT
Game Day 4: Saturday, 8th March, 1pm AEDT
Game Day 5: Saturday, 15th March, 1pm AEDT
Game Day 6: Saturday, 22nd March, 1pm AEDT
Format
Swiss Ranking Cup
Swiss: each round, teams will be paired up against a team with the same number of match wins, teams will continue to compete until a predetermined number of rounds are completed.
This will take place in a single day and the results will be used to sort teams into divisions.
League play
Round robin: teams will complete a match each against all other teams within their division.
This will take place over multiple game days and the results will be used to determine the seeding for the playoffs
Playoffs
Single elimination: the top teams (amount to be determined), within their respective divisions, will complete matches against each other, the loser of each match will be eliminated and the winner advances to the next round until only one team remains and is declared the winner
League Play and Playoffs scheduling will be provided at close of registrations. The League Play and Playoffs dates will occur during Game Days 2-4.
Discord
Discord is the primary place of communication with students for all tournament matters. We will have private channels for members of the school to utilise along with channels for each team (if you have multiple teams) to be used for tactics and team-related information.
All students must join the AEL discord server for their relevant game, the link to which will be emailed to your teacher upon completing the registration form.
Anyone attempting to join the server must be ‘verified’ against the information given to us by the registering teacher. Any unverified accounts attempting to join will not be able to see any channels or anyone else in the discord server.
Team Size
5-7 (5 core + up to 2 subs)
Platform
PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch & PC
Schedule
Term 1
Game Day 1 (Swiss Ranking Cup): Saturday, 15th February, 1:30pm AEDT
Game Day 2: Saturday, 22nd February, 1:30pm AEDT
Game Day 3: Saturday, 1st March, 1:30pm AEDT
Game Day 4: Saturday, 8th March, 1:30pm AEDT
Game Day 5: Saturday, 15th March, 1:30pm AEDT
Game Day 6: Saturday, 22nd March, 1:30pm AEDT
Format
Swiss Ranking Cup
Swiss: each round, teams will be paired up against a team with the same number of match wins, teams will continue to compete until a predetermined number of rounds are completed.
This will take place in a single day and the results will be used to sort teams into divisions.
League play
Round robin: teams will complete a match each against all other teams within their division.
This will take place over multiple game days and the results will be used to determine the seeding for the playoffs
Playoffs
Single elimination: the top teams (amount to be determined), within their respective divisions, will complete matches against each other, the loser of each match will be eliminated and the winner advances to the next round until only one team remains and is declared the winner
League Play and Playoffs scheduling will be provided at close of registrations. The League Play and Playoffs dates will occur during Game Days 2-4.
Discord
Discord is the primary place of communication with students for all tournament matters. We will have private channels for members of the school to utilise along with channels for each team (if you have multiple teams) to be used for tactics and team-related information.
All students must join the AEL discord server for their relevant game, the link to which will be emailed to your teacher upon completing the registration form.
Anyone attempting to join the server must be ‘verified’ against the information given to us by the registering teacher. Any unverified accounts attempting to join will not be able to see any channels or anyone else in the discord server.
More details to come
Team Size
1 student
Schedule
Term 1
Game Day 1 (Swiss Ranking Cup): Saturday, 15th February, 1pm AEDT
Game Day 2: Saturday, 22nd February, 1pm AEDT
Game Day 3: Saturday, 1st March, 1pm AEDT
Game Day 4: Saturday, 8th March, 1pm AEDT
Game Day 5: Saturday, 15th March, 1pm AEDT
Game Day 6: Saturday, 22nd March, 1pm AEDT
Format
Students are split into groups to compete in cups, weekly. After a set amount of weekly cups, students will be split into playoff brackets.
Discord
Discord is the primary place of communication with students for all tournament matters. We will have private channels for members of the school to utilise along with channels for each team (if you have multiple teams) to be used for tactics and team-related information.
All students must join the AEL discord server for their relevant game, the link to which will be emailed to your teacher upon completing the registration form.
Anyone attempting to join the server must be ‘verified’ against the information given to us by the registering teacher. Any unverified accounts attempting to join will not be able to see any channels or anyone else in the discord server.
Team Size
1 student
Platform
PlayStation, Xbox & PC
Club
Each student will require a paid ‘Club’ subscription
More info here: https://www.trackmania.com/access
Schedule
Term 1
Game Day 1 (Swiss Ranking Cup): Saturday, 15th February, 10:30am AEDT
Game Day 2: Saturday, 22nd February, 10:30am AEDT
Game Day 3: Saturday, 1st March, 10:30am AEDT
Game Day 4: Saturday, 8th March, 10:30am AEDT
Game Day 5: Saturday, 15th March, 10:30am AEDT
Game Day 6: Saturday, 22nd March, 10:30am AEDT
Format
Format will be fully determined once registrations close.
Students are entered into a ‘time trial’ system every week. Students will all join the same competition server and race each other without collision. Players will be awarded points on each round (noted as each track). A track is played 5-10 times in each period.
Tracks will be announced via Discord each week.
Discord
Discord is the primary place of communication with students for all tournament matters. We will have private channels for members of the school to utilise along with channels for each team (if you have multiple teams) to be used for tactics and team-related information.
All students must join the AEL discord server for their relevant game, the link to which will be emailed to your teacher upon completing the registration form.
Anyone attempting to join the server must be ‘verified’ against the information given to us by the registering teacher. Any unverified accounts attempting to join will not be able to see any channels or anyone else in the discord server.
Team Size
5 students + 2 substitutes
Platform
Windows, Chromebook & MacOS
Minecraft Education
Each student will require Minecraft Education. Competition accounts will be provided to students prior to competition start.
Schedule
Term 1
Game Day 1: Saturday, 15th February, 10:30am AEDT
Game Day 2: Saturday, 22nd February, 10:30am AEDT
Game Day 3: Saturday, 1st March, 10:30am AEDT
Game Day 4: Saturday, 8th March, 10:30am AEDT
Game Day 5: Saturday, 15th March, 10:30am AEDT
Game Day 6: Saturday, 22nd March, 10:30am AEDT
Format
As an introductory offering, Minecraft Capture the Flag will only allow one team per school. A maximum of 16 teams will be allowed to compete in Minecraft CTF.
The format is subject to change based on number of teams registered.
Microsoft Teams
Minecraft CTF utilises Microsoft Teams as the communication platform. Students will be required to provide their student email address for access to a Microsoft ‘Team’.
The Team will be accessible to students from a school only. The Minecraft CTF accounts provided will also be able to access the Microsoft ‘Team’.
Pricing & Entry
Approximately $25 per student per term, in-depth pricing available on the Registration form.
Discounts given when registering for full year in advance.
Students must be enrolled at an Australian High School.
All members of a team must be from the same school.
Each student may be registered to only one team.
Each student may compete in only one game. (excluding Trackmania)
All teams & students must be registered and represented by a staff member employed at the same school, students cannot sign themselves up to play.
Register
Additional Questions
Can home schooled students compete?
To compete, Home Education students will be required to provide additional information to confirm their current education arrangements, such as providing documentation that shows that the parent/guardian is registered with their state government home education program, as well as age identifying documents for the student.
Home Education students may only compete in Brawlhalla and Trackmania
Please contact us at [email protected] for more information!
Will students be competing from home or at school?
Students can compete at home with their own equipment or the school may require them to come into school to compete.
If competing on a computer please ensure it meets at least the minimum system requirements as listed under each game above.
If you wish to have your students compete from the school please work with your schools IT department to ensure students are able to connect to game servers within the school.
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Contact us
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Join the AEL discord and participate in our esports and gaming community!
The team at the Australian Esports League would love to hear from you
Whether you are wanting to run an esports event, are a teacher wanting more information of how to get your school involved or a parent wanting to learn more, we are here to help you in your Esports journey
For general enquiries, simply write to us at [email protected] and one of team will be in touch
For Primary, High School and Home-Schooling Esports, you can contact us at: [email protected]