UEFA and Electronic Arts launch new eChampions League tournament
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Article summary
The new eSports competition will culminate in the final taking place in Madrid on 31 May – a day before the UEFA Champions League final is held in the same city.
Article body
UEFA and EA SPORTS have unveiled plans for a new eChampions League global tournament, which will start in March 2019 and culminate in the final in Madrid – a day before the real-world UEFA Champions League final takes place.
The tournament will be a major new addition to the EA SPORTS™ FIFA 19 Global Series*. Gamers will compete exclusively on Playstation 4 and the online knockout tournaments will start on 2/3 March. The top 64 players will advance to a live qualifying event on 26/27 April, before the top eight go through to the final.
"EA SPORTS FIFA captivates tens of millions around the world, and our deep integration within the many in-game experiences gives us exciting opportunities to connect the UEFA Champions League to players," said Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA marketing director.
"We see the eChampions League competition as an important step in connecting with existing and new fans of the UEFA Champions League."
The live event in late April will whittle the field down to the top eight competitors. Those remaining in the competition will be able to draft and use footballers who are involved in the UEFA Champions League group stage. The final tournament will be held in Madrid on 31 May – just a day before the UEFA Champions League final.
"Building an authentic UEFA Champions League competition was the next logical step in the continued EA SPORTS FIFA 19 Global Series expansion for both players and spectators," said Brent Koning, EA SPORTS FIFA competitive gaming commissioner. "Our passionate competitors love the UEFA Champions League and the eChampions League creates a unique tournament for competitive gaming superstars to represent their clubs in the pinnacle of club football."
The inaugural winner of the eChampions League final will earn $100,000 out of the total $280,000 prize pool set aside for the tournament.
*Eligibility restrictions apply. See Official Rules and FUTChampions.com for details. Final terms and structure subject to change.