The eChampions League 2022/23: All you need to know

This season's eChampions League will deliver top-tier competition on the virtual pitch, as Europe's finest compete for a share of the more than $280,000 USD prize pool.

The eCL Finals will take place in early June on the week of the UEFA Champions League final 2023 in Istanbul, Türkiye. The top four competitors will also earn spots in the EA SPORTS™ FIFA 23 Global Series Play-offs and Play-ins.

Read on for more information about the eCL format, prizing and more, as EA SPORTS FIFA continues to provide players and football fans unique opportunities to connect with football.

Who can compete in the eChampions League?

The eCL is open to the top PlayStation 5 players in FUT Division Rivals game mode in FIFA23 at the end of the first season (ending 11 November 2022). The top 256 registered EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Global Series players in each European region, as defined below, will be eligible to participate.

When were the eChampions League online qualifiers?

The eCL online qualifiers took place on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 November, when the top 1,024 eligible players – 256 per region – had an opportunity to compete in one of four eCL online qualifiers:

• West: France, Iceland, Ireland, United Kingdom
• Iberia & Benelux: Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain
• Germany & Austria
• Nordics & East: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine

Online qualifiers kicked off in a Swiss format, with the top 16 players per region (64 in total) advancing to the eCL group stage.

When was the eChampions League group stage?

The eCL group stage took place place at Here East Theatre in Stratford, London on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 February 2023.

The 64 competitors were split into two groups of 32, each within two new regions:

• Western Europe: West, Iberia & Benelux
• Central & Eastern Europe: Germany & Austria, Nordics & East

The group stage was played in a Swiss format, as the field halved and the remaining 32 competitors moved into the knockout stage.

When was the eChampions League Knockout Stage?

The top 32 competitors entered the eCL Knockout Stage, which took place at Here East Theatre in Stratford, London on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 April 2023.

The star players representing the eCL knockout stage entered one double elimination bracket with the final eight advancing to the monumental eCL Finals.

When and where are the eChampions League Finals?

The final eight competitors go into the eCL Finals, which will take place in the lead-up to the UEFA Champions League final 2023 in Istanbul, Türkiye in early June 2023.

The eCL finalists will compete through a final knockout bracket where only one EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Global Series competitor will earn the recognition of being the eChampions League winner.

Both winner and runner-up qualify for the EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Global Series Play-offs, whilst the third and fourth qualify for the EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Global Series Play-ins, which precede the Play-offs. The top 24 players in the Play-offs qualify for the FIFA eWorld Cup 2023™.

What are the prizes?

In addition to the coveted eChampions League trophy, players will compete for their share of over $280,000 USD in prize money.

Where can I watch the eChampions League?

The events will be broadcast live on Twitch.TV/EASPORTSFIFA and YouTube.com/UEFA.

EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Global Series Official Rules, see here.