Challengermode hosts Play2Help Rocket League tournament for Mental Health Awareness Month
Commonwealth Esports Championships 2022 selection for European players
NODWIN Gaming signs Exclusive 4 year deal with Challengermode to host South Asian & African esports tournaments
British Esports to launch two-part ‘Road to the GEG’ video series this week
Challengermode Expands Into Brazil With Yup.gg Partnership
The British Esports Student Champs increase participation by 115% for Spring Divisions and announce date change for grand finals
British Esports to open game-changing National Esports Performance Campus in Sunderland
Esports preview, virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans: Porsche aims to defend title at the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans
Great Britain Dota 2 Women’s team secure Silver at the inaugural Global Esports Games 2021
FIFA launches new commercial partnership structure including dedicated programs for Women's Fooball and esports
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World’s first esports coaching course launches
A new first-of-its-kind degree course from the University of Portsmouth is set to train the next generation of coaches and performance experts for esports. Esports is competitive gaming and represents one of the fastest growing sectors globally. Tournaments can attract millions of spectators and large stadium crowds, to watch high-profile players compete for cash prizes and global recognition - such as the global Fortnite World Cup, which has a prize pool of upwards of $17m. Esports comprises games from several different genres and players can play one-on-one or in teams. Much like in traditional sports, there are large sponsorship deals and, increasingly, transfer fees for players. Esports sponsorship revenue reached $641m in 2021, thanks in part to sponsorship from global companies like Coca-Cola, Gillette and Nike. This new BSc (Hons) in Esports Coaching and Performance degree at the University of Portsmouth merges an understanding of gaming and technological skills with the psychology of sport and coaching in high performance environments - not dissimilar to the skillset of coaches in traditional sports. Designed and delivered in partnership with IFoEC, the training partner of the International Federation of Esports Coaches, the new degree is a great next step for those who want to gain entry into a rapidly developing industry, develop a career as a coach in the field or acquire a range of transferable skills in leadership, communication and research, amongst others. The course includes theory, research and practical experience to understand how to coach players to peak performance, and creating connections to the sector through expert lecturers and industry work experience placement to get hands-on experience. David Price, course leader for BSc (Hons) in Esports Coaching and Performance, said: “The introduction of this course reflects the huge global interest in esports, and puts the University of Portsmouth firmly at the forefront of a fast-developing field. We look forward to welcoming our first cohort of students in September 2022, to help them become the next generation of coaches and performance experts in this exciting industry.”
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British Esports Association announces exclusive university-level partnership with the College of Esports
The British Esports Association, the not-for-profit organisation and national body set up to support grassroots esports in the UK, has announced an exclusive Higher Education (HE) university-level accredited partnership with the College of Esports. The College of Esports is a world first university-level institution dedicated solely for university degrees in the global business of esports. The university degree portfolio will include Foundation, Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels and will be delivered at the College of Esports campus at the iconic Velodrome, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, with students starting in September/October 2022 for the start of the academic year 2022/2023. For transparency, the British Esports Association has helped produce part of the degree and provided College of Esports with some guidance, but will not be teaching the courses. Each university-level programme will focus on the global billion-dollar business of esports. The student experience will centre on traditional academic subjects taught through the lens of an industry that many are so passionate about, supported by their unique TRI-Curriculum. This consists of the main degree courses plus two additional curricula to make students World-Ready, providing higher contact hours and a holistic 360 teaching approach. This approach will ensure an exciting, cutting edge teaching model which fully prepares each student for a career within esports and other sectors. The College of Esports is a boutique university-level institution, with student places to be limited, ensuring each student receives the maximum benefit from their studies and wider experiences. All university-level provision has been designed in partnership with the British Esports Association to ensure that each programme is industry-ready, with input from the wider esports sector. A College Advisory Board populated by leading figures will provide guidance to the college and will be announced in due-course. Each course will provide best-in-class academic teaching combined with leading knowledge and input from the esports sector, to provide students with long-term value, career flexibility and a holistic understanding of international business at both macro and micro levels. It will cover the business of international esports, IP rights, management of players and talent, event management, sponsorship, logistics, marketing, business and more. As well as training people to go into the industry, the College of Esports will also offer a business incubation unit to help students grow their ideas into their own businesses. The British Esports Association will provide unique industry expertise, as well as enriching the learning materials of the degree content, in order to ensure relevance to the student and sector as a whole. The British Esports Association also has a separate exclusive Further Education partnership with Pearson to offer Esports BTEC qualifications of which students can then progress smoothly from these BTEC courses onto the BEA accredited courses at the College of Esports. The College of Esports facilities based within the Velodrome, home to many international sporting triumphs, will include new purpose-built classrooms, eateries, a library, social areas as well as state-of-the-art gaming spaces for students. Professor Philip Wilson, founder and Chair of the College of Esports, stated: “We are delighted to have entered into this long-term exclusive higher education partnership. The knowledge, experience and expertise of the British Esports Association is a central pillar of our approach to ensure that the College of Esports is at the cutting edge of the industry for our students.” “Our partnership will create the UK hub of esports business and provide additional legacy to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as job creation and community support in the boroughs that we engage.” British Esports Association chair Andy Payne OBE commented: “We’re delighted to have signed this exclusive university-level partnership with the College of Esports to help deliver esports business degrees and ensure a bright future for our exciting industry. Esports not only offers many exciting career opportunities, it also gives people essential transferable skills that can be applied to many other roles and industries.” The College of Esports is the vision of the two founders — Professor Philip Wilson and David Thomson — both of whom have a lifetime of experience in higher education and the global sports industry. Students can register their interest for 2022 intake at www.collegeofesports.ac.uk
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Porsche Korea Signs Partnership Agreement with DRX, a Professional League of Legends Team
Porsche Korea (Holger Gerrmann, CEO of Porsche Korea Ltd.) is strengthening domestic Korean Esports through a partnership with DRX, a professional League of Legends team. Porsche Korea CEO Holger Gerrmann stated, “I look forward to the new Esports season with DRX and the dynamic performance that League of Legend and Porsche fans enjoy so much.” He also added, “We hope that we can contribute to the success of the domestic Esports teams through our sponsorship of DRX, one of the professional LoL teams in Korea, which is on the global stage one of the strongest Esports nations for League of Legends.” Porsche Korea will support DRX for three years until 2024 and host various Esports activities. From 2022, the DRX squad will compete in uniforms bearing the Porsche Crest (logo). In addition, offline events that expand contact points between Esports fans and players will be held, and various collaborations such as active social media postings and content production will continue. DRX, one of the teams with the longest history since their first 'League of Legends Champions Korea’ (LCK) in 2012, has unveiled the new team for the 2022 season composed of newly recruited ‘Deft’ (Kim Hyuk-kyu) and ‘BeryL’ (Cho Geon-hee), two veteran players that have taken multiple winning trophies, and the rising talent ‘Zeka’ (Kim Geon-woo). Choi Sang-in, CEO of DRX, stated, “We are very happy to form a partnership with Porsche Korea, an unrivalled sports car brand,” adding that, "We will write history in E-sports thanks to the sup-port of Porsche Korea." Only last year Porsche Korea had successfully launched the ‘Taycan 4S’ Kart in a PC and mobile games based on ‘KartRider’ IP (Intellectual Property) through a partnership with Nexon, and held an E-sports competition ‘KartRider Rush+ I Porsche Super Match.’ In addition, it is further expanding domestic E-sports activities by co-hosting the new ‘Porsche Gran Turismo Cup Asia Pacific’ with a total of 11 countries and regions including Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, and Thailand.
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Challengermode to host EU and NA SI2022 Open Qualifiers
Leading global esports platform Challengermode has teamed up with Allied Esports and Cyberathlete Championship Series to host the European and North American open qualifiers for the 2022 Six Invitational - the last chance for competitors to make it to the Rainbow 6 World Championships in Montreal The winner of the open qualifiers for each region will win a spot at the SI2022 finals being held in Montreal, Canada next February. There they will have a chance to compete against the best professional teams in the world for a prize pool of $3million. The Group Stage will take place from February 8th-12th, playoffs from February 14th-20th, with the Grand Final happening on February 20th 2022. Organised by Allied Esports and the Cyberathlete Championship Series (CCS), the first Qualifier starts 4th December, with tournament sign-up now available for any hopeful teams across Europe or North America. Only one slot is up for grabs from each regional qualifier of North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific, so expect competition to be fierce. Philip Hubner, CBDO at Challengermode said: “Having Allied Esports and the Cyberathlete Championship Series choose Challengermode as the platform to host open qualifiers for the SI2022 competition is a wonderful endorsement of our ability to make the highest levels of esport competition open to anyone. CCS is a pillar of the community tournament scene for Rainbow 6 in North America, and Allied has been instrumental in elevating the level of competition across Europe. We couldn’t be more excited to be working with such impressive organisers, and hope that players will enjoy competing using the Challengermode platform to play on the biggest stage in the Siege year, and even potentially become World Champions.” Rob Walker, founder of the Cyberathlete Championship Series said: “The support Challengermode has been able to offer through its automated tournament platform has made scaling the open qualifiers to any size we may need exceptionally easy. We've been extremely happy with the usability and versatility of the tools they’ve been able to provide, and we look forward to working closely with Challengermode to offer as many teams as possible the chance to compete at the highest level of competition for Rainbow 6 Siege.” Leon Groenewoud, CEO Europe and VP Gaming & Esports at Allied Esports added: "We’re incredibly excited to be producing the European qualifiers for the SI2022 in our Hamburg studio. Being able to rely on Challengermode to once again provide the best platform to administrate the tournaments frees us up to focus on providing the best possible production services to elevate creators, competitions and content across the esports industry." Interested teams can sign-up for the chance to qualify for the World Championship in R6 with SI2021 through the Challengermode website here. Open qualifiers will run from 4th-18th December, with North American Qualifiers viewable via the official CCS Twitch channel and European Qualifiers via the official Rainbow 6 Twitch Channel.
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British Esports Association announces strategic partnership with Bett 2022
British Esports is proud to announce its collaboration with Bett 2022, which will bring esports into the world’s biggest EdTech show. Bett is the global community for education technology, and Bett is the biggest annual EdTech event across the globe. The upcoming show will be taking place in London from the 19th - 21st January 2022 at the ExCeL Centre. The event will have a dedicated esports feature, where British Esports is working in association with Bett to curate ‘Esports @ Bett’ - which is the first dedicated feature of its kind at any EdTtech show across the globe. Alongside this, they will be involved in panels to show the positive impact esports can have on young people. Daily Rocket League matches will also take place between British Esports Student Champs participants throughout the event. This strategic partnership will allow for further esports integration into the education sector, and give educators the chance to explore possibilities for their students. On top of this, the feature will also highlight the importance of digital skills, and how esports is the starting point. The esports feature will be in a prime position on the show floor - of which visitors can get hands-on with some gaming setups, and speak to industry professionals. In the run up to the event, British Esports will also create regular online content for the Bett Esports hub. This content will be education-focused, and further develop the importance of esports for global educators. Elliot Bond, British Esports’ Head of Broadcast and Events, said: “We are proud to be representing the esports industry in the incredible Bett show this year. It's a huge opportunity for those interested in gaming to learn how education and esports can be brought together to inspire and motivate young people.” Registrations are now open for Bett 2022, and further information on this can be found on their website.
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FIFA set to widen gaming and eSports portfolio
FIFA will adopt a new commercial positioning in gaming and eSports to ensure that it is best placed to make decisions that benefit all football stakeholders. FIFA is bullish and excited about the future in gaming and eSports for football, and it is clear that this needs to be a space that is occupied by more than one party controlling all rights. Technology and mobile companies are now actively competing to be associated with FIFA, its platforms, and global tournaments. Consequently, FIFA is engaging with various industry players, including developers, investors and analysts, to build out a long-term view of the gaming, eSports and interactive entertainment sector. The outcome will ensure that FIFA has a range of suitable parties with specialist capabilities to actively shape the best possible experiences and offerings for fans and consumers. Gaming and eSports are the fastest-growing media verticals on the planet, with new and diverse types of games launching continuously. It is therefore of crucial importance for FIFA and its stakeholders to maximise all future opportunities for football and gaming fans. FIFA also has a duty to support its 211 member associations to fully capitalise on the inherent opportunities that have been emerging over the recent years. As part of this strategy, FIFA also commits to continuing to organise skill-based eSports tournaments under the umbrella of the recently launched FIFAe competition structure and consumer brand (www.fifa.gg). The relationship and affinity that the gaming and eSports market has developed over time with the FIFA name clearly underscore that football-based gaming and the FIFA name are intrinsically intertwined. Finally, FIFA has also determined that the overlaps between virtual sport and FIFA’s football competitions must be more closely aligned. In this respect, FIFA is excited about using the FIFA World Cup™ (with four billion viewers) and FIFA Women’s World Cup™ (with an audience of 1.2 billion) as platforms to launch and integrate exciting new games and eSports offerings.
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FIFA and EA announce expanded FIFA 22 esports program
FIFA and Electronic Arts have announced today a new EA SPORTS™ FIFA 22 esports program anticipated to attract tens of millions of players and viewers. Featuring both 1v1 and 2v2 competitions, players will represent themselves, globally recognized esports organizations, real-world football clubs, and their nation in a diverse set of FIFA esports events. The three competitions featured in the expanded esports ecosystem are the FIFAe Club Series 2022™, the FIFAe Nations Series 2022™, and the EA SPORTS FIFA 22 Global Series on The Road to the FIFAe World Cup 2022™. The three pinnacle events of the series will all take place in summer 2022. “FIFA competitive gaming is the future of global esports entertainment, enhancing how fans experience the game they love,” said Brent Koning, VP, EA SPORTS Competitive Gaming. “FIFA possesses the pivotal platform for football fans around the world to insert themselves into their own sports story. In partnership with FIFA, the mainstream appeal of esports is evident.” “Newcomers, as well as established superstars - individually or as a team - will inspire entire nations of EA SPORTS FIFA players and get the opportunity to fame their game,” said Christian Volk, Director of eFootball and Gaming at FIFA. “A historic season full of thrilling competitive FIFA stories will captivate a global fanbase with this expanded ecosystem.” [The Individual Best - EA SPORTS FIFA 22 Global Series on the Road to the FIFAe World Cup 2022] Qualification starts November 27 as the traditional 1v1 competitive FIFA format is showcased with online tournaments across 10 global regions. Register to compete HERE on October 4. In addition, more than 30 leagues offer esports programs, Official League Partners, including the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, MLS, CONMEBOL Libertadores, and UEFA Champions League will give fans residing in each respective nation the opportunity to represent real-world clubs. The EA SPORTS FIFA 22 Global Series Rankings will be available on FIFA.GG. [FIFAe Club Series including the Debut of 2v2 FIFA Ultimate Team™ (FUT) Cups] The FIFAe Club Series 2022 featuring 2v2 competition begins this November with the FIFAe Club Online Qualifiers™ and includes the new FUT Team of the Year and Team of the Season Cups on the Road to the FIFAe Club World Cup 2022. Prepare your FIFA.GG profile today, as registrations start on October 5. [National pride in the FIFAe Nations Series] The FIFAe Nations Series 2022 will feature member associations competing against each other in this global 2v2 competition. Furthermore, national campaigns will find the top competitive stars. All nations will begin their journey at FIFAe Nations Online Qualifiers™, with top national teams advancing to the FIFAe Nations Playoffs™ on the Road to the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022. Find out more at FIFA.GG. “Football would not exist without the power of teamwork,” said Sam Turkbas, FIFA Competitive Gaming Commissioner. “Our objective is to harness that power and use esports entertainment to connect football fans around the world to the game they love. Team-based FIFA competitive gaming will be a growth catalyst for future football fandom.” [The Power of Competitive Gaming as Mainstream Entertainment] Watch the first entertainment-focused tournaments of the season as celebrities, football stars and top FIFA competitors showcase the 2v2 potential. September 30: Watch legends across football, music, esports and entertainment raise money in the Twitch Rivals eSoccer Aid for UNICEF ft. FIFA 22. Pitting Team Soccer Aid World XI against Team England, tune in at 8 am PT, 4 pm BST to see who celebrates glory on the FIFA pitch. October 21: FIFA 22 Challenge will feature top ambassadors representing Team adidas and Team EA SPORTS. Reveal of the full participant list, and a special announcement for FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) fans, will be later announced in October.
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Challengermode expands women in esports drive with organizer partnerships
Leading esports platform Challengermode today announced its partnership with the Super Girl Gamer Series to host tournaments across a range of esports. This forms part of Challengermode’s initiative to support more female-led esports initiatives to its grassroots esports platform. The Super Girl Gamer Series joins other female-focused esports organisations using Challengermode, such as Girls' House, a girls focused space for players interested in participating in women’s-only VALORANT events, and The Goose House which has received funding from Challengermode and Opera GX’s grassroots esports fund for its Birds of Prey: Episode One tournament’s prize pool. Philip Hübner, Chief Business Development Officer of Challengermode said: “We’re incredibly happy to be hosting Supergirl Gamer’s tournaments across League of Legends, Valorant, Fortnite, and CS:GO for the 2021 series and beyond. We see this as a natural progression to our previous work with the Women’s Esports League in making esports more inclusive and equal at the grassroots level. Women make up 30% of the esports viewing population, and 35% of the esports playing population, so vitally important to provide the tools and dedicated space for female esports organisations to host tournaments at the amateur level all the way up to the pro.” “There is still much more that the industry can do to encourage women in esports, from closing the gender pay gap at the highest end of esports earners to establishing dedicated grassroots organizations that are welcoming to female gamers. We would like to encourage any female-led esports organisations to reach out to Challengermode through the Challengermode Opera GX Grassroots Esports Fund where they can apply for funding for prize pools.” Organizers can register their interest in the Challengermode / Opera GX esports fund via the website here, which also provides external platform support provided by Challengermode to streamline setting up tournaments and competitions. Super Girl Gamer Pro esports director Amanda Ball said: “Over the last five years, the Super Girl Gamer Series has expanded to provide opportunities for women all across North America in a variety of different titles and we hope to continue that expansion into the EU scene as well. We have been extremely happy working with Challengermode and look forward to continuing that partnership in being a driving force in changing the narrative for women in esports.” You can catch the Super Girl Gamer - Summer Season - League of Legends Championships on September 18th 2021 at 1:30p EST through Challengermode and streaming live to Twitch.tv/SuperGirlGP. The Super Girl Gamer - Fall Season kicks off on October 16th, across both VALORANT and Fortnite.
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ThriveFantasy Partners with NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars for 2021 Season to be Daily Fantasy Sports and Esports Partner
ThriveFantasy, the leading player prop daily fantasy sports and esports platform, announced today it has signed on as a Proud Partner and daily fantasy sports and esports partner of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The partnership is a first of its kind with the Jaguars, as it will provide Jaguars fans with unique opportunities to participate in Thrive’s customized fantasy football contests throughout the season. “These are the types of partnerships that are the most fun to be a part of,” says Adam Weinstein, Founder and CEO of ThriveFantasy. “The Jaguars are at the forefront of innovation and are giving us the ability to be very creative in the ways we help engage their fanbase.” ThriveFantasy was created to give everyday fans a better chance at winning by challenging them to pick simple over/unders of yards, catches, touchdowns and more. Thrive will be creating custom Jaguars-only contests within its app to offer Jaguars fans the chance to win exclusive fan experiences. Fans can visit their mobile app store to download the ThriveFantasy app today. “We’re excited to welcome ThriveFantasy into the family of Jaguars partners, especially as fantasy sports continues to grow in popularity,” said Mike DiMartino, Jaguars vice president of corporate partnerships. “Thrive will give our fans yet another exciting opportunity to interact with their favorite team and, in this case, win prizes!” In the coming months, Jaguars fans can download the ThriveFantasy app and keep an eye out for: Match deposits up to $100 Custom Jaguars-only contests throughout the 2021-2022 season In-stadium signage with more information, QR codes and promotions 30-second TV Spots
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PUBG Finland partners with Challengermode to simplify their grassroots PUBG efforts
Leading global esports platform Challengermode will be the home of this year’s "PSL Elisa Esports PUBG Autumn Showdown" as well as the "Winter Challenge" - organized by PUBG Finland. This partnership will provide all PUBG players with the opportunity to compete in high-level tournaments and win prize money, with Challengermode’s streamlined and automated tournament solution enabling PUBG Finland staff to focus on their high level event production. PSL will be hosting tournaments on Challengermode’s platform with prizes of 500 EUR every week. Each tournament will consist of a massive open qualifier on day 1, where the best teams advance into the second day to win a share of the prize pool. The top 4 teams each week will also qualify for a special Monthly Final with a larger prizepool of 1000 EUR up for grabs. All matches will be played with the SUPER scoring system with which PUBG players are familiar. Winners of the Monthly Finals will also secure a spot in PSL Season 10, where the best EMEA-teams will compete for a 15 000 EUR prize pool over seven rounds of non-stop PUBG action. Any players engaging with PSL through the Challengermode platform will also be able to unlock even more competitions to compete in weekly subscriber-only tournaments that boast their own prize pools, and guarantee top-level competition. Phil Hubner, CBDO of Challengermode: “Tournaments like the PSL Elisa Esports PUBG Autumn Showdown & Winter Challenge are at the very heart of what Challengermode supports as a business. The grassroots and amateur levels of competition in the esports space are the industry’s lifeblood, and giving players the opportunity to play in a professional environment and compete for prizes is essential to its growth and continued success. It has been rewarding to see our platform's automation and scalability be put to the best possible use with PUBG Finland, as it helps them make esports more accessible to all.” Matti Korvenmaa, Development Manager at PUBG Finland: "PUBG Finland and PSL have always been about creating new opportunities and finding optimal ways of exploring them. When we saw Challengermode’s latest developments on their platform, we immediately knew that they have taken technological leadership amongst PUBG esport platforms. They enable us to do things which simply were not possible for us before. For tournament organizers they provide unmatched features together with important high level support for our staff, which can now focus on core elements of our operations instead of technical details." Contenders can sign-up on the Challengermode platform, with the first round taking place today. All Weekly tournament finals and monthly finals will be broadcast. Challengermode will also be hosting the PSL Elisa Esports PUBG Winter Challenge, beginning on 27/09/2021, with a winner being crowned on 06/11/2021.
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Challengermode partners with Opera GX to set up world’s first grassroots esports organisers fund
Leading global esports platform Challengermode has teamed up with multi-platform web browser Opera GX to create the world’s first grassroots esports fund, with the aim of accelerating the growth of small emerging esports organisers in the UK, US and Germany. Think local sports clubs but for esports. With a focus on supporting grassroots esports organisers in US, UK and Germany through prize pools Opera GX and Challengermode will enable these gaming communities to scale up and cut costs while simultaneously providing them with a scalable platform to reduce overheads. Unlike other grassroots esports funds that largely focus on providing individual players a path to pro, Challengermode and Opera GX’s offering is focused on the ground level infrastructure that is needed to foster long term esports engagement - increasing accessibility and the staying power of small scale esports initiatives. The initial round will focus on organisers in Valorant, CS:GO, League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics. Philip Hübner, Chief Business Development Officer at Challengermode said: “Grassroots esports communities act as the introduction to esports for thousands of players around the world. But because of the evolving nature of the esports space local and third-party efforts organisations are often fragmented, underfunded, and lack the polish you’d expect from an established sport. These are pain points we want to eliminate with this fund, empowering esports organizers to easily create their own dedicated space for their community, reducing their costs and giving players a respectable prize pool.” Maciej Kocemba, Product Director of Opera GX: “Opera GX has a long association as a browser of choice to complement gaming, so partnering with Challengermode to encourage the next generation of esports players is a natural fit for us. So much of the money and attention in the esports industry orbits around the very top tier of competition, with little trickling down to the grassroots level. We want this fund to give grassroots organisations real staying power, making them institutions similar to existing local sports clubs.” A total of $30,000 will be distributed to the various organisers through the fund, with external platform support provided by Challengermode to streamline setting up tournaments and competitions. Organisers will be given the opportunity to register their interest via the Challengermode website here. The application period starts today and will remain open throughout the duration of the three month campaign while applications are assessed.
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World’s biggest FIFAe national team competition sees 200 percent increase in participating member associations
The very best EA SPORTS™ FIFA 21 national teams will compete from 20 to 22 August in Copenhagen, Denmark for the FIFAe Nations Cup 2021™ title. The final tournament will pit 24 teams against each other (three players per team) on the biggest stage of competitive FIFA. Within the FIFAe Nations Series, a total of 60 nations will challenge each other for a prize pool of USD 500,000. For many of the world’s best players, representing their country and competing for ultimate glory in the second edition of the FIFAe Nations Cup is a dream come true – and the challenge of a lifetime. The competition has never been so fierce: five regional online qualifiers with participating nations from all around the world will take place between 22 April and 23 May. Competitors will not only battle it out for one of the 23 remaining places at the FIFAe Nations Cup; they will also be playing for international fame and national pride. Christian Volk, FIFA’s Director of eFootball and Gaming said: “The excitement ahead of this event, which will bring people together from all corners of the globe, is huge. A place in the history books is not the only thing awaiting the winners, but also fame and recognition from their compatriots. We’re looking forward to partnering with the Danish Football Association and EA SPORTS on the FIFAe Nations Cup.” As host nation, Denmark is the first country to be guaranteed a place at the FIFAe Nations Cup. At the inaugural tournament in 2019, involving 20 national teams in London, France defeated Argentina in the final to claim the title and the glory of the first ever champion in this battle of nations. Jakob Jensen, CEO of the Danish Football Association said: “We are happy and proud, that Copenhagen will host the FIFAe Nations Cup 2021. We are looking forward to hosting one of the biggest FIFAe tournaments in the world, where world class players, including our own Danish players, will create the action, drama and excitement. Esports is very popular in Denmark, and in the rest of the world, where it continues to grow and develop. It is without a doubt a big event that is coming to Copenhagen.” Brent Koning, Group Director & Commissioner, EA SPORTS FIFA Competitive Gaming said: “International competition has the unique ability to captivate fans as pride for your home nation gives all a reason to watch. FIFA esports continues to help grow the love of the sport and the FIFAe Nations Cup will continue to do so with this entertaining international competition.” The FIFAe Nations Cup 2021 will feature 24 of the best national teams in the world, represented by each three players which will provide participating member associations with an additional tactical angle to make a substitution in the 2vs2 competition in order to guide their team to ultimate glory from 20 to 22 August 2021 in Copenhagen. A total of USD 500,000 in prize money will be distributed during the FIFAe Nations Series, including USD 400,000 for the FIFAe Nations Cup 2021 final event. FIFA will continue to monitor the global health situation and any potential impact on the safety of participants and staff.
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Record number of FIFAe clubs on their journey to reach the world's pinnacle club event
This season’s FIFAe Club Series features a record number of participating teams and is played in a new format, with a qualification period over two months followed by the remotely produced FIFAe Club World Cup 2021™. The best clubs in EA SPORTS FIFA 21 will compete at the final event in February 2021 to fight for ultimate glory and to build their team legacies. Players represent their clubs in the standalone FIFAe Club Series ecosystem and compete in a remote team format as team spirit will be decisive to collect valuable points in a highly competitive field of participants. Elite clubs from all over the globe such as reigning champion Complexity Gaming, two-time world champion Brøndby IF, Fnatic, Hashtag United, Azpilicueta’s Falcons, Ronaldinho’s R10 Team and last-year’s runners-up Ellevens will compete in this year’s FIFAe Club Series. The revamped FIFAe Club Online Qualifiers provide up-and-coming teams with the chance to compete against some of the world’s biggest FIFA esports clubs and make a name for themselves on the biggest stage of competitive FIFA. A total of over 480 clubs will participate in the different stages of the FIFAe Club Online Qualifiers with the ultimate goal to earn one of the highly sought-after spots at the FIFAe Club World Cup 2021. The final event will be brought to an international audience and will be live-streamed from 24-28 February across FIFA’s digital channels. Due to the current health situation, this season’s FIFAe Club World Cup will be split into six server zones and will be produced remotely with a broadcast crew reporting live from a central studio and players competing from home. Out of over 480 teams, only one team from each of the six zones will emerge victorious on 28 February. More information will be released shortly. The FIFAe Club Online Qualifiers are split in up to three stages and kicked-off with a pre-qualification round on 3 December. Pre-qualification features all registered clubs that have not been verified by FIFA, enabling up-and-coming teams a dedicated qualification path to get their chance to compete against the world’s best clubs in the next stage. The qualification phase features all registered competitive FIFA clubs that have been verified by FIFA or qualified via the pre-qualification path explained above. The best placed teams of the final round and of the consistency ranking in each respective conference will qualify for the FIFAe Club World Cup or the play-offs. The play-offs will determine the best clubs in selected zones with over 150 teams, who will then compete at the FIFAe Club World Cup 2021. The exact timings and additional information for the FIFAe Club Online Qualifiers can be found here. Standings of the qualification will be available on FIFA.gg. In order to offer a sustainable benefit for clubs competing across multiple seasons, a new FIFAe Club Ranking has been established for all verified teams and will be used to seed the teams in the FIFAe Club Online Qualifiers. The ranking takes previous team performances as well as individual EA SPORTS FIFA Global Series performances of the top 50 individual players into account and will be updated on a regular basis. The FIFAe Club Ranking is available on FIFA.gg
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FIFAe tournament season kicks off with new structure and total prize money of USD 4.35 million
With the new competitive FIFA season set to kick off, FIFA has today announced the introduction of three dedicated narratives and also released qualification dates and information for FIFA’s esports events played on EA SPORTS FIFA 21. The new FIFAe tournament structurehas been created to unify and highlight three clear and distinct narratives of competitive FIFA: players, clubs and nations. New qualification opportunities will arise with the new stand-alone narratives, with each leading up to the respective FIFA pinnacle event. Competitors will have the chance to represent their club in the FIFAe Club Series, compete for national pride and for their country in the FIFAe Nations Series or create their own legacy in the EA SPORTS FIFA 21 Global Series on the Road to the FIFAe World Cup™. “With our FIFAe tournaments, we aim to get closer to pros, gamers and fans. In times of digital acceleration, we see a strong shift in media consumption, social values and entertainment narratives. To engage deeper with football’s next generation, we have to step up now,” said Christian Volk, Director of eFootball & Gaming at FIFA. “Our ambition is to seed the movement for what might become a new football category in the ecosystem of FIFA. We want to create the biggest stage for the best players and teams of the community to shine brighter, while growing access for new up- and-comers to FIFAe tournaments. All of us at FIFA are excited for what the future holds!” The FIFAe World Cup™ and the FIFAe Nations Series™ both now feature a USD 500,000 prize pool, with the FIFAe Club Series™ putting USD 350,000 on the line. Another USD 3 million in prizes will be distributed by EA across Qualifiers, Regional Playoffs, the eChampions League, and CONMEBOL eLibertadores as part of the EA SPORTS FIFA 21 Global Series. “This is an exciting time for EA and FIFA as we continue to bring engaging competitions and entertainment to fans around the world,” said Brent Koning, EA’s FIFA Competitive Gaming Commissioner & Group Director. “In partnership with FIFA, these narratives will bring fans closer to the action, give players more opportunities to compete, and help find the next big FIFA esports star. In these unprecedented times, we are dedicated to bringing people together to celebrate club, country, and personal glory.” Players do not have to wait long to start competing. In addition to the new FIFAe tournament brand, FIFA has also announced today that registration for the FIFAe Club Series™ is now open. Teams and players can now sign-up on FIFA.gg/registration. The FIFAe Club Series will kick off online in November, with the best perfoming teams of the qualification competing at the FIFAe Club World Cup™ in 2021. Over the coming weeks, FIFA’s participating member associations will also announce further details in regard to their selection processes on the Road to the FIFAe Nations Cup™ to kickstart the new ‘nations’ narrative under the FIFAe tournament brand.
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Digital 911 GT3 Cup racers tackle America’s Road Atlanta rollercoaster
The digital duplicate of the Road Atlanta racetrack in the US state of Georgia hosts the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup this Saturday (1 August). The 4.088-kilometre rollercoaster circuit noted for its twelve at times high-speed corners as well as its long straights, significant elevation changes and brutal compressions, places special demands on the setup of the virtual version of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. After the rescheduling of the rounds at Le Mans and the Nürburgring, Road Atlanta marks the fifth race contested as part of the global Esports championship on the iRacing simulation platform. Sebastian Job from the Red Bull Racing Esports team tackles the race as the new points’ leader: With 219 points, the Briton moved to the top of drivers’ standings at his home race in Silverstone. Following in his slipstream just 18 points behind is Germany’s Maximilian Benecke from the Redline squad. Thanks to scoring a first and a second place at the “Home of British Motor Racing”, Alejandro Sánchez (MSI eSports) from Spain now ranks third overall with 198 points to his credit. Joshua Rogers (VRS Coanda Simsport), the previous points’ leader, fell down the rankings to fourth place after the Silverstone weekend. At the Road Atlanta circuit, sim racers will contest a 15-minute sprint race, followed by a 30-minute main race. Fans can watch the event live on Porsche’s Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/porsche) and YouTube (https://youtu.be/P5V0zxT7U7M) channels. Both races are also streamed on the two video platforms via iRacing. Further information on the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup can be found on the Porsche Motorsport Hub, Porsche Newsroom and the Twitter account @PorscheRaces. The programme (1 August, all times CEST) 3:45 to 4:03pm: Free practice 4:03 to 4:15pm: Qualifying 4:17 to 4:32pm: Sprint race 4:34 to 4:44pm: Warm-up 4:45 to 5:15pm: Main race Upcoming races 15.08.2020 – Great Britain: Brands Hatch Circuit 29.08.2020 – Belgium: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps 05.09.2020 – Germany: Nürburgring-Nordschleife 26.09.2020 – France: Circuit de la Sarthe 10.10.2020 – Italy: Autodromo Nazionale Monza
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Global Esports Industry Revenue to Jump 50% and Touch $1.6bn by 2023
The eSports market is expected to grow rapidly in the following years. According to data gathered by SafeBettingSites.com, the global eSports industry revenue is set to hit $1.05bn value in 2020. The increasing trend is forecast to continue in the following years, with the revenue jumping 50% and reaching $1.6bn by 2023. Digital and Streaming Esports Revenue to Witness the Highest Growth In 2018, the global eSports industry revenue amounted to $776.4 million, revealed Statista and Newzoo data. By the end of 2019, this figure rose to $957.5 million, a 24% jump in a year. Statistics show the global eSports industry profit is set to increase by 10.6% in 2020. The Newzoo data also revealed that sponsorships remain the most significant revenue stream of the global eSports industry, set to reach $614.9 million profit this year, a 13.1% jump in a year. As the second-largest revenue source, media rights are expected to generate $176.2 million in profit in 2020, an 11.5% increase in a year. Publisher fees will drop by 2.5%, reaching $120.2 million in revenue. Merchandise and tickets are set to reach $106.5 million profit in 2020, a 13% drop amid coronavirus outbreak. However, due to canceled or postponed events, the eSports digital and streaming revenues are expected to witness substantial growth. Statistics indicate the digital revenue stream is set to generate $21.5 million profit this year, a 60.9% jump year-on-year. Streaming profits are forecast to grow 44.9% in a year, reaching $19.9 million value in 2020. Esports Audience to Hit 646 Million by 2023 Recent years have also witnessed a surge in the number of people watching their favorite games and eSports tournaments. In 2018, there were 173 million frequent eSports viewers, and 222 million occasional viewers worldwide. Since then, the number of eSports fans rose to 495 million globally, with enthusiasts accounting for 45% of that figure. Statistics show that by 2023, there will be almost 300 million frequent eSports viewers worldwide, a 75% increase compared to 2018 figures. Additionally, more than 350 million people are expected to occasionally watch eSports tournaments and events in the next three years.
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Sim racers tackle the virtual “Green Hell” at round five
The Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup prepares for the next season highlight this coming Saturday: At the fifth of ten rounds of the global esports championship run on the iRacing simulation platform on 4 July, around 40 drivers will fight for fractions of seconds and championship points on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring. The almost 25-kilometre combination of the “Green Hell” and the 24-hour variant of the Grand Prix circuit is the longest racetrack on the current calendar of the virtual one-make race series. At the previous round in Le Mans, British sim racer Kevin Ellis Jr. from the Apex Racing squad was first across the line in the sprint race. The 30-minute main race went to the German Redline driver Maximilian Benecke at the wheel of his digital reproduction of the latest Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. The results, however, do not count towards the championship. The reason: Due to a technical error, the 15-minute sprint race was one lap too long. As a result, some competitors ran out of fuel or had to make a pitstop to refuel. Since the outcome of the sprint race determines the grid line-up for the main race, the simulation platform revoked all results. The prize money, however, will be paid out. A rerun of the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup Le Mans event will be held on 26 September. The current championship standings after round three at Donington still apply. Last year’s champion, Joshua Rogers (VRS Coanda Simsport) from Australia, leads the series with 161 points followed by Sebastian Job from the Red Bull Racing team (155 points) and Rogers’ teammate Tommy Østgaard from Norway with 135 points. At the Nürburgring, sim racers will contest the sprint race over two laps, followed by the main race over four laps. The event also includes a free practice, a qualifying session and a warm-up. Fans can watch the event live on the Porsche YouTube channel ( https://youtu.be/itnr3a5_TJw ) and Twitch ( https://www.twitch.tv/porsche ). Further information on the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup can be found on the Porsche Motorsport Hub, Porsche Newsroom and the Twitter account @PorscheRaces. The programme (4 July) 4:03 to 4:15pm: Qualifying 4:17 to 4:32pm: Sprint race 4:34 to 4:44pm: Warm-up 4:45 to 5:15pm: Main race (All times CEST) Upcoming races 18.07.2020 – Silverstone Circuit (Great Britain) 01.08.2020 – Road Atlanta (USA) 15.08.2020 – Brands Hatch Circuit (Great Britain) 29.08.2020 – Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) 26.09.2020 – Circuit de la Sarthe (France) 10.10.2020 – Autodromo Nazionale Monza (Italy)
