Electronic Arts has announced an enhanced, reimagined EA SPORTS FIFA 23 competitive gaming program showcasing the future of football esports.
Headlining the ecosystem enhancement is the first-ever EA SPORTS Cup. Players representing the world’s top esports organisations and professional football clubs will compete in 2v2 competition through three months of fixtures starting 17 October. Tune in weekly on the EA SPORTS FIFA Twitch and EA SPORTS FIFA Esports YouTube channels as Manchester City Esports, Paris Saint-Germain Esports, Fnatic, Complexity and many more showcase world-class football skills. The EA SPORTS Cup culminates 16-21 January with the crowning of a champion and determination on which two teams will advance to the FIFAe Club World Cup 2023™ presented by EA SPORTS.
“Backed by the support of world-class esports organizations and football clubs, the first-ever EA SPORTS Cup is an EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Global Series (FGS 23) monumental moment.The allure of competition combined with dynamic storytelling unfolding on the pitch will create must-watch entertainment and motivate the masses to start their own competitive journeys in EA SPORTS FIFA 23,” said EA Esports VP Brent Koning.
The EA SPORTS Cup is only one piece of the FGS 23 puzzle as this season’s competitive landscape provides a robust tournament structure for players residing in 70 nations the opportunity to become their own respective champion.
Traditional FGS 23 1v1 competition returns as all will compete on the Road to the FIFAe World Cup 2023™ presented by EA SPORTS. Online 1v1 competition starts with the launch of the EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Ultimate Edition’s 27 September worldwide release. Spanning the next ten months, competitors will participate in a multitude of 1v1 tournaments.
- The journey begins in FUT Division Rivals on 27 September with top performers advancing to one of nine FGS Regional Online Qualifiers.
- The FGS 23 Midseason Major welcomes all eligible players to compete in a massive open bracket in-person in London, England on the weekend of 7 April 2023.
- Another path to glory includes competing in an official tournament organised by one of the world’s top football leagues and confederations. More than 30 football league partners and confederations will hold tournaments, giving competitors the opportunity to represent their favourite football club. The biggest and best football esports tournaments are returning as part of FGS 23, including the ePremier League, Virtual Bundesliga, eLaLiga Santander, eLigue 1 Uber Eats, eMLS, eSerie A TIM, KPN eDivisie, CONMEBOL eLibertadores, and the eChampions League. The remaining football league partners will be announced very soon.
- The top 64 FGS 23 performers, qualifying through either FGS Regional Qualifiers or football league partner successes, will clash at the FGS Playoffs on 23-25 June.
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 esports competition concludes at the FIFAe World Cup 2023 in late summer 2023. The top 24 FGS Playoffs performers representing FGS 23’s top stars will compete at the FIFAe World Cup 2023 where only one will be named world champion.
“The FGS’s collection of the world’s top stars, top esports organizations, top football clubs, leagues and confederations will showcase the next generation of esports on the Road to the FIFAe World Cup 2023. Now when you combine the star power with a robust ecosystem giving players around the world the opportunity to become the next big thing, this is confidently the biggest year in franchise history,” said EA SPORTS FIFA Esports commissioner Sam Turkbas.
The FGS 23 online qualifiers and majors are officially presented by PlayStation and will exclusively be played on the PlayStation5 consoles.
EA SPORTS FIFA 23 is developed by EA Vancouver and EA Romania and will be available worldwide on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Stadia, PS4, and Xbox One on 30 September. Early access for the EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Ultimate Edition begins on 27 September 2022.