FIFA, the organization behind world football, has joined forces with Konami, the popular video game company, to create a new eSports event: the FIFAe World Cup free-to-play eFootball tournament. This partnership is a big move to bring football to more people in gaming and real life.
What’s the Tournament About?
The tournament is already underway! Players must pass three qualifying rounds against Dream Team to move forward. Gamers from 18 countries can take part, but Russia isn’t included.
The main event will happen later in 2024. FIFA says this tournament is a great way to spread the love of football across the world. Konami also shared their excitement, saying they’re grateful for the chance to bring eFootball to even more fans. Both sides agree this event will strengthen the bond between players, fans, and the football community.
Why This Partnership is Important
This team-up comes after FIFA’s long relationship with EA Sports ended. For almost 30 years, EA made FIFA-branded games, but they now create their own series called EA Sports FC. Konami, meanwhile, has been FIFA’s biggest rival for years with their Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) games.
In 2021, Konami changed PES into eFootball, a free-to-play game that gets regular updates instead of releasing a new version every year. Now, FIFA and Konami are working together to bring their unique strengths to this tournament.
What Does This Mean for Fans?
This event is a big deal for gamers and football lovers. It makes the FIFAe World Cup open to more people because it’s on a free game. Players get the chance to represent their countries in a global competition, which is exciting for both the competitors and the fans watching.
For Konami, this is a chance to show off eFootball and prove it can handle a major international event. It’s also a way to attract more players to the platform.
What’s Next?
The tournament’s main matches in 2024 will show just how far eSports and football have come together. FIFA and Konami are bringing the best of gaming and football to fans all over the world.
Get ready for a fun and exciting year in eSports, with this partnership taking football to new places—both on the screen and in our hearts!
