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The Premier League is launching an esports competition using EA Sports' FIFA 19. Gamers will represent the league's 20 teams in playoffs, feeding into the televised ePL final in London in March 2019. Unlike the annual FIFA eWorld Cup, which awarded the winner $250,000 in August, the ePL will initially offer no cash prizes, just a trophy. The ePL kicks off in January with British residents aged 16 and over eligible to enter the online qualification on either PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. "We know that millions of fans play FIFA and this new esports competition will provide our clubs with an exciting opportunity to engage with them," Richard Masters, Premier League Managing Director said. Germany's Bundesliga has also launched a league in collaboration with EA and other sports, such as Formula One, have also crossed over into esports. "Having the most popular football league in the world commit to competitive gaming in this expansive fashion we believe only accelerates the community's enthusiasm for both FIFA Competitive Gaming and the Premier League," Brent Koning, EA Sports FIFA Competitive Gaming commissioner said. Every Premier League club will be represented in the tournament, allowing fans the chance to win the title for their side. The tournament will begin in January 2019, with three months of action set to follow through online qualification, live club playoffs, and the ePL final. The top 16 players per club on each platform will then take part in the playoffs in February and March, chasing a spot in the March 28-29 final. Registration for the competition opens on Dec. 3. Information from Reuters was used in this report.
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