Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
Related Articles
Rate yourself as a great EA SPORTS FC 24 gamer? Players from the USA, Brazil, Vietnam, Thailand, and the GCC countries will have their chance to prove it on the world stage through the 2024 Virtual Bundesliga International Series.
Registration opens today for the global football esports competition that is open to Bundesliga fans of all abilities. In Thailand, qualification is twofold: online qualifiers will take place this weekend (March 16-17), while the regional winner will be crowned at a live competition on March 24 at the Siam Paragon in Bangkok, with Bundesliga Legend Lothar Matthäus on site to support the event. In the USA, and Brazil, regional qualifiers will take place online over the weekend of March 23-24 in ChallengerMode. In Vietnam, the online qualifier will also take place on March 23-24, organised by the Bundesliga’s trusted and long-term partner Garena. Across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), online qualifiers organised by TOD – a leading sports and entertainment streaming platform by the beIN Media Group – will take place from March 22-23. In addition, the top eight players from the Gulf Region will take part in mini-tournament live-streamed by TOD on March 24.
In India, the Bundesliga is furthering its collaboration with the eISL, the official eSports league of the Indian Super League. The eISL champion will automatically qualify as the competitor from India, completing the line up for the 2024 VBL International Series Final, which will take place in Dortmund around Matchday 34 (May 18).
The winners of each regional qualifier will be in for the experience of a lifetime: an all-expenses paid trip to Germany to compete in the Final, where they can win the prestigious title and a share of the €10,000 prize pool. In addition, the winners will experience Football As Its Meant To Be, visiting the world famous Signal-Iduna Park for Borussia Dortmund’s last match of the 2023-24 season. Ahead of the match, the group will go behind the scenes and explore the stadium, including a visit to the iconic south stand, home to Dortmund’s renowned Yellow Wall. Bundesliga Legends will also be on hand to make the trip truly unforgettable.
In a key change to previous years, each regional winner will be paired with a different Bundesliga club, which they will visit before attending the VBL International Series Final in Dortmund. As part of the experience, the finalist will train with the respective Bundesliga clubs’ esports team, and also compete with one of their pro players at the International Series Final.
Once again, each regional winner will be accompanied by a leading gaming or lifestyle influencer, such as American Joseph Baena, Cris Phan from Vietnam, Thailand’s Jdum, and Hemant Sharma from India. Each content creator will document, share and amplify the entire journey for their local audiences.
Peer Naubert, Bundesliga International Chief Marketing Officer, said: “Since 2012, when the Bundesliga became the first professional football league to have its own eSports competition, more than a million players have competed across our virtual tournaments; from the Club Championship and the VBL Open, to the Virtual Bundesliga International Series. Global interest continues to grow and our partnership with EA SPORTS has gone from strength to strength, as indicated by the contract extension announced earlier this month.
“Furthermore, the last edition of the International Series reached more fans around the world than ever before and has become a key element in our marketing approach. We know that many fans around the world discover their favourite Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 teams through EA SPORTS FC games, initiating a relationship that can last a lifetime and cross all geographical boundaries. With a new club format pairing regional winners with Bundesliga teams, alongside the support of our leading content creators and a once-in-a-lifetime prize up for grabs, I am excited to see how this year’s tournament plays out. Good luck to everyone entering!”
Bundesliga International is working closely with licensing partner EA SPORTS to bring the 2024 Virtual Bundesliga International Series to gamers around the world. In January 2024, the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga extended its partnership with EA SPORTS until 2027, and continues to collaborate closely with the world’s leading sports game producer.
