EAFC’s competitive scene is on the rise, with viewership marking an all-time high and prize pools for large tournaments consistently increasing in value.
This attracts more players and teams to join the Esports as there are several yearly tournaments whose champions carve their name into the game’s history.
From the national orientation of tournaments to substitutions, EAFC has several unique characteristics in comparison to other Esports that make it stand out.
FIFA eWorld Cup Series
This is the biggest stage of EAFC’s Esports where the best individual players in the world battle head-to-head trying to become the new world champion.
FIFA eWorld Cup is an annual competition comparable to the DotA’s International, or the League of Legends Worlds in the realm of EAFC’s Esports. It represents the zenith of competitive EAFC gaming as it attracts the top players in the world who are fighting for the title of the best player in the world.
Generally speaking, the eWorld Cup is the pinnacle of FC gameplay with some notable names such as ManuBachoore and Msdossary claiming the title in recent years. The prize pool for the tournament is a whopping $500.000, with 32 participants who previously had to qualify for the tournament fighting for their share of the rewards.
National Competitions
FIFA eNation Series
One of the main aspects in which EA FC’s competitive scene stands out against other Esports is the inclusion of national competitions.
Before the players qualify for the Nations Cup, they each must dominate their domestic EAFC scene, with each country selecting 3 representatives to compete in the FIFAe Qualifiers leading up to the main event.
Nations Cup
The biggest national competition is the FIFAe Nations Cup in which 24 teams face each other to claim the prestigious title of eNation champions. This tournament is intended to mirror the football’s World Cup in terms of its format, where the tournament begins with a group stage before advancing to the knockout rounds.
National teams that participate in the tournament have to nominate 2 player representatives who will play against other teams in a 2v2 format, with a single substitute player available to replace them at any time during the game.
Drafting System
Unlike the eWorld Cup where players use their Ultimate Team, this tournament boasts a unique drafting system that decides the team’s lineups.
In the first phase of the draft, teams can select 3 key players they want to include as the foundation of their in-game starting eleven. The second phase is the most entertaining and interactive one, as the players draft the remaining footballers they include in their team.
The drafting system allows players to use any card of the footballers they end up drafting for their team, which includes the special cards.
FIFA National Ranking
Given that the eNation Series is taken very seriously with a staggering $1.000.000 prize pool, the national competitive scene has a separate ranked ladder.
Some of the most successful national teams in recent years are Brazil, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and Italy.
Club competitions
EAFC’s competitive scene heavily relies on club competition which features some very notable Esports organizations that are present in other Esports such as NiP and Fnatic.
However, given that the video game is tightly related to real-world sport, several large football teams seized the opportunity to create their EAFC Esports teams, such as PSG, RBL, or Werder Bremen.
EA Sports Cup
This is one of the biggest tournaments for EAFC clubs, featuring 20 teams that play each other across a three-month period, fighting for their cut of the $250.000 prize pool.
Apart from the prestigious cash prize, the clubs that participate in the tournament also fight to qualify for the Club World Cup, as the two finalists of this tournament get a direct invite to the biggest stage.
FIFAe Club World Cup
EAFC’s Club World Cup is the biggest stage for 2v2 club competition with 24 teams competing to take home the title of the best club in the world.
Clubs that participate in the Club World Cup first have to qualify for the prestigious tournament, which means beating other teams in the qualifying brackets.
Once qualified, the 24 competing teams face each other in 4 separate groups, before the top-rated clubs in the groups battle it out in the knockout stage.
The drafting system of the Club World Cup is similar to the one of the Nations Cup, in which players participate in several phases of the draft before they assemble their final lineup.
Club Ranking
Given that every successful EAFC pro player is a part of some sort of club, it’s safe to say that club competition is integral to the structure of Esports.
That’s why clubs fiercely battle to be at the top of the club rankings, with Team Gullit, FUTWIZ, and RB Leipzig topping the ranking charts.
Distinctive features of EAFC Esports
Ultimate Team Usage
EAFC’s Esports are often played with custom squads that are created in the FC Ultimate Team. Because the matches are played with these custom teams instead of pre-made clubs and nations, the result is a unique atmosphere that emphasizes the player’s team-building strategy.
Pro players can include OP special cards such as icons and heroes instead of playing with regular gold-carded teams, which creates some special teams and unforgettable moments.
The Ultimate Team certainly adds a layer of complexity to EAFC’s Esports, allowing pro players to create synergies between the cards they’ve collected. This results in personalized teams whose attributes and strengths suit the player’s playstyle.
This format of professional play is unique to the EAFC Esports scene, creating a very entertaining experience for the spectators since plenty of unique players get drafted into the pro players’ teams.
Real-time coaching
Another unique aspect of EAFC’s competitive scene is the coaches who advise the players whenever they score or concede a goal.
Coaching adds a dynamic layer of strategy as coaches can advise players in the critical moments of the match. For example, when the players have to make a substitution, the coach steps in, providing insight based on pre-match analysis and the current flow of the game.
The collaboration between players and coaches influences the outcome of the game and this real-time coaching element is often lacking in other popular Esports.
On top of that, it’s just fun to see players celebrate clutch moments with the coaches, creating synergy on and off the virtual pitch.
Since players always try to get an edge over their opponents, coaching is generally very popular in the game like in many other multiplayer games with a competitive ladder, just like elo boosting.
EAFC elo boosting, Valorant elo boosting and LoL elo boosting have become increasingly popular in recent years as these games continue to increase in popularity.
Player Substitutions
Even though the format of EAFC Esports is primarily a traditional 1v1 match, teams that participate in these tournaments are free to substitute players in different stages of the match.
Just like in traditional football, making substitutions in esports allows teams to bring on fresh players who excel in different aspects of the game. As a result, teams can strategically outplay each other by making effective and impactful substitutions.
Coaches are the ones who decide when and who gets substituted, further emphasizing their importance as strategic anchors of their teams.
2v2 Format
Even though EAFC is primarily enjoyed by players in a traditional 1v1 format, the introduction of the 2v2 format in the competitive scene added a new layer of diversity.
In this format of competition, two teams face each other with each team comprised of two players. This results in gameplay that emphasizes effective communication, teamwork, and synergy, as players have to work together to win the game.
The inclusion of this format adds a collaborative element to EAFC gaming which usually heavily relies on individual skills that players utilize to win the 1v1 matches.
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