May 19 – The final eight players have punched their tickets to Munich for the 2025 eChampions League Finals, following an intense weekend of competition at Dock10 Studios in Manchester.
This year’s revamped format – mirroring UEFA’s updated Champions League structure – featured a league-style phase followed by a high-stakes knockout round, whittling 36 of Europe’s top EA Sports FC players down to the final eight.
With a $280,000 prize pool on the line and a prestigious European title up for grabs, the stakes are high as the finalists prepare for the showdown on May 28 in Munich.
EA Sports FC’s eChampions League continues to stand out as a highlight on the esports calendar – not just for its competition format, but for the unique blend of professional clubs and players it brings together under UEFA’s digital umbrella.
“This is one of our favourite events every year because it’s a really unique opportunity for everyone involved in our FC Pro and esports ecosystem to participate in a special way,” said Sam Turkbas, EA Sports’ Senior Director of FC Esports, speaking to Insideworldfootball.
“That starts with the way players qualify for the event – through European leagues that are part of the FC Pro circuit – mimicking the structure of the real Champions League. It’s a really cool parallel.”
Among the 36 competitors, several reached the finals in Munich representing clubs rarely seen in UEFA’s top-tier competition. Ludogorets’ Alihan Hadzhi, Brighton’s Marc Marley, Torino’s Samuele Prestigiacomo, and VfL Bochum’s Jonas Wirth all defied expectations to earn their place in Europe’s digital elite.
“It’s not always the clubs you’d expect from the actual Champions League, because qualification here is based purely on esports performance,” Turkbas added. “That creates a unique dynamic, with clubs for whom this tournament carries huge meaning – competing for European glory on the virtual pitch.
“From a fan engagement perspective, this is also a rare moment where supporters can rally behind both their favourite players and their club, competing at the highest level in esports.”
When it comes to prize money and tournament structure, the eChampions League operates on a different scale compared to EA’s flagship events, such as the FC Pro Open and FC Pro World Championship. While those competitions are run exclusively by EA Sports, the eChampions League exists as a byproduct of the publisher’s long-standing partnership with UEFA.
That distinction is clearly reflected in the prize pool. The FC Pro World Championship, which concluded in February, awarded winner Anders Vejrgang a staggering $1 million. By contrast, the eChampions League offers a total prize fund of $280,000 – highlighting its value more as a prestige-driven showcase aligned with UEFA, rather than a financial powerhouse within EA’s competitive calendar.
From a viewership perspective, Turkbas explained that the eChampions League is always one of the company’s best-performing league programmes year in year out.
“The overall prize money for the competition is $280,000, so it’s not quite at the scale of the FC Pro Open, and one of the reasons for that is it’s a European only competition, but it still offers a very good prize purse for a single player game with a regional scope of competition,” Turkbas continued.
“Unlike our Pro Open circuit, the players get the opportunity to actually lift a European championship. Each of the players live and breathe the world of football, so representing a club that they actually get to compete for, and the opportunity to lift that European trophy is really meaningful for them. It’s always one of the favourite events for the competitors to play into, earning more than just the prize money and playing for more than just themselves.”
While the eChampions League predates EA’s flagship FC Pro tournaments – those having emerged after EA’s split from FIFA in 2022 – it has long been a central pillar of EA’s competitive ecosystem. The tournament has featured as part of the official FIFA and now FC calendar since its inaugural final in Madrid in 2019.
UEFA’s prominence is reflected not only in its format but also in its marketing reach. The launch trailer for this year’s edition starred Ballon d’Or winner Ruud Gullit, underscoring how the UEFA partnership helps create high-impact promotional moments for EA Sports.
“Ruud is a Champions League icon from his playing days, but he’s also an icon literally in EA Sports FC, and one of the most popular player items for people to use. So from that you have this really interesting synergy between somebody who’s so important for the game, both from a fandom perspective and from a playing perspective, who is also equally important for UEFA.
“That crossover moment where we’re able to actually promote the Champions League and eChampions League through this content across all our channels is a really compelling thing for us to do because we have an audience that UEFA wants to reach, which is that young audience, which is why they choose to partner so deeply with us across both our esports division and the game itself.”
With just days to go before the Grand Final in Munich on May 28 – set to take place just three days before the UEFA Champions League Final in the same city – the stage is set for one of the most prestigious events in EA’s competitive calendar.
Blending elite esports competition with club representation and UEFA branding, the eChampions League continues to deliver a uniquely football-centric showcase. For the finalists, it’s not just about prize money – it’s about lifting a European trophy and putting their club colours on the virtual map.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1747695992labto1747695992ofdlr1747695992owedi1747695992sni@g1747695992niwe.1747695992yrrah1747695992