Game developer Konami has announced its list of participants for the 2023 eFootball Championship Pro, which includes FC Barcelona, Manchester United and FC Bayern Munich.
The eFootball Championship Pro is the simulation football title’s flagship esports event and will feature representatives from eight clubs in total.
Alongside Barcelona, Man United and Bayern Munich, the likes of Arsenal FC, AS Roma, AS Monaco, AC Milan and Inter Milan will compete across seven matchdays, starting February 11th.
The format of the eFootball Championship Pro sees each club form a roster of three esports players. The teams will then face off against each other on every scheduled Saturday from February to June. The regular season matches will consist of three 1v1 games per match-up. The scoring will follow a 3-1-0 points system for every game victory, tie or defeat.
Only the top six teams in the league will move on to its BO3 knockout stage. All games will be played in the Dream Team mode.
For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, the events will take place offline at Konami’s venue in Barcelona. According to the announcement, the facility has been prepared by Adrenal1ne Marketing Agency, the competition’s operator. Alongside a stage, the venue features a training area for players as well as a VIP section for managers and guests.
All clubs will be awarded prize money depending on their finish at the end of the season, but amounts have not been disclosed. Moreover, the players themselves will receive individual prizes for categories such as goal of the day, as well as MVP of the regular season and knockout stage.
Simulation titles, particularly within the football realm, have struggled to garner massive fanbases or viewership. However, both eFootball and FIFA have continued to build on their esports ecosystems in an effort to develop the scene.
Last year, FIFA unveiled significant changes to its esports ecosystem for its latest game. Moreover, eFootball announced a new esports competition with notable Italian football clubs, which included eFootball Championship Pro competitors AC Milan and Inter Milan.
