The FIFA 18 eWorld Cup qualification stages start today
FIFA, the game series rather than the organisation, has had a competitive esports scene for some time now, with even some of the biggest football clubs signing their own players for official FIFA video game tournaments. This year, the largest tournament, the FIFA Interactive World Cup, is getting a new name and format: the first stages leading to the FIFA eWorld Cup 2018, run by EA and FIFA (the organisation, this time) are starting today.
Through a series of tournaments over the next several months, through into 2018, players will be looking to compete for one of 128 spots in the Global Series Playoffs (64 players on PS4, 64 players on Xbox One), with 32 then moving forward to the FIFA eWorld Cup 2018 Grand Final taking place later in 2018.
To qualify, players will be ranked on FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) Champions Weekend League performance online and through live tournaments that will be taking place. Two of those tournaments will be the FIFA Ultimate Team Champions Cups, held in January and April, with the FIFA eClub World Cup, which is aimed at players signed to professional teams, and smaller third-party tournaments also counting towards who can qualify.
The FIFA 18 Global Series Playoffs take place in June 2018, and the date or window for the FIFA eWorld Cup 2018 Grand Final is yet to be announced.
For winning the tournament, the victor will be crowned the FIFA 18 World Champion, with both the FUT Champions Cups and Global Series Playoffs offering cash prizes, with $22,000 awarded to anyone who wins a FUT Champions and $35,000 going to the winner of each Global Series Playoff.
So, theoretically, you could qualify, if you attend these tournaments and do well in the FUT Champions Weekend League, and be up against players from around the world.
