eChampions League group stage: Six things you need to know
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
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The eChampions League, presented by PlayStation, returns on 18–19 February with 64 players hoping to come through the group stage on the road to Istanbul.
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Sixty-four of Europe's top EA SPORTS™ FIFA 23 players remain in contention for the 2023 eChampions League title, but only 32 will successfully navigate the group stage to take their place in April's knockout stage.
Now in its fifth season, the eCL, presented by PlayStation, brings together the finest EA SPORTS™ FIFA 23 players from across Europe to compete for a place at June's final tournament in Istanbul, Türkiye, and a share of the $281,000 prize pool.
Here's the lowdown on the group stage, including when and where the action takes place, who the contenders are, and how you can watch the drama unfold.
When and where is the eChampions League group stage?
The eCL group stage will take place at Here East Theatre in Stratford, London, on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 February 2023.
Having emerged from the 1,024 players who competed in the four regional Online Qualifiers, the 64 competitors will be split into two groups of 32, each within two new regions:
- Western Europe: West, Iberia & Benelux.
- Central & Eastern Europe: Germany & Austria, Nordics & East.
The group stage will be played in a Swiss format, with 32 players booking their place in the knockout stage and a guaranteed share of that $281,000 prize pool.
What is the Swiss format and how does it work in the eChampions League group stage?
The Swiss format allows a large number of players to prove themselves over a series of matches without playing every opponent in the competition – it's more streamlined than a league format and more forgiving than a straight elimination bracket.
- Each of the 32 players per regional group will play up to five matches, with 16 players from each group advancing to the knockout stage.
- In each of the five-match rounds, players will be drawn against an opponent with the same win-loss record.
- Players will not be drawn against the same opponent twice.
- Players who win three matches will advance to the knockout stage.
- Players are immediately eliminated from the tournament following their third defeat.
The full EA SPORTS™ FIFA 23 Global Series Official Rules can be found here.
Which top players are in action in the eChampions League group stage?
Reigning eCL champion Nicolas99fc is bidding to mount the first successful defence of the title but, with the last three winners of the tournament taking part, the competition will be fierce.
The likes of Tekkz, one of the best EA SPORTS™ FIFA players in history and winner of the 2020 eCL Invitational, current FIFAe World Cup champion Umut, reigning Virtual Bundesliga champion DullenMIKE, and TG Ollelito, one of the most consistent elite performers in the game and recent EA SPORTS Cup champion, will expect to be contenders.
Who else should you be looking out for in the eChampions League group stage?
MatiasBonanno capped a break-out year in 2022 by reaching the final and winning the 2v2 Team of the Season Cup. However, he suffered a shock early elimination at the EA SPORTS Cup this year after posting top-eight finishes across the FIFAe World Cup, Club World Cup and Nations Cup last season, so he'll be champing at the bit.
Denmark's 16-year-old Anders Vejrgang is also one to watch as he makes his highly anticipated eCL debut, having taken the world by storm with an astounding 535-match winning streak – the longest in history – in Weekend League on EA SPORTS™ FIFA 21. Now old enough to bring his aggressive playing style, clinical finishing and mean defensive skills to the big stage, it will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure at his first major 1v1 event.
Where can I watch the eChampions League group stage?
The eCL group stage will be broadcast live on twitch.tv/EASPORTSFIFA, youtube.com/UEFATV and the UCL TikTok channel on 18 and 19 February. The broadcast starts at 15:00 GMT / 16:00 CET each day, with an approximate run time of six hours per day.
You can also follow the action on UEFA.com with all the scores and live streams available in our dedicated eCL section.
What happens after the eChampions League group stage?
The remaining 32 contenders will progress to the eCL knockout stage, which will take place at Here East Theatre in Stratford, London, on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 April 2023, and will be contested as a double elimination bracket.
The final eight advance to the eCL Finals, which will take place on 7 June 2023 as part of the build-up to the UEFA Champions League final in Istanbul, Türkiye.
Both the eCL champion and runner-up will qualify for the EA SPORTS™ FIFA 23 Global Series Playoffs, with the beaten semi-finalists taking their places in the EA SPORTS™ FIFA 23 Global Series Play-ins, which precede the Playoffs. The top 24 players in the Playoffs qualify for the FIFAe World Cup 2023™.