FISU to launch first eSports Challenge Football

23 June 2020

The International university sports federation (FISU) has announced the 2020 FISU eSports Challenge Football, the first-ever international eSports competition for students, which inaugural e-series kicks off the 32-participant tournaments for students playing the FIFA 20 game on the PlayStation 4 platform.

This new challenge will start with group stage matches from July 6-8, followed by final eight eliminations matches which will run from July 9 to July 13 and the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals on successive days, with the men’s and women’s champions crowned on July 16. Selected games from each of the eight competition days will be live streamed on FISU.TV and FISU’s Facebook, Twitch and YouTube channels.

“With over 70 years leading the university sport movement, we move with cautious optimism into the eSports arena. Putting on this pilot project allows us to better gauge the global appeal of virtual sport among students and ensures we move into virtual field of play in a way that directly reinforces FISU’s strategic vision of expanding the role and reach of university sport worldwide”, said Oleg Matystsin, FISU’ President. “We continue to see eSports rapid growth among the youth and university-aged,” said Brazilian NUSF President and FISU Vice-President Luciano Cabral. “As we venture into this new frontier, we walk softly to see whether eSports events can align with FISU’s values, rules and regulations in a way that enhances student’s university experience.”