Virtual Bundesliga International Series set for Spring 2020 start

eFootball

With the growth of eSports in the last few years, the Bundesliga seeks to remain ahead of the curve with the establishment of the Virtual Bundesliga International Series.

Set for a March 2020 launch, the VBL International Series is an eFootball tournament seeking to discover the best gamers in the world, starting off with the Regional Qualifiers across Asia and the Americas.

In partnership with Battlefly, regional qualifiers will take place in several stops, including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Brunei, Cambodia, Singapore, East Timor, Vietnam, and the Philippines in Asia, as well as Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Peru, and the United States in the Americas.

Outstanding players in the Regional Qualifiers will be entered into the VBL Continental Qualifiers scheduled for April 2020. Set to run as an offline event in an undisclosed location in Asia and the Americas, participants will be kitted up in an official Bundesliga club jersey and will represent said team for the rest of the competition, which is the VBL International Final set to take place in Germany in May 2020.

Lucky finalists will have a once-in-a-lifetime experience to not just play and compete, but also meet professional Bundesliga and VBL players, visit select Bundesliga clubs, and experience one of the most exciting football leagues in the world, in-person.

The Bundesliga is a pioneer in the eSports landscape, being the first football league to launch an eFootball tournament in 2012. From its simple beginnings, the Virtual Bundesliga has now expanded into the German VBL Open, the VBL Club Championship, and the VBL Grand Final, which is an Official Licensed Qualifier and awards points as part of the FIFA 20 Global Series ecosystem. The VBL also touts its track record of over a hundred thousand participating online gamers every season.

Bundesliga International CEO Robert Klein shares, "Nobody does eFootball like the Bundesliga. Whilst the last seven years have already been amazing, the last three years have really seen the VBL grow internationally with big tournaments in Chile, Malaysia or India. In season 2018/19 the VBL International Series Qualifier included participants from 12 countries, over 10 hours of Virtual Bundesliga action broadcasted across Asia and over 150.000 viewers. The VBL International Final was covered live by 6 Bundesliga broadcasting partners in over 10 countries. Together with professional teams and fan driven competitions, alongside our gaming partner EA Sports, we have brought something new and fun to the table, something bigger and better than before – ‘eFootball As It's Meant To Be’!"

Digital Innovations at DFL Group Executive Vice President Andreas Heyden adds, "Combining the online and offline world of football, the VBL International Series merges the passions of a new generation of gamers and Bundesliga fans around the world. This competition is yet another milestone in the Bundesliga’s success story of establishing a leading global eSports competition, an asset that further confirms the Bundesliga’s reputation as football’s innovation leader."