The final list of players for the first ever FISU eSports Challenge Football has been confirmed, with the line-up including a large contingent of players from EUSA member federations.

In these unprecedented times where many university sports competitions have had to either be cancelled or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FISU last month launched an all-new FISU eSports Challenge Football tournament, which will be played by gamers across the globe online, in the comfort and security of their own homes.

The inaugural 2020 Challenge takes place on the virtual pitch of FIFA 20 from 6-16 July, with one participant from selected FISU member federations represented their country in the online event. There will be a total of eight action-packed days with 32 male and 12 female players battling it out in two separate tournaments.



The women’s field has strong representation from Asia, with Malaysia, India, China, UAE and Saudi Arabia all involved, while in the men’s competition, nine of the 32 competitors are from Europe, closely followed by Asia with eight.



Following the draw for the inaugural event, the 32 men and 12 women participants were allocated to eight groups in the men’s draw and two groups in the women. The men’s groups have four players, while the two women’s groups have six players each. This is how the groups line up:

The selection for this event was competitive, as certain nations and regions including South Africa, Peru and Oceania organised full-fledged Qualifying Tournaments, either national or continental, specifically for the event.

“We continue to see eSports' rapid growth among the youth and university students,” said FISU Vice-President Mr 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 students’ university experience.”

Matches will be streamed live, with English commentary on YouTube, Facebook, Twitch and FISU.TV twice per day, at 14:00 CEST (12:00 GMT) and 22:00 CEST (20:00 GMT).

For more information, schedules and results, please click here.