EA Sports, the makers of the video game series Fifa, have announced plans to broadcast matches between some of the biggest names in world football in a newly devised 'Stay and Play' cup on Fifa 20.
The knock-out tournament will feature 20 clubs, including Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Benjamin Mendy are two players signed up for the online competition, which takes place from Wednesday 15th April to Sunday the 19th, with games streamed on Twitch and discussions about a TV broadcast on Sky Sports believed to be ongoing.
In the absence of real life football, Premier League players have been challenging each other to widely watched clashes online, with Michail Antonio losing to Ryan Sessegnon in a match organised during the coronavirus lockdown and hyped across their, and their clubs', social media platforms.
La Liga held a Fifa tournament won by Real Madrid's Marco Asensio, raising £133,000 to help with the ongoing battle against coronavirus, watched by an audience of one million online. Over 170,000 people watched Asensio beat Aitor Ruibal of Leganes 4-1 in the final.
EA says the purpose of the tournament is "encouraging people to connect through gaming with friends and family during this challenging time".
They will also will donate $1 million to Global Giving’s Coronavirus Relief Fund to support the ongoing COVID-19 relief efforts as part of the tournament
“We are not only committed to supporting coronavirus relief efforts, but also bringing even more ways for football fans to engage with the sport they love in the coming weeks,” said Simon Thomas, Chief Commercial Officer at FIFA.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com