'FIFA' esports league reveals changes to 2020 season format
FIFA and EA say player and fan feedback drove the changes.
After two eWorld Cups, FIFA and Electronic Arts are tweaking the competition for a new season. To start, EA says it's simplifying online qualification with a new "Friendly Competition" mode. Taking a page from professional soccer, this mode will see teams and individuals play two games to determine who goes through, with aggregate goals determining the winner in case of a split series.
Moving forward EA is allowing both teams and individual players to stream their group stage games. In this way, hardcore fans will be able to watch their favorite players through every single game they play.
The biggest change, however, is that more professional leagues (and by extensions teams) plan to take part in the competition. Some of the more notable organizations that will compete this year include Germany's Bundesliga, Spain's La Liga and Major League Soccer (MLS), which includes teams from both the US and Canada. Lastly, EA is expanding the Global Series Playoffs to include the top 64 competitors from both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One for a total of 128 playoff spots. Last year, only the top 60 competitors from both platforms had the chance to play for the top prize.
The EA Sports FIFA 20 Global Series starts on November 8th when the first of six FIFA Ultimate Team competitions EA plans to hold this season kicks off.
