Bavaria to Fund BFV Football Esports Tournament with 450,000 Euro

Shortly before the start of the UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany, the Bavarian Ministry for Digital Affairs is also supporting an esports tournament planned by the Bavarian Football Association. In addition to the tournament, a roadshow is planned that will also focus on esports and gaming in traditional sports clubs.

During the UEFA Eurp 2024 in Germany, the Bayerische Fußball Verband BFV (Bavarian Football Association) is organising the project "E-Sport trifft auf Fußballvereine im Rahmen der EM 2024" (esports meets Football Clubs during the Euro 2024). The association is now receiving financial support for this project from the Bavarian Ministry of Digital Affairs. The ministry is funding the campaign to the tune of almost €450,000.

The project includes an esports tournament in which players from all over Bavaria will compete against each other. The preliminary rounds, with around 1,000 participants, will take place online. The grand final, featuring 64 players representing different nations, will take place on 13 July at the FC Augsburg stadium. As is usually the case in traditional sports in Germany, the association itself does not speak of esports, but of efootball.

"Football unites and we are incredibly proud to host the world for the European Championship. For those fans who cannot be there in person to cheer on their team, digital tools will help them get a taste of the tournament. At the Bavarian e-sports tournament with the national teams of the European Championship on a central tournament platform, the consoles will light up. I am all the more pleased that we have a proven partner in the Bavarian Football Association, which supports football and club work in both analogue and digital formats. So first football and training on the pitch, then straight to the console. After all, with this project we are also strengthening the work of the clubs in this area," says Dr Fabian Mehring, Bavaria's Digital Minister.

In addition to the esports tournament, a roadshow is planned that will visit ten Bavarian clubs. Not only will there be at least six consoles available to play on, but there will also be an exchange of ideas on media education and youth prevention aspects of esports & gaming. Another aim is to raise the profile of esports & gaming in traditional sports clubs in order to attract more young people to local sports clubs and strengthen active club membership.

"We are looking forward to this great project with the Digital Ministry, which hits the nerve of young people and perfectly reflects the needs of the times. Football is the central anchor that brings everyone together - on the pitch and on the console! We are also consciously taking an educational approach, focusing on education and the correct use of e-football. The European Championship is the perfect opportunity to bring this cooperation to the Bavarian club world," says Christoph Kern, President of the Bavarian Football Association.

Never miss anything from the German, Swiss and Austrian games industry again: subscribe for free to our Daily newsletter and get all news straight to your inbox.