DFL and Electronic Arts Revise Competition Mode of Virtual Bundesliga

At the start of the new season of the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL), the DFL and Electronic Arts have made numerous adjustments to make the competition more open and exciting. But there are also some constants: 35 teams are competing in the VBL.

The start of the new season is scheduled for October 16. From then on, the 35 teams from the national leagues will compete against each other in the next season of the Virtual Bundesliga. And that brings with it numerous changes.

“With the restructuring of the VBL Club Championship by WOW, we are consciously taking the next step in the development of this competition. The new competition structure ensures that everything remains possible for all clubs until the very end," says Felix Rentschler, Head of Virtual Bundesliga at the DFL.

“The VBL represents the pinnacle of soccer eSports in Germany, and we are very excited to see a new format in this competition,” said Monica Dinsmore, Head of Esports at EA. “It has been great to work with the DFL to further develop the competition and create an outstanding event for our players and fans in the region.”

Specifically, the competition will change from a division-based format to a system with a total of five qualifying tournaments. One such offline showdown is planned each month, preceded by an online qualifier. At the showdowns, teams can earn points for an overall standings table. The top eight teams will qualify directly for the finals. The teams ranked 9th to 24th will play in the playoffs for the remaining spots in the final. The final will then be played for a prize pool of almost €90,000.

The game mode has also changed. The 2 vs. 2 mode will be abolished and replaced by two 1 vs. 1 games, the results of which will be added together for the matchup.

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