The next big event on the Road to FIFAe World Cup is coming up with the European Playoffs of the EA Xbox One FIFA 21 Global Series about to take centre stage, July 2-4 2021. With playoffs in East Asia, West Asia, North America and South America already complete, the action has been frenetic between the combatants playing for big prize pools and spots in the FIFAe World Cup.
Not only the play has been fierce, so too has been the betting action. As one of the most popular game console games series in the world today, the FIFAe World Cup attracts enormous global betting attention as the burgeoning popularity of eSports betting explodes and FIFA eSports betting at the highest level is no different. With the global eSports betting industry size projected to grow from its current $7.7 billion USD annual figure to more than $18.5 billion USD annually by 2026, the number of online betting sites available to place your wagers is growing exponentially year-on-year.
The best betting sites available to you will always hinge on where you are located in the world. In many states of the USA and other mature online eSports betting markets like the United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden and France betting on eSports is legal and regulated, and placing a wager can be enjoyed safely and securely. The sites are usually accessible on any platform with a secure internet connection and web browser, although in this day-and-age, the best online eSports betting sites now offer download apps for your smartphone and tablets. The apps allow you to have an online eSports bookie at your fingertips anytime, anywhere.
How the Europe Playoffs work
Simply reaching the regional playoffs on route to the FIFAe World Cup is difficult enough. Each region has a set number of qualifiers and as one of major regions, Europe has 5 Qualifiers on each of the FIFA 21 platforms, PlayStation, and of course, Xbox One.
Run through November 2020 to April 2021, each of the 5 FIFAe World Cup European Region qualifying tournaments were run as Tier 2 double elimination events, with each event boasting a $50 000 USD pool. More than 500 players took place in each event and players were seeded based on their FIFA 21 Global Series points.
Looking at the qualifying champs that have made it through to the European Xbox playoffs:
- Qualifier 1 – (28 November to 13 December 2020) – German champ Lefti representing the Borussia e-Sports team defeated countryman, Koray, who plays professionally for the Team Vertex.
- Qualifier 2 – (9 to 23 January 2021) – Taking out the $15 000 USD first prize was Germany’s DullenMike representing the NEO team, successfully holding off the challenge Israel’s NEissaT14 of the NOM Gaming Team.
- Qualifier 3 – (6 to 20 February 2021) – Yet another great German player, Musti, won victory for his FC St Pauli professional outfit over Sweden’s Ollelito from the legendary Ninjas in Pyjamas team (sponsored by leading betting site Betway).
- Qualifier 4 – (6 to 20 March 2021) – Predator rounded out another victory for a German player for his VfL Bochum 1848 team over the aforementioned DullenMike.
- Qualifier 5 – (10 to 24 April 2021) – Breaking the German stranglehold for victories in the qualifiers, France’s LPeixoto of the Atlantide Wave professional team successfully held off the challenge of Sweden’s OpTolle of IFK Goteborg.
Winning and/or placing in the lead up events will have gained the participants big qualifying points and, of course, the betting sites will have those players as some of the favourites in the betting markets once they open. Number 1 European-ranked player Marcuzo from Denmark is expected to start overall favourite.
Unlike the qualifiers, the European Playoffs of the EA Xbox One FIFA 21 Global Series will be considered a Tier 1 event. As such, only the Top 64 players in the points rankings will be invited to compete to earn the right to represent Europe in the FIFAe World Cup, not to mention chance to win a share of the $400 000 USD prize pool on offer.
Upcoming FIFAe World Cup Details
Of course, all participants in European Playoffs of the EA Xbox One FIFA 21 Global Series will be looking to earn their place to participate in the FIFAe World Cup. Come 6 to 8 August 2021, the top 32 players in the world representing the European, East Asian, West Asian, North American, South American and Oceania regions will do battle in the Tier 1 event, aiming for World Cup glory and a share of the $500 000 USD prize pool. Watch for odds for the FIFAe World Cup to be released with your favourite online betting site after the European playoffs have been completed.
