(Photo by Joosep Martinson – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
UK-based FIFA esports organisation and community database Futwiz have finished runners-up at the FIFAe Club World Cup 2023 after a close final.
UK FIFA players Ethan ‘EthxnH’ Higgins and Jacob ‘NiKSNEB’ Benskin of Team Futwiz Europe (pictured above with esports manager and creator Denman) received their $150,000 Visa prize after finishing second to RBLZ Gaming – RB Leipzig in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
RBLZ Gaming – RB Leipzig (a team composed of Umut, the champion of the FIFAe World Cup 2022, and Vejrgang, the youngest ever FIFAe Club World Cup champion) took home the trophy and $300,000 in prize money. They won the final 3-2 at the FIFAe Club World Cup 2023 presented by Gamers8.
The 2v2 competition ran from July 6th to 9th 2023 featuring a $1m prize pool overall.
“This one hurts, I feel like we had a good game but it wasn’t quite enough. Looking back I can be proud of where we got because this was not our best level. Huge shoutout to NiKSNEB for being a great teammate.”
EthxnH, Futwiz
The partnership between FIFAe and Gamers8 has seen a total prize pool of $3m for all three competitions – the FIFAe Club World Cup 2023, plus the upcoming FIFAe Nations Cup (starting on July 11th) and FIFAe World Cup (starting July 16th).
In the final, RB Leipzig took an early lead with a goal at the 30-minute mark of the first leg. Futwizresponded quickly, but a beautiful pass from Umut set up Anders to score, bringing the game to 2-1 at the first half of the first leg.
RB Leipzig played solid defense in the second half, leaving no opportunities for Futwiz to score. With a tied score of 1-1 in the second leg, RB Leipzig won the match with an aggregate score of 3-2.
Other UK talent at the tournament included Tekkz at Fnatic and Shellzz and Ryan at Man City, all three of whom didn’t manage to progress from the group stage. UK player Stingray at Atlantide Wave reached the quarter finals.
FIFAe Club World Cup 2023 final reaction – ‘the Futwiz players can be proud’
Futwiz said on their Twitter account ‘the boys have been unbelievable all tournament and we couldn’t be prouder’.
EthxnH said: “This one hurts, I feel like we had a good game but it wasn’t quite enough. Looking back I can be proud of where we got because this was not our best level. Huge shoutout to NiKSNEB for being a great teammate.”
NiKSNEB said the loss ‘feels awful’, but that he ‘appreciates all the support and kind messages – means a lot’.
Coach Denman added that the Futwiz players showed why they belong on the biggest of stages:
Dan, CEO and co-founder of Futwiz, commented: “The best team throughout the competition won – congrats to RBLZ Gaming. I’m immensely proud of our players, the whole team. Incredible work throughout the season, we’ve got something really special going.”
“We are proud to be able to continuously raise the stage for our clubs and players and it’s always amazing to see organisations like RB Leipzig rise to the occasion,” said Adrian Rölli, Head of eFootball at FIFA on the FIFAe Club World Cup 2023 and final.
“This was a spectacular start to what will be the biggest FIFAe Finals we’ve ever had. Congrats to the players, coach and club on an amazing victory and setting the tone for the rest of the event.”
“Of course we are happy that we won the money, but the trophy is so important for us three,” said Anders Vejrgang of RB Leipzig. “Everyone knows that we are the best team, and we were finally able to prove it.”
Related article: Strong showing for England’s Lisa Manley at first-of-its-kind FIFAe women’s esports bootcamp
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
