£100k ePremier League returns with EA FC 26 World Championship slot

Jack Stewart, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 12/11/2025

EA Sports and the Premier League have partnered for an eighth season of the ePremier League with a new format for the EA FC 26 version.

The esports event will see players compete for a £100k prize pool and a guaranteed spot at the 2026 FC Pro World Championship.

Registrations to represent one of the 20 Premier League clubs in the next ePremier League season are now open to UK residents aged 16 and over.

Qualifying for the FC Pro World Championship is a big deal, as the 2025 version was held at the Esports World Cup with a $1 million (£761k) prize pool.

Like last year’s ePremier League event, both finalists will earn a place at the eChampions League with the winner also advancing to the World Championship.

This season’s tournament may be easier to win now that Donovan ‘Tekkz’ Hunt has left Manchester City after winning the last iterations of the ePremier League.

Tekkz has now joined RBZL Gaming for EA FC 26 and will presumably represent Red Bull Leipzig in the Virtual Bundesliga instead.

EA’s Head of Esports Monica Dinsmore says: “The ePremier League is a crucial part of the FC Pro calendar.”

“The Premier League is the home of some of the most iconic football clubs in the world, and this competition gives players the opportunity to represent some of football’s biggest teams and experience the best of UK football’s passionate fandom firsthand,” she added.

Will Brass, the Chief Commercial Officer of the Premier League, says he’s also excited for the event:

“Over the last seven seasons, we have seen some incredible storylines developing, with the very best players in the world going up against new and emerging talent.

“We can’t wait to see the drama unfold once again on EA Sports FC 26 and find out who will be crowned this season’s ePremier League Champion.”

Those exciting stories are why PSG and other football clubs are investing in esports teams.

ePremier League 2025/26 schedule and format

Applicants will participate in online Open Qualifiers from November 26th-27th as well as December 3rd-4th and 10th-11th.

Players will climb Club Leaderboards through these qualifiers before competing in the Club Playoffs in January from the 12th to the 30th.

This year will see three new clubs in newly promoted Burnley, Leeds United, and Sunderland.

The winners of the Club Playoffs will then advance straight to the Group Stage (February 28th-March 2nd) to represent their chosen club.

In the Groups, the Player with the highest FC Pro World Ranking in each Club will face the highest ranking player from their opponents and vice versa.

Then, the Knockout Stages will take place on the final weekend, March 28th-30th, to crown the ePremier League 25/26 champions.

Jack Stewart, Senior Editor

In my seven years of esports writing, I've introduced esports coverage to newspapers, interviewed some of the biggest names in the industry, and driven viewers mad with the puns in my YouTube scripts. I'm most proud of the latter.

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