eFootball launching brand new esports tournament, the “Coppa eFootball Italia”

Konami has announced a new eFootball tournament in the world of esports, and it’s focussed on Italy and the partner clubs within.

The developer says that this eFootball Italia is focused on “partner clubs, their youth players, professional esports players, and – most importantly – their fans”. And rather than try to explain it myself, here’s the official word on what the tournament is:

The ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’ represents a new esports venture for Konami and the football simulation gaming arena. The tournament will see the integration of three different players forming a team to represent each of the competing clubs. These are: A selected Youth team player; A professional esports player currently part of their existing squad; A club fan who wins an online qualification tournament.

This unique team composition of elite and grassroots esports players alongside the youth selection sees a melding of club representatives unlike anything seen on the current football simulation esports landscape.

There will be seven partner clubs from Italy taking part, as follows: AC Milan, AC Monza, AS Roma, Atalanta BC, Inter Milan, SS Lazio, and SSC Napoli.

Here’s how the actual competition will work:

Prior to the seven clubs taking each other on for the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’ title, there be the selection processes for their three representatives.

Firstly, each club will hold an internal esports tournament between their Youth team players to determine a representative. This will come alongside a seminar from the Konami eFootball Activations team providing an insight into the ever-evolving world of esports and video gaming.

Secondly, there will also be an internal tournament at each club between their respective esports players to determine who will represent them as part of the tripartite.

Thirdly, eFootball will run an online in-game tournament for all gamers within Italy called the ‘KONAMICI’ this will be an Italian-only event within eFootball 2023. Players can register to compete online with the tournament lasting two weeks in total.

Players do not have to have played eFootball prior to this and can participate with no experience of the game. Each club fan can register online and select the club which they hope to represent.
From here, they will play a minimum of 30 online matches against fellow club fans, collecting points as they progress before the online ranking determines the top representatives.

The top ranked fans from each club will then progress to a club specific fan knock out bracket, also played online. The winning fan representative for each club will thus complete the three-part team alongside the Youth team and esports players who will go on to represent their respective club in the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’.

It’s worth noting that the tournament will only be taking place on PS4 and PS5 (still free to play elsewhere, however), and that the winner will be able to represent their club in an “internationally broadcast esports tournament but will receive a series of unique experiences and prizes from both KONAMI and their chosen club”.

eFootball 2023 is out now, and free to play on all formats.