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KONAMI ANNOUNCES NEW ITALIAN ESPORTS TOURNAMENT COMING TO eFootball™

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Konami Digital Entertainment B.V. announced the launch of a brand new esports tournament – the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’. This is a new tournament based in Italy which will see the integration of eFootball™ partner clubs, their youth players, professional esports players, and – most importantly – their fans.

What is the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’?

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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.

 

Seven eFootball™ partner clubs to be involved

KONAMI is delighted to announce that all seven of its eFootball™ partner clubs based in Italy will be taking part in the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’. These will include AC Milan, AC Monza, AS Roma, Atalanta BC, FC Internazionale Milano, SS Lazio, and SSC Napoli.

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How the 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.

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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 KONAMICI will take place only on Playstation®4 and Playstation®5 devices and will be free-to-play.

 

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Tournament Schedule

The ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’ is a new form of esports competition with many different elements coming together to bring it to life. The qualification and selection for club representative squads and then the consequential tournament will occur in stages between December 2022 and April 2023.

The KONAMICI qualification phase will commence in February, allowing all seven participating clubs to gain their fan representative with final knockouts concluding by the end of March 2023.

Once each of the clubs has confirmed its three-person team, there will be an offline Group Stage phase where the clubs will play each other to determine their positions in their respective groups. This will be broadcast from the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’ studio. This stage will affect the draw for the knock-out phase at the Grand Finals weekend later in April.

Finally, with group positions secured, clubs will be drawn against each other for the Quarter Finals. From here, it will be a straight knock-out tournament with two Semi Finals, a Third-place play-off (between the two clubs who lose their respective Semi Finals), and a Grand Final.

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The Grand Finals weekend will be an offline, live event hosted at Napoli ComicCon on the weekend of the 22nd-23rd April.

The victorious club will take home a Grand Prize including a specialised eFootball™ multi-media and gaming centre to be installed at their youth training complex.

Throughout the tournament, there will also be a set of episodes of what is to be known as ‘eFootball™TV’ available on the official eFootball™ Youtube channel, recorded in the aforementioned ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’ studio.

These will include analysis and highlights from the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’, interviews with the players, appearances from partner club players and legends, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes perspective giving fans an all-access view into how eFootball™ works and how the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’ was brought to life.

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Aquisitions/Mergers

The Chiliz Group acquires OG Esports, reuniting with original co-founders to launch new era

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  • Chiliz Group acquires 51% of OG Esports, investing to grow the team, expand operations, and strengthen fan and player engagement.

  • Xavier Oswald, a former co-founder and shareholder of OG, becomes CEO, while OG co-founders Johan “n0tail” Sundstein and Sébastien “Ceb” Debs launch a new strategic project consolidating the team’s competitive foundation.

  • Socios.com becomes the exclusive platform for $OG Fan Tokens, $OG will act as the showcase for blockchain-based utility.

The Chiliz Group, the world’s leading blockchain provider for the sports and entertainment industry and operator of Socios.com, today announced it has acquired a 51% controlling stake in OG Esports, one of the most iconic and innovative names in global esports.

Founded in 2015 by legendary Dota 2 players Johan “n0tail” Sundstein and Sébastien “Ceb” Debs, OG is the first team in history to win back-to-back titles at The International. Since then, OG has expanded into Counter-Strike, Honor of Kings and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, building one of the most successful and culturally significant organisations in esports.

OG has a track record of delivering a fan-driven culture through innovation and launched the $OG Fan Token in 2020. The $OG Fan Token recently became the first esports Fan Token to surpass a $100 million market capitalization, driven by surging global demand for digital fan assets. Having delivered exclusive voting rights, VIP experiences, merchandise, and direct access to the team for fans worldwide, $OG represents a thriving $100m+ digital fan economy.

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As part of the acquisition, Xavier Oswald will take on the role of CEO of OG, guiding the organisation into its next chapter, while co-founders Johan “n0tail” Sundstein and Sébastien “Ceb” Debs will lead a new strategic project consolidating the team’s competitive foundation, driving innovation at the intersection of esports and Web3.

At the same time, Socios.com will become the exclusive wallet and engagement platform for $OG Fan Tokens, establishing $OG as the flagship example of the new fan economy. The token will now showcase how fan assets can evolve – serving as the blockchain layer for tickets, merchandise, in-stadium perks, and digital content, while also integrating real-world assets and club revenues through mechanisms like buybacks to deliver deeper influence and tangible value to supporters.

Through The Chiliz Group’s global network of more than 80 leading sports properties, OG will now be able to expand into new countries and markets, building a larger international footprint and new commercial opportunities. Backed by the financial strength of a global group, OG will become more resilient and sustainable, ensuring long-term stability while focusing on what matters most: players, fans, and innovation.

More details about the acquisition will be released in the coming weeks.

“OG has always been about community and innovation, and since 2020 it has demonstrated that Fan Tokens can create genuine economic value and meaningful engagement,” said Alex Dreyfus, CEO and Founder of Chiliz. “With a $100 million fan token economy already established, OG represents the perfect case study for what’s truly possible when we place Fan Tokens at the centre of the fan economy. This acquisition allows us to showcase the next evolution – Fan Tokens 2.0.”

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“This marks the start of a bold new era for OG,” said Xavier Oswald, incoming CEO of OG. “With Chiliz as our majority partner, we can scale our teams, grow our global community, and unlock a new dimension of engagement through the $OG Fan Token. We’ve always believed that fans should be at the centre of everything we do, and now we have the tools and the backing to make that vision a reality.”

“With Chiliz, we share a common vision based on strong values: passion, transparency, and the power of communities.” said Johan “N0tail” Sundstein, co-founder and historic figure of OG Esports. “From winning back-to-back Internationals to competing against OpenAI Five in a world-first showcase of human-AI collaboration, OG has always been about pushing boundaries. This alliance will allow us to stay true to our identity while continuing to grow.”

“This agreement marks the beginning of a new competitive cycle,’ added Sébastien “Ceb” Debs, two-time world champion with OG. “We want to once again become a major force on the international stage and inspire a new generation of players and fans. With the support of Chiliz, we now have the means to build an ambitious and sustainable project.”

The post The Chiliz Group acquires OG Esports, reuniting with original co-founders to launch new era appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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eSports

Global Esports Federation Launches its Innovation & Research Centre in Athens

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The Global Esports Federation has launched its Innovation & Research Centre (IRC) in Athens, Greece, in collaboration with Socialinnov, a non-profit organisation dedicated to digital empowerment and social entrepreneurship.

The GEF Innovation & Research Centres are envisioned as collaborative spaces where technology, creativity and innovation converge to unlock human potential in the digital era. They will anchor forward-looking programmes that connect esports with education, wellness and opportunities in adjacent industries.

The Athens IRC anchors this global network, strengthening local ecosystems, enabling cooperation across regions and expanding opportunities in esports, gaming, technology and entertainment.

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Thanos Karagrounas, GEF Chief Impact Officer, said: “The launch of our Innovation & Research Center in Athens is a milestone in the GEF’s journey to shape an inclusive and impactful future for esports. By combining Socialinnov’s deep expertise in digital empowerment with the GEF’s international network, we will unlock new opportunities for innovation, education, and investment – with people at the center of everything we do.”

“We are proud to partner with the Global Esports Federation to bring the GEF Innovation & Research Center to Athens. This collaboration reflects our mission to empower individuals and communities with the skills and tools needed to thrive in the digital age. Together, we will cultivate new pathways for youth, educators, and entrepreneurs to engage with technology, esports, and innovation on a global scale,” said Stella Psarrou, Director, Socialinnov.

Leveraging Greece’s growing digital ecosystem and Socialinnov’s expertise in education, youth empowerment and SME support, the Athens IRC will serve as a platform to develop strategies, programmes and investment opportunities focused on responsible gaming, holistic wellness and sustainable career pathways in esports and beyond.

The post Global Esports Federation Launches its Innovation & Research Centre in Athens appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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eSports

EEF Strengthens Ties with Paralympic Leaders

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The European Esports Federation (EEF) has strengthened its ties with the Paralympic leaders. On September 2, EEF Secretary General Łukasz Klimczyk and Board Member Karol Cagan, held a meeting with Mr. Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and Mr. Tomas Varga, Executive Committee member at the European Paralympic Committee (EPC). The meeting took place at the headquarters of the Slovak Olympic Committee, following official celebration of 30th anniversary of the Slovak Paralympic Committee.

Discussions focused on exploring opportunities for closer cooperation between EEF, IPC and EPC, particularly in the areas of competition, prevention and educational initiatives. EEF remains committed to strengthening partnerships that support the values of inclusion, fair play and the development of parasport across Europe.

Importantly, esports offers unique opportunities for athletes with disabilities by removing many of the physical barriers present in traditional sports. With accessible technologies and adaptive solutions, esports can provide a level playing field where performance depends primarily on skill, strategy and teamwork.

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The post EEF Strengthens Ties with Paralympic Leaders appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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