FIFAe Finals locked in for 2025 & 2026 with expanded global format

FIFAe have confirmed that their flagship esports event, the FIFAe Finals, will return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for both 2025 and 2026.

Taking place from December 10–19, 2025, the tournament will once again crown world champions across three separate titles: Rocket League, and eFootball on both console and mobile platforms.

After drawing record-breaking engagement in 2024, the decision to return to Riyadh underscores Saudi Arabia’s growing footprint in global esports, with the Saudi Esports Federation (SEF) continuing as the official presenting partner.

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The move is also closely tied to the country’s Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to diversify their economy and enhance cultural investment — including world-class esports.

“The fan feedback after last year’s event was incredible,” said Christian Volk, FIFA’s Director of eFootball & Gaming.

“Confirming the FIFAe Finals for two more seasons and integrating free-to-play titles are significant steps in building a truly global and accessible football esports ecosystem.”

What’s new for 2025?

The 2025 FIFAe Finals will host three standalone tournaments:

• FIFAe World Cup featuring Rocket League
• FIFAe World Cup featuring eFootball (Console)
• FIFAe World Cup featuring eFootball (Mobile)

Each event will feature expanded national team representation. The eFootball console and mobile tournaments will each host 12 national teams — 11 from qualifiers and one host nation. Meanwhile, the Rocket League edition will feature 16 national teams competing in group stages before entering a knockout format.

Open global qualifiers for the eFootball tournaments will begin months in advance and include local and regional activations, with developer Konami confirming a wide-reaching effort to increase participation through a more inclusive entry path.

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“We are focused on creating an exceptional experience for players and fans alike,” added Meshal Alqabbani, Products Executive Director at SEF.

“Hosting the FIFAe Finals through 2026 reinforces our Kingdom’s ambition to lead in global gaming and esports.”

Audience growth & global reach

FIFAe’s multi-title strategy paid dividends in 2024, with the finals achieving record peak viewership, according to Esports Charts:

• eFootball Console: 422,245 viewers
• eFootball Mobile: 77,222 viewers
• Rocket League: 276,319 viewers

The Rocket League event was won by Saudi Arabia, while Indonesia claimed the console eFootball title and Malaysia emerged victorious in the mobile category, highlighting the global diversity of champions in this rapidly evolving ecosystem.

What’s next for FIFAe?

While prize pools for 2025 have yet to be revealed, the event promises to continue FIFAe’s mission to grow digital football across various demographics and platforms.

Top esports betting sites will open betting markets in the lead-up to the events; however, player registration and details for national qualification pathways are available via FIFA.GG.