UEFA announces new Champions League esports football tournament

UEFA announced a new esports Champions League for players to compete against one another to represent their favorite clubs at a final in Madrid; Harrisburg University launched a new esports training facility for its teams and students; and more happened this week in esports.

UEFA eChampions League

The new esports ePremiere League for professional football clubs in the UK will be kicking off next year, but the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has teamed up with FIFA to also give players the opportunity to represent their own clubs. The new tournament will see a final held in Madrid on May 31 next year, a day ahead of the Champions League final.

According to a BBC report, online knockout tournaments will take place in March with a total of 64 players progressing to a qualifying event held live in April. Eight players who play through the live qualifiers will represent their clubs at the final in Madrid. The total prize pool available is $280,000 and it's open to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 owners.

Peek inside an esports training facility

Harrisburg University in Pennsylvania, U.S., unveiled a new training facility dedicated to esports development. PennLive journeyed on campus to take a look at the new facility. The university already has three esports teams, which will share the newly developed space with students.

The facility houses 30 HP Omen PCs, 17 monitors, gaming chairs, high-speed internet, as well as space for coaches and squads to discuss tactics. It's yet another sign of universities around the world taking esports seriously, offering ways for students to look at career paths within the scene, be it on stage, in front of the camera or behind the scenes.

In other news, New England College in Henniker, U.S. is considering the creation of an esports team.

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