China Embraces eSports Football with National Team Initiative

The Chinese Football Association (CFA) has unveiled plans to create a national eSports football team, aiming to capitalize on the surging popularity of football eSports. This strategic move reflects a shift in focus for a nation that has long faced challenges in traditional football. Players like Zhao Yitang, who recently finished as runner-up in the “eFootball” championship in Tokyo, are hopeful for the future of the game in China.

Zhao, a 21-year-old recent graduate, expressed his aspirations, stating, “If I could join the national team I would go all-out in my efforts for the side.” His achievement in Tokyo marked China’s best international result in the game, previously known as Pro Evolution Soccer, highlighting the potential for success on the virtual pitch. The CFA intends to have its eSports team participate in events organized by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation.

Despite football’s immense popularity in China, the traditional sport has been marred by issues such as match-fixing and corruption. The Chinese men’s national team currently ranks 93rd in FIFA’s global standings and failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. In contrast, eSports football could offer a new avenue for glory, especially as China stands as one of the world’s largest gaming markets.

The challenge remains that, while the country boasts strong players in various eSports titles, football eSports has not yet reached the same level of financial reward. Monaco, a former professional eSports football player, noted the financial struggles, stating, “The prize money is too little. It’s difficult to make a living playing professionally, full-time.” He estimated that even the most successful players could expect to earn around 70,000 RMB (approximately $9,800) annually before taxes, a stark contrast to the lucrative salaries seen in other games like League of Legends or Dota 2.

The lack of commercial viability has led many clubs to abandon their eSports teams. Pan Shuyin, manager of the eSports division for Changchun Yatai, one of the few clubs committed to investing in eSports, pointed out that “the bar for playing soccer games is higher” due to the required knowledge of real-life football. Despite these hurdles, the club aims to attract younger fans through its eSports initiatives.

While Chinese teams have participated in international football eSports tournaments, the nation is notably absent from the upcoming FIFAe World Cup, scheduled for December in Saudi Arabia. Globally, football eSports is gaining traction, with events like the ePremier League and the inclusion of eSports as an official medal event at the 2023 Asian Games.

Zhao, affectionately known as “Ding” or “Teacher Ding” by the eSports community, discovered football video games in 2018 as a means to relax between classes and football training. “If you watch a lot of real-life football matches, or play a lot of real-life football, you will have your own understanding” of how to excel in eSports, he explained.

As China embarks on this new journey into the realm of eSports football, the nation hopes to cultivate a new generation of players and achieve international success, something that has eluded traditional football efforts for many years.