EA Sports presents new format for 8th season of ePremier League
19 November 2025
The start of the eighth season of the ePremier League, a big moment every year for esports in the UK, is still a few months away, but the start of the Online Qualifiers is not. As a matter of fact, the first Online Qualifier is set to take place on Wednesday, 26 November 2025, in about a weeks’ time at the time of writing, with a further five days of Online Qualifiers being played between then and 11 December 2025.
In preparation of the ePremier League 2025 – 2026 season, EA Sports recently opened registration for all EA FC26 players based in the United Kingdom. With that announcement, the developer also shed more light on the new format that will be introduced for the coming season. The 8th season of the ePremier League will see players compete for a £ 100.000 prize pool and a guaranteed spot at the 2026 FC Pro World Championship for the first time.
£ 100.000 prize pool
Since its inaugural season in 2018, the ePremier League has grown into a powerhouse in terms of esports events in the UK. And this year, EA Sports and the Premier League have decided to spice things up even further by introducing a prize pool with a total worth of £ 100.000. The organisers have not yet revealed the spread of the prize money, but we do know that, on top of the money, the winner of the 2026 ePremier League also earns a starting ticket for the prestigious 2026 FC Pro World Championship.
“The ePremier League continues to evolve, offering fans an exciting way to represent their favourite Premier League clubs in our official esports tournament”, says Will Brass, Chief Commercial Officer of the Premier League, “Over the last seven seasons, we have seen some incredible storylines developing, with the very best players in the world going up against new and emerging talent. We can’t wait to see the drama unfold once again on EA SPORTS FC™ 26 and find out who will be crowned this season’s ePremier League Champion. Once again, the tournament will reach a climax with two weekends of live action streamed across Premier League digital channels and global broadcast partners.”
3 new sides
As you probably know, the ePremier League consists of the twenty teams that are active in the real-life Premier League in the same season. As a result, there are three new sides added to the competition every season, compared to the season prior. This season, the promoted sides are Burnley FC, Leeds United and Sunderland FC, who will all feature in the 2025 – 2026 ePremier League as well.
“The ePremier League is a crucial part of the FC Pro calendar, and we are delighted to welcome it back for an eighth season”, says Monica Dinsmore, Head of Esports at EA, “The Premier League is the home of some of the most iconic football clubs in the world and this competition gives players the opportunity to represent some of football’s biggest teams and experience the best of UK football’s passionate fandom firsthand.”