eFootball

The DFL has had a pioneering role in eSport – and eFootball especially – for many years. One of its aims here is to acknowledge the growing relevance of the sport and to attract fans of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 all over the world. Back in 2012, the DFL became the first professional football league in the world to have its own eFootball competition when it launched the VBL in partnership with EA SPORTS. The Virtual Bundesliga (VBL) remains to this day the only competition of a professional league to be integrated directly in the EA SPORTS FIFA game series. In 2018, in addition to the single-player competition, the VBL Club Championship with clubs from the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 was launched. The DFL has also been cooperating with ESL Gaming, the world’s largest eSport company since 2020. With its expertise in building up and expanding ecosystems in conjunction with digital sport, the DFL would like to further develop and professionalise the VBL.