The Esports Foundation has officially announced that this year’s Esports World Cup will host a special event—an EA Sports FC 26 showmatch featuring star striker Karim Benzema.
The legendary former Real Madrid and France forward, who currently plays for the Saudi club Al-Ittihad (scoring 17 goals in 24 appearances last season), will face off against professional esports players. The event is scheduled to take place on July 26 in Paris.
Notably, his former teammate and Saudi Pro League rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, was recently announced as an official ambassador for the Esports World Cup.
Involving world-class footballers in exhibition matches has already become a signature tradition for the Esports World Cup:
Benzema's exact opponent has yet to be confirmed, but the showmatch is set to take place on the same day as the grand final of the Diogo Jota FC Pro World Championship Trophy.
This year, the FC Pro Championship tournament has been renamed in honor of the late Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, who was renowned for his deep passion for gaming and esports.
During the finals, the world’s top 36 EA Sports FC 26 players will battle for the world champion title and the lion's share of a $1.5 million prize pool. This tournament will mark the final official esports event for EA FC before the highly anticipated release of the next installment, EA Sports FC 27.
Previously, Ukraine's CS2 national team roster confirmed.
