December 8 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will launch the inaugural AFC eAsian Cup, the AFC’s first esports tournament, coinciding with the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 in January.
The AFC’s first venture into esports, the AFC eAsian Cup aims to engage a new audience of football fans by leveraging the video gaming market alongside the ongoing AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023.
To be played in Doha, Qatar, alongside the Asian Cup finals (January 12–February 10, 2024), the AFC eAsian Cup will be competed for by 20 of the competing finalists.
The AFC said the introduction of the eAsian Cup is expected to contribute to the overall celebration of football within Asia, while signalling the AFC’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and dynamic football community across the continent.
The opportunity for the AFC’s first venture into Esports arose upon Qatar’s taking of the reigns for the 2024 tournament, with former hosts China dropping out due to COVID-19 concerns. Qatar has a strong connection to the growth of eSports.
Competitive Esports has been a growing market across the sporting sector. The esports market worldwide is expected to show an annual growth rate of 8.62%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$5.7 billion by 2028.
Details of the gaming platform and competition criteria are still to be released.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1732499870labto1732499870ofdlr1732499870owedi1732499870sni@g1732499870niwe.1732499870yrrah1732499870
