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USL Phoenix Rising FC

Six-Week Tournament to Feature Bracket Play, Promotion and Relegation Across Three Divisions

April 30, 2020 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release


PHOENIX, Ariz. - Two Phoenix Rising FC defenders are gearing up to compete alongside two local fans in a FIFA20 tournament beginning this Monday, May 4.

The USL eCup: FIFA20 Edition will feature 32 clubs from across the USL Championship and USL League One. The six-week, two-on-two tournament will feature bracket play and promotion/relegation across three divisions. Two Phoenix Rising FC fans will represent the club alongside (virtually) the team's top FIFA20 players, which will be revealed tomorrow.

This is the second esports competition created by USL during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative provides an outlet for Rising FC's competitive group and entertainment for its engaged fan base. Phoenix Rising FC will be using this platform to promote Local First Arizona, a local nonprofit helping small businesses navigate the implications of COVID-19. Local First Arizona is doing all it can to support small, local, and independent businesses during these uncertain times.

Every game of the USL eCup: Rocket League Edition will be streamed live on Twitch, the world's leading live streaming platform for gamers, allowing fans to interact with teams and players throughout the action. Coverage will also be available on USLChampionship.com and USLLeagueOne.com following the teams and players throughout the event. This tournament is not affiliated with or sponsored by Electronic Arts Inc. or its licensors.

EA Sports' FIFA franchise has been arguably its most successful globally, and over the past decade has been credited with helping build the profile of international and domestic soccer in North America thanks to its accessibility and playability both on consoles and online.

The 32 clubs from the Championship and League One will each be randomly assigned a premier international squad to compete with throughout the tournament. They will then initially square off in Week 1, beginning on May 4, to earn the right to be placed in Division A, Division B or Division C, with an elimination bracket giving every team a chance to secure their place in the top division.

Through this initial bracket, 12 teams will be placed in Division A and Division B with the remaining eight being placed in Division C. Seeding for the divisional brackets that will make up the remainder of the competition will be determined by the previous week of action.

At the end of Week 2, the four teams that advance to the Semifinals in both Division B and Division C will earn promotion to Division A and Division B respectively, while the four teams that are eliminated in the Play-In Round of the bracket in Division A and Division B will be relegated to the division below.

Additionally, points will be earned each week by the clubs that claim victory in their respective brackets. The top eight teams in the opening week's bracket will earn between 1,000 and 200 points based on their respective finishes. Following that, 1,000 points will to the weekly champion in Division A, 500 points to the winner of Division B and 250 points to the winner of Division C. Each of the top four teams in each Division will receive points toward their overall total, while teams that are relegated will be deducted points in the overall standings.

The club that finishes with the most cumulative points at the end of the five weeks of competition will be crowned the overall winner of the USL eCup: FIFA20 Edition.


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