October 9 – Konami has tripled the prize pool for its 2027 eFootball Championship and expanded the World Finals, a chunky push for a competition trying to keep pace with rivals EA Sports’ established FC Pro circuit.

Taking place on Konami’s free-to-play eFootball title, the 2027 eFootball Championship will carry $300,000 in prize money, up from $100,000, while the number of World Finals places has grown from 16 to 24 in both the console and mobile divisions.

That takes the combined finals field to 48 players and gives Konami a much broader competitive structure after a record 45 million players entered qualifying last season.

The season will again be split between the Club Event and the worldwide Open, but Konami has added Local Events across individual countries and territories, with winners qualifying directly for the World Finals.

Its Club Event is still built around its small pool of partner teams including Barcelona, Manchester United and Inter – where club winners will be invited on a stadium and matchday trip with their respective teams, adding another layer of incentive.

EA’s rival FC Pro 27 circuit is already underway online, with its Open Ladder completed earlier this month and regional qualifying taking place this weekend. The first major in-person gathering comes in London from November 5-7, when 64 players will contest the FC Pro Open Global Qualifier for 16 places in the live competition.

EA is operating on a different financial scale. FC Pro 27 has $2.5 million in prize money across the season, including $1 million for the World Championship alone. The Open itself carries a $533,000 purse.

That leaves Konami with ground to make up commercially, even if eFootball can point to a huge participation base and the added reach of its mobile competition.

Last season’s World Finals underlined that global spread, while the new Local Events are designed to give more players a direct route on to the main stage rather than relying solely on the central Open and club competitions.

The 2027 World Finals are scheduled for next summer, with the host still to be confirmed.

Three times the prize money and a 50% increase in finalists marks a clear escalation from Konami to keep pace with EA’s FC Pro machine, which is already rolling towards London next month.

Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]