International esports organization Team Liquid and English football club Sunderland AFC announced a partnership on Friday that will see the organizations team up to compete in EA Sports FC’s ePremier League.
Financial terms of this new partnership were not disclosed.
Paulo Neto and Gabriel “Young” Freitas, both EA Sports FC players for Team Liquid, will represent both Sunderland AFC and Team Liquid in the UK’s EA FC tournament circuit.
These players will also wear a “special edition Team Liquid x Sunderland AFC jersey” during the event as they compete for a share of the £100,000 (roughly $135,000 USD) total prize pool and a chance to qualify for the eChampions League and the FC Pro World Championship.
“Our partnership with Team Liquid marks an exciting step in Sunderland AFC’s commitment to innovation and global engagement,” said SAFC Chief Business Officer David Bruce. “This collaboration allows us to represent the Club in a rapidly growing competitive space while engaging with a new generation of supporters. Paulo and Young are exceptional talents, and we look forward to seeing what we can achieve together in the ePremier League.”
Team Liquid x Sunderland AFC will make its first appearance on Feb. 28, when the ePremier League begins its eighth season. The group stage will see 40 players from 20 teams compete in round-robin matches to qualify for the knockout bracket playoffs.