The inaugural European Games Esports Championships will gather esports athletes and teams from all over Europe for a thrilling competition in two popular esports titles: eFootball 2023 and Rocket League.
Come June, the esports athletes will compete in parallel with 7,000 athletes from 48 countries at the third edition of the European Games in Kraków and the Małopolska region of Poland. This year’s EGE23 is bringing a whole new dimension of competition and entertainment to both players and fans.
The Global Esports Federation and the European Olympic Committees have scheduled that the competition will run from June 30th to July 2nd. The International Congress Center (MCK) in Katowice is also set to become the epicentre of digital competition and will be a landmark event in the region’s sporting calendar.
Aurelia Ruetsch, GEF board member and chair of the EGE23 Coordination Commission said, “Having been part of the team at the inaugural European Games Baku 2015, I am thrilled to see another first with the EOC as we convene top-level esports competitions alongside traditional sports, celebrating youth culture in the heart of Europe.”
The Open and Women Categories for eFootball 2023 and Open Category for Rocket League at EGE23 will allow esports athletes from across the continent to compete for national glory.
Growing esports in Europe
Chris Chan, president of the GEF said, “We are delighted to see esports in this prestigious event – the European Games. The #EGE23 is a significant milestone in the development of esports in Europe. It’s a joyful celebration of youth, esports, and sport all together.”
In addition to the esports competition, EGE23 will also feature the GEFestival, a vibrant celebration of esports’ inclusive culture that’ll include games, music, and entertainment. GEFcon, an international convention which brings together prominent figures and innovative thinkers from the worlds of business, esports, sport, and technology on a global platform for knowledge sharing and learning will also be featured.
Spyros Capralos, EOC president commented, “The Esports Championships is an extraordinary addition to the European Games lineup and underscores the progressive vision of the diversity and inclusivity of the sports world, highlighting the common ground they share in terms of dedication, strategy, and the pursuit of excellence. We are delighted to collaborate with the Global Esports Federation on the first of many planned initiatives.”
Isa Muhammad is a writer and video game journalist covering many aspects of entertainment media including the film industry. He's steadily writing his way to the sharp end of journalism and enjoys staying informed. If he's not reading, playing video games or catching up on his favourite TV series, then he's probably writing about them.
