The FIFA 22 Epremier League Finals start this weekend with 40 British players who attract the jerseys of the 20 Premier League clubs to fight a shortening of £ 100,000. While this prize money and the revised format are enough to look forward to it, this year’s EPL Finals will mark a significant moment for some of the established British professional players – a return to live events.

As the Covid-19 pandemic forces the entire ecosystem online, players will finally go back to the stage at the Epremier League Finals. While this will be the first taste of a LAN event, it could also feel like some of the participating FIFA Esports veterans – it is more than two years ago since the last LAN event for British players eligible was.

Tom Stokes, who represents Watford, was on the rise before the pandemic stop the FIFA Global Series in her tracks. After mixed fates in the online era, Stokes now wants to return to where he was once.

“I missed [Live Events] a lot,” he says The PC Player 24. “[BEFORE THE PANDEMIC] There was a whole series of events, and I was away almost once a month to participate in competitions. It was a big part of what makes the competition so pleasant. Clear when [LANS] went away, it became much harder, motivated to stay and hold. From today’s perspective, it looks like we would compete more and more personally against each other, so I’m looking forward to starting [with the Epremier League]. “

Similarly, Everton’s representative Jas Singh, who participated in two of the last Fifa Lans in front of the pandemic. He says the return of the Epremier League to live events was a “great motivation factor” for him this season after being a somewhat difficult phase in the online era.

“Since then [Live Events Ended] It feels like it would have been a little moment for the FIFA eSports,” he says. “It’s unbelievable to finally be back. The feeling of playing from home does not approach the thrill of standing in an arena, with all the nerves and momentum you can get the live game. I am looking forward to.”

One of the true veterans of the FIFA eSport, the World Champion of 2017, Spencer “Gorilla” Ealing, is also pleased to come back to the stage to participate in competitions – this year for the Spurs.

“[Throughout the Pandemic] We had many online tournaments, but it’s never the same,” says Gorilla and repeats Singh’s opinion. “It’s hard to explain the difference, you have to have experienced that yourself. But they have the additional pressure of the transmission, which people watch, they face their opponent from face to face – that is the overall package that flows into a LAN event that it simply lifts to another level [Compared to] online Tournaments. I am looking forward to the EPL Finals, it gets big. “

Marc Marley from Brighton has made a name for himself thanks to the Epremier League and has participated since the beginning of every repetition of the tournament. The EPL 2019 was its first FIFA ESPORTS LAN, and a second place in 2020 brought him to the map. He says he is “excited” to return to the stage, and hopes that this is a turning point for the FIFA ESPORTS scene after a difficult online phase.

“Competition FIFA needs live events,” says Marley. “Every ESPORT does it, but FIFA special. In recent years, the numbers in my opinion have fallen something – it is also more difficult for players to show their personality [in online tournaments]. Having support for live events is great, and I can guarantee pretty sure that the audience numbers will rise. “

While the increased prize pool of £ 100,000, the new format and the ability to represent Premier League clubs, convincing reasons for participating in EPL finals, it could be the most convincing of all to be back on stage.

The final of the FIFA 22 Epremier League will take place this weekend from 26 to 27 March. You can track the action live on all social or content channels of the Premier League EA Sports Fifa Twitch Channel or on Sky Sports and the YouTube channel of Sky Sports.