EA and Premier League return to China with mobile esports showcase

Electronic Arts (EA) and the Premier League have joined forces to launch the second edition of ePremier League China.

The finals of the FC Mobile tournament, which will take place in Shanghai from January 10th to 11th, aims to bridge the gap between professional football and China’s gaming culture.

The tournament actually commenced with online qualifiers throughout December 2025, with the top 128 players competing across three rounds to determine the 20 players who will represent each Premier League club during the Grand Finals.

20 players are paired with an influencer from China’s sporting and gaming industries and will compete across a range of matches to determine the eventual champion. According to a release, ePremier League China ‘combines strategic depth with entertainment value’ via ‘tactical and operational’ gameplay.

The winner of ePremier League China receives $1,500 (~£1,112) in prize money, with the runner-up securing $1,000 (~£741).

Fans can attend the event free of charge and experience a variety of activations running alongside the event. Those taking part in activations hosted by the Premier League and EA can win a range of prizes, alongside taking part in giveaways.

The ePremier League made its Chinese debut in 2021, becoming the circuit’s first event to take place outside of the UK. In 2025, Tencent continued to host FC Online events, attracting some of the country’s biggest organisations.

Alongside ePremier League China, EA and the Premier League will host a UK-based version of the event using EA Sports FC 26 as the title. Players representing the 20 football clubs will compete for a £100,000 prize pool and guaranteed places at this year’s FC Pro World Championship.

The Group Stage takes place from February 28th to March 1st, with the Finals taking place on March 29th as top players compete for a chance to win one of the biggest EA FC tournaments within the FC Pro circuit.