For the eChampions League, too, the final destination is Hungary. But who gets to travel there will be decided beforehand in Manchester.
Last year, the eChampions League culminated in Munich. In 2026, the venue for the final round is also linked to soccer: Budapest, Hungary. While the pros of the real-world sport compete at the Puskas Arena, the virtual trophy will be contested at HUNGEXPO. The grand final takes place on May 27, three days before the match on the real field. UEFA announced this on Monday.
First Manchester, then Budapest
A total of eight players can qualify for Hungary—determined through two preliminary tournament phases. First up is a league phase with 36 participants from May 15 to 16. Each player will play six matches against different opponents.
The top 8 qualify for the round of 16 in the knockout phase the following day, while players ranked 9th through 24th must compete one round earlier. All tournament days will take place at Dock 10 in Manchester.
Yilmaz Defends His Title
Like the ePremier League, eLigue 1, LaLiga FC Pro, and eSerie A, the Virtual Bundesliga is offering four qualifying spots. Who secures these spots will be decided at the Grand Final on April 18 and 19 in Hamburg.
The defending champion in the eChampions League is Emre Yilmaz. Playing for Real Sociedad, he defeated then-RBLZ Gaming pro Anders Vejrgang in the 2025 final to secure the trophy for the second time. For Jonas Wirth, who won the title in 2024, the run ended in the quarterfinals.
It has not yet been announced how much additional prize money is up for grabs. Yilmaz received $75,000 in 2025. A total of $281,000 was in the prize pool.