Virtual Bundesliga to be enshrined as additional competition in DFL statutes

14 December 2021 – At the DFL Members Assembly on Tuesday, the clubs of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 resolved that the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL) is to be enshrined as an additional competition in the statutes of DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga e.V.. This resolution is intended to further professionalise and establish the eFootball competition. As a next step, the DFL will prepare the corresponding integration of the Virtual Bundesliga into the statutes for resolution by another DFL Members Assembly in the coming months.

In 2012, the DFL became the first professional football league to have its own eSport competition by launching the VBL in close cooperation with EA SPORTS. The competition is also directly integrated into the EA SPORTS FIFA game series. The VBL has enjoyed steadily growing popularity since its launch, with around 130,000 participants taking part last season.

In 2018, the decision to launch the VBL Club Championship with the clubs of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 in addition to the VBL Open competition for individual players was taken in response to the increasing popularity of the VBL, the growing relevance of eSport in general and the DFL’s focus on football simulation games. The two competitions are brought together, first in the VBL Playoffs and then in the VBL Grand Final. The DFL has also been cooperating with ESL, the world’s largest eSport company, since 2020. With its expertise in building up and expanding ecosystems in conjunction with digital sport, the DFL would like to further develop and professionalise the VBL.

Further information on the competition: virtual.bundesliga.com