MLS and esports players face off in video game action for COVID-19 relief

TORONTO — MLS players and their esports counterparts are taking part in an esports tournament to support COVID-19 relief efforts.

The eMLS Tournament Special will feature 16 teams including Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps, each fielding a player and esports representative. They will meet in single-elimination EA Sports FIFA 20 play.

The five-episode competition starts April 19 with the Chicago Fire taking on FC Cincinnati and Los Angeles FC facing Los Angeles Galaxy with the aggregate winners facing off. The four weekly winners will square off in the championship tournament May 17.

The matches will be played remotely with the MLS and eMLS players competing from home.

The two Canadian teams will be in action May 10 when Toronto FC midfielder Marky Delgado takes on Vancouver defender Erik Godoy and TFC’s Phil (PhilB94) Balke plays Whitecaps esports gamer counterpart Alex (Exraa) Gonzalez-Aldana.

The winner of the all-Canadian series will meet either Atlanta United or Orlando City SC to see who moves on to the final week.

Other players slated to take part are Paul Arriola (D.C. United), Francisco Calvo (Chicago Fire), Adama Diomande (Los Angeles Galaxy), Franco Escobar (Atlanta United), Diego Fagundez (New England Revolution), Javier (Chicharito) Hernandez (LAFC), Sean Johnson (NYCFC), Wan Kuzain (Sporting Kansas City),  Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Tyler Miller (Minnesota United), Nani (Orlando City), Fafa Picault (FC Dallas), Memo Rodriguez (Houston Dynamo) and Kendall Waston (FC Cincinnati).

MLS Works, the league’s social responsibility platform, and Fox Sports will make a donation on behalf of the winning club to Feeding America, with MLS also supporting Food Banks Canada.

The tournament has yet to announce a Canadian broadcast home.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 13, 2020.

The Canadian Press