Alright listen up folks, because it’s about to get real.
EA SPORTS is bringing the FIFA 17 FUT Qualifier Premier Series to New York City this Thurs., Mar. 2, in an action-packed slate featuring some of the country’s top FIFA 17 talent. The MLS March to Soccer Challenge will feature high-profilegamers repping MLS teams and battling for gold at the brand new adidas Brand Center, at 565 5th Ave. in midtown Manhattan.
Elite FIFA 17 players will represent one of each of the following eight MLS teams in the qualifier: Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, New England Revolution, Portland Timbers, Toronto FC, LAFC, San Jose Earthquakes, and the Philadelphia Union. Their performance will determine whether or not they can lock up their spot in this month’s EA SPORTS FIFA FUT Premier Series Finals in Vancouver.
Representing the Chicago Fire will be legendary FUT YouTuber and dope mustache-haver Edwin Castro, better known online as Castro1021. He boasts a killer competitive record and a knack for flair. You might also recognize Castro from his appearance at last summer’s AT&T MLS All-Star Weekend. He’ll be facing Colorado Rapids representative Bernardo Polvo-Romero, aka MrESTRINO, in what is sure to be the most intense match-up of the first round.
Polvo-Romero locked up a spot in the Regional Finals by winning the eCOPA Coca-Cola Finals in New York City last November. Castro may have the bigger brand, but Polvo-Romero might just have the edge based on a kind of home -ield advantage.
Don’t expect Bernardo to be the only up-and-comer to make his name at this tournament, though. Every one of these players brings more than enough talent to the table. No matter what happens, it’s gonna be lit.
Other first-round matches include Portland vs. New England, Toronto vs. LAFC, and San Jose vs. Philadelphia. Here are the gamers representing each of those MLS teams:
- Portland Timbers - Nick Mars, Marsbars11
- New England Revolution - Marc Shauffer, Hallucination
- Toronto FC - Yeico Cavazos, DonnaBeast
- LAFC - Martin Oregel, FIFAkillers xII
- San Jose Earthquakes - Shadii Daher, Ghost Buster 664
- Philadelphia Union - Sebastian Javela, SEBAS21193
After that first round, things heat up right away with a pair of semi-final showdowns leading up to the big dance. The winner of the two-legged final will get bragging rights and a trip to the Regional Finals. Not a bad gig at all.
The best part? All the action will be streamed live. Head over to twitch.tv/easportsfifa on Thurs., Mar 2, starting at 7 pm ET to watch the whole tournament unfold!
