The top eight Brazilian FIWC players will go head to head at Fluminense’s historic old stadium, Estádio das Laranjeiras on April 24 in the FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC) Brazil Qualifier for the honour of representing Brazil at the 2014 FIWC Grand Final.
Estádio das Laranjeiras is the venue where the Brazilian national team played their first ever match, in 1914, and also where the Seleção secured their first ever title, the South American Championship, back in 1919. The venue will now host the FIWC Brazil Qualifier, bringing the modern world of the FIWC to the traditional home of Fluminense.
Ralph Straus, FIFA’s Head of Strategy and Brand Management, said:
“Many of Brazil’s greatest players have graced the turf at the Estádio das Laranjeiras and now we’re going to see some of Brazil’s greatest FIWC players follow in their footsteps. It is the perfect location to host such a prestigious tournament and with one place in the FIWC Grand Final on the line, we’re expecting a very competitive tournament.”
Alexandre Vasconcellos, Marketing Manager for FC Fluminense, said:
“For Fluminense it is an honour to be part of this event. The FIFA Interactive World Cup is, in our eyes, one of the biggest and most organized relationship platforms between football entities and a young and broad audience. Connecting history and technology is to make past, present and future a real experience for all.”
The Grand Final will see the 20 best FIWC players battle it out, with the winner landing USD 20,000 and an invitation to the Ballon d’Or, as well as a legitimate claim to being the best interactive footballer in the world. Last year’s champion, Bruce Grannec, automatically qualifies and another 18 spaces are given to online qualifiers from around the world. This leaves one spot for the winner of the Brazil Qualifier and all 8 competitors will be desperate to secure their spot at the Grand Final in Rio de Janeiro. The full list of 8 qualifiers will be announced later this week.
The FIWC is organised by FIFA and its presenting partners EA SPORTS™ and Sony PlayStation® and is recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest online gaming tournament. It is an official FIFA tournament that gives football fans the chance to live out their passion for football and to interact with other fans around the world. Participants from every continent battle it out to qualify for the Grand Final, where the FIWC champion is crowned.
