FIFA Interactive World Cup reaches one million players

Gamers think playing the game improves their sport awareness

Posted on Mar 21, 2012 - 4:05pm EST

The FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC), the virtual football tournament, has surpassed one million players participating.

Following the first ever FIWC in 2004, the tournament has grown significantly and in 2011 secured its place in the Guinness World Records as the largest online gaming tournament in the world. This year's FIWC has already attracted over 130,000 more players than last year’s event, tipping it over the 1 million player mark for the first time in the tournament's history.

As part of the celebrations, FIFA has surveyed more than 10,000 registered players in the tournament. The survey revealed that 46% believe that participating in the FIFA Interactive World Cup has improved their understanding of football tactics when it came to the real game. 23% of players credit the FIWC with improving their skill and 17% were convinced it gave them better awareness of other players on the pitch.

The FIFA Interactive World Cup is a virtual football tournament organised by FIFA and its presenting partners EA SPORTS and PlayStation. Players compete against each other either online or offline to qualify for the Grand Final, the final tournament where the FIWC World Champion is crowned and receives the prize money of USD 20,000 as well as an invitation to the FIFA Ballon d’Or to meet the biggest football stars in the world.