Time spent playing Madden or FIFA soccer on gaming platforms may lead to some expanded competition opportunities for high school students across the state. The Kentucky High School Athletic Association announced Thursday, in partnership with PlayVS, an expansion of its recognized varsity title offerings for the Spring 2021 e-sports season.
The expansion will include FIFA 21 and Madden NFL 21 for the season. The latest additions bring the number of sanctioned games for KHSAA athletes to five, joining the KHSAA’s previous offerings of League of Legends, Rocket League and SMITE.
Officials with the KHSAA note that amid continued COVID-19 concerns, and with traditional sports reworking their infrastructure, the value of e-sports is evident now more than ever as it provides high school students a safe extracurricular environment in which to compete.
Two of the most popular sports titles in the world, FIFA and Madden feature real professional football and soccer players on their actual professional teams. EA’s long-running sport simulation franchises represent all of the excitement gamers know and puts them in the center of the action.
How PlayVS’ FIFA & Madden Leagues will work:
– High school FIFA and Madden teams will compete in PlayVS High School leagues for KHSAA-sanctioned varsity competition
– Teams will be made up of three players. Teams will play three 1v1 matches, and whoever wins the best-of-three series will be declared the winner;
– Schools can register an unlimited number of teams. – – Top teams at the end of the season will advance to playoffs and compete for a KHSAA championship.
The spring regular season starts the week of March 1 with FIFA matches played weekly on Tuesdays and Madden matches on Thursdays.
High Schools can now sign up and register teams at PlayVS.com.
