The competitive gaming league, which launched in 2018, will feature 27 professional players, each representing an MLS club, and includes a record-setting US$75,000 prize pool.

Competition will take place on EA Sports’ FIFA 22 title and be played exclusively on Sony’s PlayStation 5, marking eMLS’ debut season on the console.

Kicking things off will be the eMLS Leagues Series One, hosted by FC Cincinnati, on 15th and 16th January. The eMLS Leagues Series One, hosted by Chicago Fire, will take place from 29th to 30th January. The eMLS Cup, which will again be hosted at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Texas, will be held on 13th March.

If ongoing pandemic conditions allow, next year’s eMLS will see a return to in-person competition hosted at MLS club stadiums and local concert venues in Cincinnati, Chicago and Austin.

Next year’s campaign will also see all participating clubs stream each of their season qualifying matches on their respective official social channels for the first time, providing up to 350 hours of live coverage. Additionally, fans will be able to tune in via MLS’s official app and website, as well as the league’s Twitch and Twitter accounts.

“Coming off our most successful season yet with record-breaking viewership, the 2022 eMLS season will see the return of some of the top EA Sports FIFA players in the world, with live competitions taking place in the heart of our MLS communities,” said Camilo Durana, MLS’ senior vice president of properties and events.

“eMLS continues to enhance and build our relationships with fans through accessible, exciting, and intense competition, which is why we’re thrilled to expand our coverage and return to live events this upcoming season.”