Virtual Bundesliga Shifts Open Championship to FC 27’s PEGI 16 Ultimate Team
The Bundesliga is shifting its open qualifier for the German eFootball singles championship into the Ultimate Team mode of EA Sports FC 27, as announced on October 5. This change integrates the league’s open entry pathway into the card-pack system that has contributed to the game receiving a PEGI 16 rating.
The competition, now called the VBL Player Championship, kicks off on October 28, replacing the previous VBL Open format. The league’s website described VBL Open for the 2025-26 season as “a free in-game mode in EA SPORTS FC 26” where “all players and teams have the same overall rating (95-rated mode).” In the revamped format, players will compete using their own Ultimate Team, constructed from Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga players, while representing one of the 36 clubs.
The qualifying structure is also changing. Instead of the previous model that allowed for “up to 60 games per month,” the Player Championship will feature four ladders, each lasting about a week, running from October 28 to November 3, November 25 to December 1, and January 27 to February 2, with the final ladder concluding on March 2. The top 15 players from each ladder will advance to playoffs scheduled for April 3-4.
The grand final is set for April 16-17, 2027, at XPERION Hamburg, featuring 16 spots—eight for players from the VBL Club Championship and eight from the Player Championship playoffs. The prize pool remains at €100,000 EUR ($112,250 USD), the same as last season, where the champion took home €40,000 ($44,900). Both finalists will qualify for the FC Pro World Championship.
This transition places the league’s open competition within a segment of the game that has drawn scrutiny from rating bodies and regulators. PEGI has rated EA Sports FC 27 at 16, citing “Paid random items” due to the ability to purchase loot boxes. In contrast, its predecessor, EA Sports FC 26, holds a PEGI 3 rating, although it shares the same descriptor. PEGI began applying new criteria for games with paid random items in June and announced on October 6 that it would be re-evaluating a selection of digital-only games rated PEGI 3, 7, or 12 to PEGI 16.
In Germany, the rating system differs. The USK rates EA Sports FC 27 as suitable for ages 12 and older, highlighting increased purchase incentives and pressure to continue playing, while also noting in-game purchases that include random items. German law does not classify the packs as gambling, and EA sells FC Points in most regions except Belgium and South Korea. A ruling from Austria’s Supreme Court in December 2025 dismissed a claim that Ultimate Team packs constituted illegal gambling, stating that the mode should be evaluated as a whole. However, there is growing pressure in Germany, with the Bundesrat requesting the federal government to review regulations on loot boxes, including mandatory age verification for those 18 and older.
Valve has taken a more stringent approach in Germany with Counter-Strike 2, allowing players to open cases only after previewing their contents. EA has yet to implement similar changes for Ultimate Team.
In a statement, Felix Rentschler, Head of Virtual Bundesliga, confirmed that the minimum age for participating in the VBL Player Championship is 16, aligning with the international PEGI rating for EA SPORTS FC 27. He noted that players under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at offline events. This age requirement is consistent with the previous VBL Open, which also mandated players to be at least 16 and residing in Germany. The new competition is open to players aged 16 and older who are residents of Germany, as well as international players contracted to Bundesliga or 2. Bundesliga clubs competing from Germany.
Rentschler mentioned that the mode will primarily utilize Bundesliga player items from EA SPORTS FC 27 Ultimate Team, with squad restrictions set by the Bundesliga to ensure fair competition among participants. He did not clarify whether players could use cards obtained from packs or purchased with FC Points, nor did he specify the nature of the restrictions. In the Club Championship, each club can nominate two players from its actual squad as “VBL Power Items” rated 99. Details regarding the Player Championship format will be released closer to the start date.
Rentschler explained that the move to Ultimate Team reflects the actual playing habits of the EA SPORTS FC community, allowing players to engage in the VBL directly within their familiar gaming environment. Monica Dinsmore, Head of Esports at EA, emphasized that the redesign aims to provide a clear and fair path for competitors at all levels.
However, not everyone agrees with this approach. Tobias Meyer, head of editorial at a gaming outlet, criticized Ultimate Team as “the absolute opposite of a fair competition,” arguing that players with limited time or resources will struggle to build competitive teams.
The league has not disclosed participation numbers for VBL Open. Rentschler stated that they have set targets for the new mode based on previous years, but specific figures will not be made public.
Legal challenges regarding loot boxes have emerged in other regions, including a court order against Riot Games in Brazil and a lawsuit by New York’s attorney general against Valve.
Uncertainties remain regarding whether cards from paid packs will be permitted, the specifics of squad restrictions, entry fees, eligible platforms, and the number of participants in recent VBL Open seasons.
The Bundesliga has streamlined access to its championship for players already engaged in Ultimate Team. The lingering question is whether a national title determined through a mode centered on paid card packs will still be regarded as the most equitable path to the Bundesliga’s eFootball stage.
