Video game producer EA has revealed that the EA Sports FIFA 19 Global Series eSports competition generated more than 680 million minutes watched, a 60 per cent annual increase and 61 million total views, a 25 per cent year-on-year increase.

The FIFA 19 Global Series featured 17 official league partners (versus eight last season), the launch of the first-ever eChampions League in collaboration with UEFA and the introduction of the FIFA eNations Cup.

“The continuous increase in viewership underlines the huge interest in competitive FIFA and the importance of esports in the ongoing growth of football across the world,” said Christian Volk, Director of eFootball and Gaming at FIFA.

The FIFA 19 Global Series Playoffs will commence with the Xbox One ladder on July 5th in Hamburg, Germany, with the PlayStation 4 bracket taking place from July 12th in Berlin.

The top 128 FIFA 19 players in the world will seek to secure places at the 2019 eWorld Cup.

Brent Koning, FIFA’s competitive gaming commissioner, said: “We’re thrilled to see a global community rally around the EA Sports FIFA 19 Global Series in such monumental ways. Our partnerships with FIFA, UEFA and 17 world-class football leagues elevates our connection to the traditional sport driving unprecedented player and spectator engagement.”