Team Liquid Partners With Sunderland AFC for ePremier League

Team Liquid and English football club Sunderland AFC have entered into a strategic partnership to compete in the eighth season of the ePremier League, an esports tournament circuit centered on the EA Sports FC title. This collaboration aims to bolster Sunderland AFC’s global engagement and innovation efforts by integrating professional esports talent into the club’s competitive portfolio.

The partnership features Team Liquid players Paulo Neto and Gabriel "Young" Freitas, who will represent both organizations during the tournament. As part of the agreement, the players will wear special edition co-branded jerseys while competing for a total prize pool of £100,000, approximately $135,000 USD. Success in this circuit also provides the players with opportunities to qualify for the eChampions League and the FC Pro World Championship.

The competition, which begins on February 28, 2026, involves a group stage consisting of 40 players from 20 teams participating in a round-robin format to determine qualifiers for the knockout bracket playoffs. While the financial terms of the partnership remain undisclosed, the move signifies a broader trend of traditional sports clubs leveraging established esports organizations to reach new demographics and expand their digital footprint.