An increased prize pool, a possible title defence and more in the best facts on the Virtual Bundesliga Grand Final by bevestor.

1 – Umut “RBLZ_Umut” Gültekin is the man to beat as the defending champion from 2021. The RB Leipzig man won the title last season and is out to repeat the feat again in 2022.

3 – There will be three spots available for the EU Regional Playoffs in the FIFA Global Series – the step before the FIFA eWorld Cup.

6 – The VBL trophy weighs 6kg, compared to 11kg for the Bundesliga Meisterschale.

10 – This Grand Final brings a close to the 10th season of the Virtual Bundesliga by bevestor. Germany’s individual eFootball champion has been crowned in this event since inaugural winner Kevin “KevinAssia” Assia in 2012/13. There have been nine different winners so far.

16 – Half of the 32 competitors will be playing on the Xbox Series X/S, while the other 16 will be on the PlayStation 5. Eight players qualified for both via the Swiss Rounds.

Watch: How the VBL Grand Final works

27 – All bar five players represent a club in the Bundesliga or Bundesliga 2. Two of those five are part of eSport clans, while the other three are free agents or amateurs.

32 – There are 32 players competing in this year’s VBL Grand Final. Half of the field qualified via the VBL Club Championship, while the other 16 came through the VBL Open Playoffs.

50 – The VBL trophy was designed in the style of the Bundesliga Meisterschale and has been presented as a challenge cup to the winners of the VBL Grand Final since the 2019/20 season. It has a diameter of around 50 centimetres and is made of aluminium on the inside. The surface has an anthracite look, and all the names of the previous champions in eFootball (the first final took place in 2013) are immortalised on the cup by engraving.

87 – A total of 87 match-ups will be played (72 in the Swiss Rounds and 15 in the knockout phase). A match-up consists of two legs. It means 174 games will take place on the finals weekend across 4 and 5 June.

2019 – The COVID-19 pandemic means it’s been three years since the VBL Grand Final took place with spectators. The 2022 event at XPOST in Cologne will therefore be the first since 2019 with a crowd.

100,000 – The prize pool for the VBL Grand Final by bevestor was €45,000 last season. There’s now €100,000 to play for this year, with €40,000 going to the winner, €20,000 to the runner-up and €7,500 to third and fourth. The remaining money will be split amongst the rest, with €3,250 going to places five to eight, and €1,500 to ninth through 16th.

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