I've never been one for live sport (or sport of any kind, for that matter), but my heart genuinely aches for all the events that have been postponed or outright scrapped due to the current global crisis. This is an unprecedented time, and what we all really need is a dose of normality. I'm told that normality, for most people, involves watching sport.
For that reason, it's been really rather wonderful to see various sports go ahead in the virtual space. Just last month, both NASCAR and F1 drivers started tearing it up in the world of video games for the entertainment of themselves and others. The former is so popular that it's actually being broadcast by Fox.
Not to be outdone, the English Premier League is now getting in on the fun by bringing football to the virtual world - and it's bringing a number of high-level players and celebrities with it. The ePremier League Invitational tournament will, in lieu of any real games give us the chance to watch the Premier League's 20 teams duke it out in FIFA 20 (what else?).
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"The draw for the inaugural ePremier League Invitational tournament has been made as players and celebrity fans from all 20 Premier League clubs prepare to battle for supremacy," reads a post on the official Premier League site. "Representatives from each team will go head-to-head in EA SPORTS FIFA 20 throughout this week, and the draw for the knockout competition has thrown up some exciting ties."
Each team will be represented by one player or celebrity, so look out for the likes of Diogo Jota (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Todd Cantwell (Norwich City), Ryan Fredericks (West Ham United), and Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace). Meanwhile, Manchester United will be represented by musician Tom Grennan.
You can check out the full draw here to see what exciting digital games await. The opening rounds kick off today (April 21st) from 12pm (UK time). There'll be four matches a day until Friday, April 24th which will all be available to watch via the Premier League website and app, as well as its YouTube, Facebook and Twitter channels.
After that, the televised semi-finals and final will be available on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League in the UK at 15:00 BST on Saturday, April 25th. The prize fund is being donated to the #PlayersTogether initiative, a new scheme put together by Premier League players as "a collective way of generating funds for the National Health Service and distributing them where they are needed most".
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So, to recap: watch football, stay in, and help out the NHS in more ways than one. Even I can find fault with this, and football bores me to tears, so get involved!
Featured Image Credit: EA