France Crowned Rocket League World Champions as FIFAe Finals 25 Redefine the Future of Football Esports

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — The FIFAe Finals 25 concluded with a landmark moment in global esports, as France claimed the FIFAe World Cup featuring Rocket League, cementing its status as the world’s leading football-esports nation and bringing a spectacular eight-day celebration of competition, culture, and digital sport to a close.

Held from 10 to 19 December 2025 at Riyadh’s state-of-the-art SEF Arena, the FIFAe Finals 25 represented the most ambitious edition of the tournament to date — both in scale and global reach — and showcased FIFA’s rapidly expanding vision for esports as a pillar of football’s future.

🇫🇷 France’s Defining Moment on the World Stage

France’s Rocket League trio — Zen, Vatira and Juicy — delivered a commanding performance throughout the competition, culminating in a decisive final victory over host nation Saudi Arabia, the reigning champions. Their triumph reflected not only individual brilliance but also tactical cohesion, adaptability under pressure, and elite mechanical skill — hallmarks of top-tier Rocket League competition.

The victory marked a historic milestone for France, reinforcing its dominance across football esports disciplines and highlighting the country’s deep talent pipeline and competitive infrastructure in gaming.

🎮 A Festival of Football Esports Excellence

The FIFAe Finals 25 went far beyond a single championship. Over the course of the event:

  • 250 matches were played across multiple titles
  • USD 450,000 in prize money was contested
  • 94 nations participated in the qualification pathway
  • Millions of fans engaged via live streams, social media and in-arena experiences

Three world champions were crowned, reflecting the diversity and inclusivity of football esports:

  • France — FIFAe World Cup featuring Rocket League
  • Poland — FIFAe World Cup featuring eFootball™ Console
  • Thailand — FIFAe World Cup featuring eFootball™ Mobile

This multi-title format underscored FIFAe’s ambition to unify football esports under a single global framework while embracing different platforms and player communities.

🌍 National Identity Meets Digital Competition

Unlike traditional club-based esports tournaments, FIFAe’s national-team structure introduces a powerful dimension of identity, pride and representation. Players compete not just for personal glory or organisations, but for their countries — a format that mirrors FIFA’s traditional competitions and resonates deeply with fans.

FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström described the event as a reflection of football’s evolving ecosystem, noting that FIFAe Finals 25 connected “the next generation of fans with the world’s game through competition, culture and technology.”

🏟️ Riyadh as a Global Esports Hub

The successful hosting of FIFAe Finals 25 further strengthened Saudi Arabia’s position as a global esports destination, aligning with the Kingdom’s broader strategy to become a leader in gaming, digital entertainment and international sporting events.

Packed arenas, immersive fan zones and high-production broadcasts demonstrated how esports events can rival traditional sports in atmosphere and engagement — particularly when supported by national representation and world-class infrastructure.

🚀 FIFAe and the Future of Football Entertainment

France’s Rocket League triumph comes at a pivotal moment for FIFAe. As football’s governing body expands its digital footprint, esports is increasingly viewed as:

  • A gateway to younger, digitally native audiences
  • A platform for global participation beyond physical barriers
  • A complementary pillar to traditional football competitions

By integrating Rocket League and eFootball into its official ecosystem, FIFA is redefining how football is played, watched and experienced in the digital age.

🏆 More Than a Trophy

France’s victory at FIFAe Finals 25 is more than a championship win — it symbolises the maturation of football esports into a globally respected competitive arena, where skill, strategy and national pride intersect.

As the final trophy was lifted in Riyadh, FIFAe Finals 25 closed not just a tournament, but a defining chapter in the evolution of football entertainment — one where esports stands firmly alongside the world’s most beloved sport.

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