German FA to welcome esports teams

The German Football Association (DFB) on Friday opened the door for the entry of esports teams. There is one condition though: only the teams focusing solely on football-related content are welcome.

Earlier, Reinhard Grindel, the president of DFB, had rejected esports as a sporting activity. But now the organisation said it would accept teams that engage in football games, but not with any violent or shooting games.

The DF statement further said: “That is why the engagement of the (regional) associations will only be limited to football-related games and formats. Condition for DFB membership of esports clubs is the necessary recognition by the respective regional sports federation and the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB).”

Esports, the competitive side of electronic gaming, has quickly attracted hundreds of millions of players worldwide, becoming a market worth about a billion dollars a year.

The German football federation is the world’s largest national football association with 6.8 million registered members.

It may have forced Grindel to change his opinion. He now says: “If football-related games act as complementary to the sport at the club, and can get some people down to the clubs, then that has our support But our first aim remains… to get kids and young people to actively play football.”

Germany has a strong esports community as well as several top professional teams.

The DFB’s decision comes a day after the International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said that games with violent or discriminatory content would not be considered for the Olympic Games.

The IOC is eager to integrate esports into the Games to tap into a new and dynamic market.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, Editing by William Maclean)

Source: Reuters