First-of-its-Kind Free-to-Play, Card-Based, AI-Powered Soccer Simulation Game is Backed by Lionel Messi’s Play Time, Officially Licensed by FIFA and FIFPRO
(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Matchday, the developer of innovative mobile games for football’s five billion fans, has debuted its newest title, Matchday Champions. Today, the game is in early access globally, and it is celebrating with the limited-time “Copa Alexia x Céline,” a one-of-a-kind in-game tournament hosted by Spanish football World Cup Champion Alexia Putellas, and the immensely popular Belgian influencer Celine Dept.
Backed by Lionel Messi’s Play Time fund, Alexia Putellas, and other industry legends in sports and games, Matchday Champions is a one-of-its-kind experience. The game allows players to collect, craft and manage their own dream squad made up of both men's and women's players. It delivers the excitement of football using a cutting edge narrative creation engine, ensuring no two matches are ever the same. More than two million people have already pre-registered ahead of launch. Matchday Champions is now available in early access globally for iOS and Android phones.
Players who download the game can sign up to participate in the Copa Alexia x Céline, beginning on September 20. Hosted by World Cup champion, two-time Ballon d’Or winner and UEFA Women's Player of the Year Alexia Putellas and influencer Celine Dept, a football mega-fan with more than 50 million followers on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, Copa Alexia x Céline challenges players to join Team Alexia or Team Celine, squaring off in a virtual tournament for bragging rights and prizes.
“Matchday is elevating two things I am very passionate about: women’s football and inclusivity,” said Putellas. “Women’s football has been on the rise for the last decade and Matchday’s co-gender football squads represent this reality in a fun and novel way for fans. I am honored to be a part of and shape a (virtual) football world that gives men and women truly equal footing. I hope the sort of representation we see in Matchday’s games will inspire the women’s football stars and all football fans of tomorrow, and help to drive forward conversations around equality.”
Licensed by FIFA and FIFPRO, Matchday offers fans the ability to collect digital player cards from tens of thousands of soccer athletes, and to combine both men’s and women’s players into their ideal squad to go head-to-head with other players’ teams. Players begin by assembling their squad, which they can start upgrading immediately. They then send their starting 11 onto the pitch, and Matchday Champions' proprietary simulation engine renders exciting in-game narratives. Play against rivals and friends while earning resources and recruiting footballers to improve their squad. Matchday Champions authentically captures the euphoria and heartbreak of real life football, and every match unfolds in a unique way.
“Football is an emotional experience for its five billion fans worldwide, and now they will be able to experience the drama of the sport in a video game that can seamlessly simulate games based on real players, real stats, and more,” said Sebastien de Halleux, Matchday co-founder and chief gaming officer. “Few players have experienced the emotional highs of football like Alexia Putellas, winning a World Cup, three UEFA Women's Champion Leagues, and 21 domestic trophies, along with all of her incredible individual accolades, so we’re honored that she has joined us not only as a Matchday ambassador but as the host of our first global in-game tournament.”
In Matchday Champions, players build and strengthen their squad, competing against others to move up through divisions and grow their club, competing with friends and Matchday’s vibrant global community, already numbering in the millions. Custom squads can be set up with ease through Matchday Champions' intuitive and accessible interface, allowing players to experiment with their team formation, as well as buy, sell and share cards with friends. Players hone their team in single player mode, then step on the pitch for a friendly match or an epic league competition with fans from all over the world. They can also join fans on the official Discord in discussing everything football, participate in weekly contests, participate in AMAs with football celebrities and follow real-world football matches.
Matchday continues to push the boundaries of digital ownership with Matchday Champions, which is part of a new category of sports games wherein fans build virtual squads by collecting digital cards of their favorite footballers. Players have true ownership of their cards and other digital items within Matchday Champions as they collect, trade and grow their dream team. These officially licensed cards can be utilized in all games within the Matchday ecosystem as it continues to grow.
Matchday previously launched the trivia and match prediction game Matchday Challenge: FIFA Women’s World Cup AU∙NZ∙2023™ Edition, which ran during FIFA Women’s World Cup and was played by millions of players all over the world.
Players can download Matchday Champions for free on the App Store or Google Play.
To learn more, please visit matchday.com, and join Matchday on X and Discord for the latest updates.
About Matchday
Matchday builds games for 5 billion football fans featuring officially licensed players and tournaments, in partnership with FIFA and FIFPRO. The company was founded by technology and gaming veterans who have successfully started and sold companies including Playfish (acq. EA), Glu Mobile (IPO), Hoodline (acq. Nextdoor), Spin (acq. Ford), and Viki (acq. Rakuten). Matchday is incubated by Leo Messi’s Play Time and backed by leading investors, with teams in San Francisco and Barcelona.
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