The bracket for eMLS League Series 2 presented by Coca-Cola is set, with the knockout tournament scheduled from February 13-14.
The Quakes' own BENR went on a goal scoring tear, including a 7-2 victory over League Series One champion NYCChris, on the final night of qualifying to clinch his spot in the top 8.
The tournament features some of the top EA Sports FIFA players in the world competing for a title, as well as a cash prize. Here's everything you need to know as the eMLS race heats up.
Who made the final round?
After 14 qualifying matches, eight players have made it to the final round of Series 2, with five players making their competitive eMLS debut this season.
BENR will be one of two rookies on the broadcast along with Orlando City's Maloney.
Even with the newcomers, there is still opportunity for a previous winner to take the crown once again, with FC Cincinnati's Fiddle returning after winning the last Series 2 title. Still, the shot at having a first-time winner remains as reigning eMLS Cup champion GAmadou of the New York Red Bulls did not make it to the final eight.
Below are the quarterfinal matchups, which you can catch at 3 p.m. ET on Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, MLSsoccer.com and the free MLS app.
- xbLeU (Austin FC) v. BENR (San Jose Earthquakes)
- KingCJO (D.C. United) v. Kid M3mito (Chicago Fire)
- NYCChris (New York City FC) v. FCC Fiddle (FC Cincinnati)
- AlanAvi (FC Dallas) v. Maloney (Orlando City)
There could be a rematch of the Series One semifinal between Austin's xbLeU and New York City FC's NYCChris if they both win their quarterfinal matches, while D.C. United's KingCJO has a shot at repeating his semifinal appearance in Series One if he wins his quarterfinal.
What is League Series 2 and how does it work?
League Series 2 is the second of three eMLS tournaments taking place in 2021. The season will feature a $70,000 prize pool and will be headlined by eMLS Cup presented by Coca-Cola on March 20-21. Matches will be played on EA SPORTS FIFA 21, exclusively on PlayStation 4.
Each club is represented by a professional FIFA player in all eMLS competitions who's seeking to be crowned the best FIFA 21 player in North America. Some clubs have retained their FIFA player from last season, while other clubs have signed new players. View the full roster of players
Each player competed in a slate of 12 single-leg qualifying matches, which were held February 2-3 and February 9. Competitors earn three points for a win, one point for a draw and zero points for a loss, with the top eight players advancing to the two-leg League Series 2 Tournament on February 13-14. The prize pool for League Series 2 is $15,000.
How to watch and follow
The final stages of each event of the 2021 competitive eMLS season will be streamed online. Fans can watch League Series 2 on February 13-14 from 3 pm ET on the official MLS Twitch, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages, as well as MLSsoccer.com and the free MLS app. Fans can also find updated results and standings on MLSsoccer.com.
The full schedule for the League Series 2 qualifying matches and final tournament can be found here.
League Series One results
eMLS League Series One presented by Coca-Cola was completed January 17, with New York City FC's Didychrislito emerging as the champion after a 4-2 aggregate triumph over the New York Red Bulls' Adamou. Full highlights and recap of Series One
