The FIFA World Cup began on Wednesday. Let me rephrase that. The FIFA Interactive World Cup, the FIFA 17 video game form of the world’s greatest sporting competition, began on Wednesday.
After months of qualifying and a mere month until the next game is released, the FIFA 17 championships got underway in London. Starting with 32 players, the field was whittled down to 16 after 112 matches on Wednesday, setting the stage for the final two days of competition on Thursday and Friday.
Divided into four groups of eight (two groups on PlayStation 4, two on Xbox One), each participant played seven matches. The top four in each group advanced to Thursday’s knockout phases. On Friday, the winners of the brackets for each console will face off once on each console to determine the world champion, awarding $200,000 to the winner.
The participants came from 17 different countries from around the world, qualifying for the final through tournaments that began back in November.
There are nations represented at #FIWC17!
Is your nation one of them? Comment below if so pic.twitter.com/tNdUNNT00B— #FIWC17 (@FIWC) August 14, 2017
Italian IcePrinsipe was the top player of the day, pulling in 17 points with a plus-9 goal differential. Only Frenchman ManiiKa had a better goal differential (plus-10). ManiiKa and fellow Frenchman Rocky won their groups while German CodyDerFinisher also won his group.
The two Americans involved, Aman and Joey, both advanced with third-place finishes.
Rocky, who won $160,000 for winning EA Sports’ FIFA Ultimate Team Championship in May, won the group of death, Xbox Group 2, ahead of FilthyP94, Joey and Dani.
...and positions 13, 14, 15 and 16 in tomorrow's #FIWC17 are filled! Welcome, @Vitality_RocKy, @FilthyP94, @EpsilonJoey and @DaniHagebeuk! pic.twitter.com/iKpCYlKWRv
— #FIWC17 (@FIWC) August 16, 2017
Joey went through for the red, white and blue in part thanks to a thrilling 2-1 comeback against Tass, of England. Down 1-0, first Cristiano Ronaldo scored with the outside of his right foot, then Lionel Messi curled in a beauty from 20 yards. (Players can create their own teams with any players.)
FilthyP94, the lone Canadian in the field, had one of the most dramatic victories of the day, beating Brazilian favorite RAFIFA13 on this last-minute strike that just barely crossed the goal line.
| A last-minute winner, decided by #FootballTechnology!@SpencerOwen discusses the goal from the #FIWC17... pic.twitter.com/cY8n8h6lNz
— #FIWC17 (@FIWC) August 16, 2017
The other Xbox group went to CodyDerFinisher, who, despite his name, used defense to move on. His five goals allowed were three fewer than anyone else.
Hiya, @CodyDerFinisher, @Gorilla_Unilad, @AmanSedd and @JavierMunozFIFA #FIWC17 pic.twitter.com/JurU4eLwqX
— #FIWC17 (@FIWC) August 16, 2017
Aman was able to go through thanks to wins over favorites Janoz (2011 runner-up) and Rafsou (2017 FIFA Interactive Club World Cup winner).
Gorilla was one of five English players in the field but the only one to reach the knockout phases. Part of this may have been poor strategy. In an Xbox Group 1 loss, Englishman R Stackzz X was pushing for a late goal and brought in Olivier Giroud. Of all the players in the world, he picked Giroud? Not even Arsene Wenger would do that.
On the PlayStation side, IcePrinsipe dominated Group 1, though Argentina’s Nicolas99FCX put in a solid display himself to finish second.
Welcome to the knock-out stages, @IcePrinsipe, @nicolas99fcx, @TimoX08 and Deto! #FIWC17 pic.twitter.com/xUYybX25ly
— #FIWC17 (@FIWC) August 16, 2017
Deto barely made it through, edging out the lone Mexican, Rein10, on goal differential.
PS4 Group 2 had an exciting finish as Timon, of France, won his way into the last 16 by beating group winner ManiiKa in the final match.
#FIWC17 | @M_ManiiKa, @Lucasrep98, @MoAubameyang and @gambit_timon7 are in the knock-out stage! pic.twitter.com/X8IpS5ORGX
— #FIWC17 (@FIWC) August 16, 2017
The knockout rounds are two-legged affairs. If the teams are tied on aggregate (no away goals), another match is played with golden-goal rules. If that additional match is scoreless, penalty kicks decide who advances. The matchups for the respective quarterfinals are as follows.
Tomorrow is going to be FUN. #FIWC17 pic.twitter.com/gMLwxOQ4QZ
— #FIWC17 (@FIWC) August 16, 2017
Fans can follow all the action throughout the tournament on Twitch.
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