Announcing the Malta BOV Epremier League 2022‐23

Time and time again, the local competitive FIFA scene contin‐ ues to demonstrate a longing sense of desire to compete at the highest level. Accordingly, ever since the release of FIFA 23 back in September, there's simply been something missing. Indeed, after much anticipation, we are gladly announcing the fourth season of the Malta BOV ePremier League!

Built thanks to the invaluable and recurring support of the Malta Football Association as a li‐ cenced and official EA Sports qualifier for the international Global Series, GMR and Malta FA are coming together under one banner to celebrate competitive FIFA 23 on the Maltese Islands once again.

BOV ePremier League 2022/23 ‐ A FIFA 23 Global Series Event

For those unaware, the FIFA 23 Global Series is an international competition hosted by EA Games, standardising FIFA 23 competition throughout the world. Naturally, by hosting mul‐ tiple qualifiers across the globe, players from all kinds of back‐ ground have the opportunity to qualify for massive events such as the FIFA eWorld Cup.

Once again, this incredible op‐ portunity will be available to Maltese competitors thanks to the BOV ePremier League!

However, to claim the chance, these talented professionals will have to fight through an intense format as elaborated below.

A Gruelling Format ‐ Only the Best of the Best

Mark your calendars ‐ all the action starts as soon as January 2023.

This very first stage will involve a total of 4 Online Open Quali‐ fiers; and by 'open', we mean open. Basically, any Maltese res‐ ident with a valid EA Account (16+ years) may register and oc‐ cupy one of the limited 128 spots for each Online Open Qualifier.

Once registered, players will compete through a format in‐ cluding a double elimination bracket. From each Online Qual‐ ifier, the top 4 players from the first 2 Qualifiers and the top 6 players from the third and fourth Qualifiers move on to the Offline Qualifier. That adds up to 20 available spots with 4 overall at‐ tempts to qualify to the Offline Qualifier.

The Offline Qualifier ‐ The First Hurdle

No more online matches and competing from the comfort of home; the offline qualifier will be the ultimate test for those want‐ ing to make it to the Main Com‐ petition.

The following groups of players (adding up to 32 in total) will seed into the Offline Qualifier:

20 ‐ from the Online Qualifiers as explained

10 ‐ those who placed 3‐12th in the Malta BOV ePremier League 21/22 season

2 ‐ Direct Qualifiers at Playcon 2022

Live and broadcasted to the en‐ tire country, these 32 competi‐ tors will fight through a six‐round Swiss Format tourna‐ ment. However, only the top 11 players will advance to the Main Competition Group Stage.

BOV ePremier League 2022/23 ‐ All About The Main Event

Now that we'll have the very best 11 FIFA 2023 Maltese com‐ petitors, it'll be time for the Main Competition Group Stage. Taking place in March, these 11 will be joined by 3 threatening peers:

2 ‐ 1st and 2nd placed individu‐ als from the Malta BOV ePremier League 21/22 season

1 ‐ Winner of the Direct Quali‐ fiers at PlayCon 2022

All 14 players will then have the privilege of representing a club from the Malta BOV Premier League.

Furthermore, the Group Stage will then be carried out in a stu‐ dio setup, as the competition is split up into two groups of 5 (A, B) and one group of 6 (4). After facing each other once (aggre‐ gate score of 2 matches) within the groups, the following com‐ petitors will advance to the Knockout Stage:

Group A and B ‐ top 3 players from each group

Group C ‐ top 2 players

Main Competition Knockout Stage ‐ The Final Step

Arriving to the month of May, the final 8 will fight for all the glory in the ultimate double elimination format (each game is the aggregate of two matches) to conclude the season and crown a new champion.

Do note that for this stage, the seeding will be determined using the players' standings following the Group Stage performance. For example: first placed indi‐ viduals will face third placed in‐ dividuals from the groups.

Just like that, the season would be over and a new champion would be in our midst!

BOV ePremier League 2022/23 ‑ Recap and Conclusion

So, to recap, here's the format for the season in bullet form:

Online Qualifiers ‐ January ‐ from a maximum of 384 people, only 32 will make it

Offline Qualifier ‐ January‐ March ‐ from 32 players, only 11 progress to the Main Competi‐ tion Stage

Main Competition Group Stage ‐ March ‐ 14 players, only 8 make it to the next stage

Main Competition Knockout Stage ‐ May ‐ 8 players, only 1 can win!