FIFA eWorld Cup 2021: Three Oceania qualifiers to represent Australia

Any competitive FIFA player you ask is “the best in the world at online FIFA”, but a few Aussies are on a mission to prove it.

A third Australian will represent the country at one of the world’s biggest and longest running eSports tournament after clinching their qualification at the weekend.

The FIFA eWorld Cup is an ongoing partnership between soccer’s governing body FIFA and video game publishers EA Sports, who make the FIFA video games that have been a console staple for decades.

The annual tournament has been going since 2004.

Players compete online in different regions to qualify for the grand final, where they have the chance to walk away with a slice of the $US1 million ($A1.29 million) prize pool.

The winner in 2021 will receive $US300,000 ($A386,500).

That prize is part of a larger $US4.5 million ($A5.8 million) total prize pool for the lead-up tournaments and the eWorld Cup.

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FIFA games have been popular on consoles for decades.

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It might not be as much as the kind of huge salaries given out to real world soccer players in leagues like the EPL, but it’s more than your average A-league player makes in a year, and with all-respect to eAthletes, it’s not as physically taxing either.

Germany’s Mohammed Harkous is fighting to defend his title as the reigning champion, but he’ll be faced with some stiff competition on the sticks.

Publisher EA Sports runs the tournament with FIFA. Picture: Christian Petersen / Getty

Who he’ll be up against is still to be decided: The FIFA 21 Global Series that decides who qualifies for the eWorld Cup is ongoing, but qualifiers for the Oceania region have now been determined.

Here’s who will be flying the Aussie flag.

NEGEDE ABENEZER HUNEGNAW

Mr Hunegnaw took out the first Oceanic qualifiers in January.

He reps the Perth-based Ground Zero gaming team which competes across a variety of games including CS: GO, Rocket League, Overwatch, and of course FIFA.

😈 https://t.co/pHbOxZEQJm

— Negede (Abenezer) Hunegnaw 🇪🇹🇦🇺 (@ANezer_) January 11, 2021

MARCUS GOMES

Mr Gomes qualified in the second round over the Valentine’s Day weekend in February, his fifth attempt.

“I’ve come so close too many times, losing final after final, but now, I have a title to show for my grind,” the Melbourne City Pro FIFA player said on Twitter.

I can't believe it...
After 5 FIFA's, I'm finally an OCE Champion 🏆

I've come so close too many times.
Losing final after final...
But now, I have a title to show for my grind 😭

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me over the years 💙#LETSGOmes #GomesFIFA pic.twitter.com/TFTXpLjHK8

— MARCUS GOMES (@MarcusGomesFIFA) February 14, 2021

The FIFA eWorld Cup 2021 is due to take place later this year.

DYLAN CAMPBELL

OCE Champ 🏆

Come so close time after time, the highs, the lows, the heartbreak... i've gone through it all. It's a relief to finally get over the line, the support truly means so much 😭@xLennyyy18 I can't put it into words but thank you, stuck by me through it all ❤️ pic.twitter.com/mHyHuBlUe9

— DW Dylan (@Dcampbell20_) March 14, 2021

Dylan Campbell after winning the penalty shootout.

The Dire Wolves player clinched his place with a penalty shootout win over fellow Aussie Ryan Naylor on the weekend.

Mr Campbell said it was a "relief to finally get over the line" after coming close to qualifying in the past.

"It's been such a long time coming... I keep falling just short," he said in a post-match interview.

"I said before today, 'please anything but penalties', my heart can't take it."

Mr Naylor sait it "hurts to not win a cup but considering how much I despise this game, I'll take third, third and second".