The last 18 months have changed the way in which we live, in all facets of our lives. The 2020 events especially changed the way we socialize and entertain ourselves, and many turned to gaming as a way to stay in touch with friends and have a good time doing it.
The coronavirus pandemic also greatly affected the world of sport, with many big events canceled, postponed, played without spectators present, or even played virtually. As well as the Tokyo Olympics, Euro 2020 was one of the major events pushed back a year and is currently being played out in the great stadiums of European football.
That being said, it’s no surprise then that FIFA, the world’s most popular football video game, is more popular than ever, and with multiplayer online mode friends can set up their own Euro 2020 style tournament. But with Pro Evolution owning the rights to a Euro 2020 tournament mode, setting one up on FIFA involves a bit of lateral thinking and preparation. Let’s take a closer look.
Limitations
As mentioned, there is no official Euro 2020 mode – Pro Evolution Soccer has managed to secure the rights for the last couple of times, and has done so again. Boo.
What’s more, the settings for tournament creation in FIFA only give the option for either 16 or 32 teams in the draw – there are actually 24 in Euro 2020. There’s no getting around that, but setting up and playing a tournament can still be fun, and capture the spirit of the Euros – a few extra teams or a few less – who’s counting?
Just you and your pals
The other thing that seems like a stumbling block – but isn’t, bear with us – is that you can’t actually create a closed tournament for you and your pals. This means anyone can join, which you don’t want.
But there is a way to get around this, though it takes a little time and organization – keep reading if you still want to set up Euro 2020 for you and your friends.
Creating a group
First things first. On your preferred instant messenger app, WhatsApp, Signal, Facebook, etc., start a group with all the friends who want to play. This way you can give information to everyone at once and all be on the same page.
To be able to set up a tournament, all your friends will need the same console and the same version of FIFA – hopefully, this won’t be a problem. The multiplayer package is the only way this tournament is going to work, so make sure everyone has that as well.
FIFA generator
Next, you’ll need to download the FIFA generator – thankfully it’s free. The generator is a way to manage a tournament and who is involved. It’s probably best to limit the number of friends who are playing, as it can get a bit chaotic the more people are involved.
Through the generator, you can also decide on the rules of your tournament – will it be just knockout stages, or will you add league functions to have groups?
Time to play!
OK, everyone is ready, they understand the rules – hopefully – so it’s time to choose a day to get the tournament on! Back to your messenger group to arrange the best time for everyone, stock up on half-time oranges (or beers if you prefer), and settle down to play.
Your FIFA Euro 2020 tournament may have been a bit of a mission to set up, but you can forget about all that now as you and your pals thrash it out on the field of dreams.
Top teams
Of course, not all teams are created equal. Here are just three of the teams you can choose, whether you want to take a top team or gamble on a rank outsider.
England
There is a lot of talk – as usual – about it being England’s time. It’s been 55 years, and we’re still waiting. The England squad on FIFA is pretty strong – as in real life, it has an excellent attacking presence with Rashford, Grealish, et al., but a bit sloppy in defense.
Italy
Still, in the real tournament at the time of writing, Italy is a great all round side to play with on FIFA 21. For some reason, this year they’re lacking a real star player, but the team is solid in defense and attack.
Finland
Fancy a challenge? This is Finland’s first major tournament, and the team on FIFA isn’t great, as you may imagine. But experienced players may fancy their chances of taking these outsiders to Euro glory. Just don’t try to pronounce the players’ names.
So there it is. A Euro 2020 style tournament is doable on FIFA, and as long as you’re prepared to do the groundwork you and your friends can enjoy some great, socially distanced fun this summer.