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The EA SPORTS™ FIFA ONLINE 4 Series 2021 (“ FO4S ”) is sponsored by Electronic Arts Inc. (“EA”), 209 Redwood Shores Parkway, Redwood City, CA 94065, USA, and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) (“FIFA”). The FO4S is a video game competition conducted using EA SPORTS™ FIFA ONLINE 4 game (“ FO4 ”). The FO4S is void where prohibited or restricted by law. All federal, state, provincial, and local laws and regulations apply. Any third party that operates another video game competition incorporating FO4 is the sponsor of such competition and will determine the applicable terms and conditions for participation.
This document (“ FO4 Rules ”) intends to set forth the main principles applicable to the participation of FO4 eSports teams (“ FO4 eSports Teams “) and their participating athletes (“ Participating Athletes “) in the F04S.
Before participating to any Major Event (as defined in Section 3.1) part of the FO4S, FO4 eSports Teams and Participating Athletes shall sign or accept, as the case may be, the specific terms and conditions drafted by EA or FIFA, which govern the participation of such FO4 eSports Teams and Participating Athletes to the said Major Event (“ the Specific Terms and Conditions ”).
These FO4 Rules shall be supplemented by each Specific Terms and Conditions. For sake of clarity, in case of inconsistency between any provision of the FO4 Ruleset and the Specific Terms and Conditions, the Specific Terms and Conditions shall prevail in all instances.
2. PARTICIPATING ATHLETES ELIGIBILITY
Participating Athletes must register at FIFA eFootball Management System to be considered as an eligible Participating Athlete for the FO4S. Participating Athletes that meet the eligibility requirements in this Section (individually, a “Participating Athletes”) must:
Meet the age and residency requirements described in Sections 2.2 and 2.3;
2.1 ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICIAL RULES
These FO4 Rules may be updated as necessary during the FO4S to add further clarity, correct errors, comply with changes in applicable law, or address matters that arise after the first publication. The goal of any updates will be to ensure a fair FO4S for all Participating Athletes.
EA and FIFA reserve the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the FO4S, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures or any other factor impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the FO4S, as determined by EA and FIFA in their sole discretion. EA and FIFA reserve the right to disqualify any Participating Athlete they find to be tampering with the operation of the FO4S or any Major Event or to be acting in violation of these FO4 Rules. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the FO4S may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, EA and FIFA reserve the right to seek damages and other remedies (including attorneys’ fees) from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law.
By participating in the FO4S, Participating Athletes agree to be bound by these FO4 Rules and the decisions of EA and FIFA, as applicable.
2.2 AGE REQUIREMENT
To be eligible to participate in the FO4S, Participating Athletes must be at least 16 years old at the time of registration and be at least the minimum age required to have a full (not underage) Nexon/Garena/Tencent account in their territory of residence.
All Participating Athletes under the age of majority in their territory of residence must have a parent or legal guardian review and consent to these FO4 Rules on their behalf, and accompany them to any Major Events (as defined in Section 3.1).
2.3 RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT
Participating Athletes will be required to provide proof of residency in an eligible country to compete in the FO4S. The sufficiency of any such proof or documentation will be determined by EA and FIFA in their sole discretion. The list of eligible countries can be found in Appendix B: Eligible Countries.
Participating Athletes that are invited to participate in those Major Events as organised by EA (as described in Section 3.3) may be required to sign and return a Declaration of Eligibility to Travel, and must certify their country of residence by providing two forms of identification/proof as follows:
Government-issued identification: a document such as a passport, driver’s license, identification card, or work visa with a photo, name and physical address in an eligible country
AND
Utility Bill: a recent invoice from a utility (energy, telephone, or cable) company with a name and physical address in an eligible country
2.4 EMPLOYEES AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Employees of Electronic Arts inc., Nexon Korea Corporation, Tencent Holding Ltd., Garena Online Private Limited or its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, representatives, advertising, promotion and publicity agencies, FIFA, and the immediate family members or persons living in the same household of such employees are not eligible to participate in the FO4S.
2.5 REGISTRATION DATA AND LEADERBOARD
As part of the registration process, Participating Athletes will be asked to provide optional information, such as FO4 eSports Team of Representation and chosen Country of Representation within FIFA Online 4 Series. This information may be used in any leaderboard data created as part of the FO4S.
2.6 REPRESENTING A FO4 ESPORTS TEAM IN THE FO4S
Participating Athletes may represent only one FO4 eSports Team in the FO4S.
The composition of one FO4 eSports Team is three or four Participating Athletes, who meet the Eligibility and Residency requirements outlined in Clause 2.
FO4 eSports Team ownership is given to the representatives of each FO4 eSports Team, based on a FO4 eSports Team Agreement Form (as attached in Appendix D).
A FO4 eSports Team Owner (individual, group or organisation) represents the FO4 eSports Team.
FO4 eSports Team Owner may directly or indirectly own and operate a maximum of one FO4 eSports Team within the FO4S including all eligible countries.
No more than one FO4 eSports Team can operate under the same brand or FO4 eSports Team name within the FO4S.
A FO4 eSports Team will be asked to select a unique name to identify itself for FO4S. The name must be unique from other FO4 eSports Team names and must not be deemed vulgar by EA and its affiliates.
A FO4 eSports Team name must not include any brand name of Electronic Arts Inc., Nexon Korea Corporation, Tencent Holding LTD., Garena Online Private Limited and FIFA.
Changes in ownership cannot take place during the Major Event (as defined in Section 3.1).
Changes in sponsors with naming rights cannot occur during the Major Event.
Throughout the FO4S in 2021, as an adaptation period, the following rules shall apply:
EA and FIFA may temporarily approve the maximum of two FO4 eSports Teams under the same brand to participate in the Major Event, including the following condition as a minimum guideline.
If both FO4 eSports Teams under the same brand are qualified from the domestic qualifier of the Major Event, one of the FO4 eSports Teams must disclaim the earned slot of the Major Event.
Upon request of the approval, the FO4 eSports Team must submit a compensation plan for the FO4 eSports Team which will disclaim the earned slot of the Major Event.
The request must be submitted minimum two weeks prior to the Major Event.
The approval may be withdrawn by sole discretion of EA and FIFA, at any time.
In any Major Events, Participating Athletes may only represent the same FO4 eSports Team that secured their qualification into the event.
Participating Athletes are not allowed to compete in more than one qualifier event and/or FO4 eSports Team, qualifying for any given Major Event.
2.7 REPRESENTING A FO4 ESPORTS TEAM AT A MAJOR EVENT
At minimum 28 days before the start of a Major Event (minimum 7 days for a Major Event which doesn’t require traveling of the Participating Athlete), qualified FO4 eSports Teams must provide the following information for inclusion in broadcast and web coverage of the event:
FO4 eSports Team full name
FO4 eSports Team shortened name of two to four alphanumeric symbols
FO4 eSports Team roster, including:
Participating Athlete’s real name
Participating Athlete’s in-game display name of maximum eleven alphanumeric symbols
Participating Athlete’s travel and visa information
FO4 eSports Team logo
List of official sponsors for the FO4 eSports Team including
Sponsor’s full name and shortened name
Sponsor’s business category
Sponsor’s logo
Placement of sponsor branding on FO4 eSports Team uniform, if applicable
The FO4 eSports Team uniform design for the Major Event.
EA and/or FIFA will inform qualified Participating Athletes of any applicable deadlines. It is the FO4 eSports Team’s responsibility to submit this information in time for it to be incorporated into the broadcast and web coverage of the event. Submissions after this deadline will not be incorporated into broadcast or web materials.
3. COMPETITION STRUCTURE
FO4S employs a leaderboard-based system in which FO4 eSports Teams will earn EA SPORTS FIFA Online 4 Series Ranking Points (“ Ranking Points ”) through their performance in Major Events.
3.1 TYPES OF MAJOR EVENTS
“ Major Events ” are events in the FO4S requiring in-person competition at a specified time and place, and include:
EA Champions Cups, as described in Section 3.1.1
FIFAe Champions Cups, as described in Section 3.1.2
FIFAe Continental Cup, as described in Section 3.1.3
Other EA APPROVED FIFA Online 4 Series tournaments, as described in Section 3.1.4
“ Major Event ” is one of a specified event among Major Events, from domestic qualifier to end of the event.
EA and FIFA will grant Ranking Points to FO4 eSports Teams participating in these Major Events.
Licensed third parties that are approved by EA and/or FIFA to sponsor Major Events may also grant Ranking Points to FO4 eSports Teams participating in such Major Events.
EA and FIFA reserve the right to cancel, postpone, relocate, organise a replacement “online” version of any FO4S stage or reschedule Major Events, and to modify the Major Events tournament structure if, in their reasonable judgment, such changes are necessary to maintain a fair and respectful environment for all FO4 eSports Teams or as a result of circumstances and/or events outside of their reasonable control (including as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak), without any liability of EA and FIFA in this respect. EA and FIFA also reserve the right to make such changes if they deem they are necessary to comply with applicable law.
3.1.1 EA Champions Cups
Up to 2 EA Champions Cup events, operated by EA in collaboration with a third party, with a minimum of 12 FO4 eSports Teams (three unique FO4 eSports Teams qualified from the four respective eligible countries), invited to each Major Event throughout the domestic qualifier.
The event shall be held with following structure:
All 12 FO4 eSports Teams shall compete throughout the group stage, 4 groups consisting of 3 FO4 eSports Teams respectively.
Top 8 FO4 eSports Teams from the group stage shall compete through a double-elimination tournament (as defined in Appendix C).
There will be two EACC events within the FO4S 2021 season - the EA Champions Cup Summer 2021 and EA Champions Cup Autumn 2021.
3.1.2 FIFAe Champions Cup 2021
The FIFAe Champions Cup 2021 will be operated by FIFA with the support of third party agencies, with a minimum of 12 FO4 eSports Teams (three unique FO4 eSports Teams qualified from the four respective eligible countries), invited to such FIFAe Champions Cup 2021 following the applicable qualifier events, as determined by FIFA.
The FIFAe Champions Cup 2021 shall be held in accordance with the following structure:
All 12 FO4 eSports Teams shall compete throughout the group stage, 4 groups consisting of 3 FO4 eSports Teams respectively.
Top 8 FO4 eSports Teams from the group stage shall compete through a double-elimination tournament.
There will be a single FIFAe Champions Cup 2021 within the FO4S 2021 season.
The participation to the FIFAe Champions Cup 2021 is further governed by the Specific Terms and Conditions which Participating Athletes willing to participate agree to abide and comply with.
3.1.3 FIFAe Continental Cup 2021
The FIFAe Continental Cup 2021will be operated by FIFA in collaboration with a third party, with a minimum of 16 FO4 eSports Teams invited to such FIFAe Continental Cup 2021, based on Ranking Points.
The event shall be held in accordance with the following structure:
All 16 FO4 eSports Teams shall compete throughout the group stage, 4 groups consisting of 4 FO4 eSports Teams respectively.
Top 8 FO4 eSports Teams from the group stage shall compete through a double-elimination tournament.
FO4 eSports Teams shall be invited by cumulative Ranking Points throughout FO4S, with the following distribution: FIFAe CONTINENTAL CUP 2021 SLOT DISTRIBUTION
Pool 1: 1st to 4th place FO4 eSports Teams.
Pool 2: 5th to 8th place FO4 eSports Teams.
Pool 3: 1st place FO4 eSports Team from respective eligible country, after excluding invited FO4 eSports Teams at Pool 1 and Pool 2.
Pool 4: 2nd place FO4 eSports Team from respective eligible country, after excluding invited FO4 eSports Teams from Pool 1, Pool 2 and Pool 3.
There will be a single FIFAe Continental Cup 2021 within the FO4S.
If two or more FO4 eSports Teams have an equivalent amount of accumulated Ranking Points throughout the FO4S, placement for the Ranking Points Standing will be judged by following criteria, throughout the Major Events.
The highest placement record.
More placement records with the higher position.
Higher accumulative goal differences.
More goals.
Less cumulative warnings.
If FO4 eSports Teams are still tied, coin flip decides.
3.1.4 Other EA APPROVED FIFA Online 4 Series tournaments
EA Approved Events are Major Events that are sponsored by third parties where Participating Athletes can earn Ranking Points. The rules for participation and methods of qualification will be determined by the sponsors of these Major Events, which may be limited to specific regions or countries.
3.2 Ranking Points in EA Champions Cups and FIFAe Champions Cup 2021
3.2.1 Ranking Points Ownership
Ranking Points for each FO4 eSports Team will belong to the FO4 eSports Team named by the FO4 eSports Team’s Participating Athletes in the FIFA eFootball Management System, upon their participation in the first qualifying event of the season.
3.2.2 Roster continuity and changes
For entry to a major FO4S, each FO4 eSports Team must maintain the roster who secured qualification to the major event in their domestic qualifier.
Changes to the roster are allowed from the end of the Major Event (EA Champions Cup, FIFAe Champions Cup 2021, FIFAe Continental Cup 2021) to subsequent domestic qualifier of a Major Event
To retain Ranking Points earned at any Major Events, the following provisions must be satisfied.
A FO4 eSports Team may replace the Participating Athlete, only between the end of the subsequent Major Event from the first event they earned the Ranking Points and the domestic qualifier of the second subsequent Major Event.
e.g. if the FO4 eSports Team A earned Ranking Points from FIFAe Champions Cup 2021, the FO4 eSports Team can’t replace Participating Athletes until the end of the EA Champions Cup Summer 2021, but before EA Champions Cup Autumn 2021 Qualifier
Within the period, a FO4 eSports Team may acquire free agents only (as defined in Appendix C).
A FO4 eSports Team must maintain 2 Participating Athletes from the original roster which earned the first Ranking Points.
Participating Athletes who satisfies following conditions shall be considered as a free agent.
Participating Athletes who have not registered for a FO4 eSports Team which earned Ranking Points within the two latest Majors.
A subsequent Major after earning the first Ranking Points.
e.g. Participating Athlete A who performed for FO4 eSports Team A, which earned Ranking Points at FIFAe Champions Cup 2021, will be considered as a free agent after the end of EA Champions Cup Autumn 2021, regardless of whether the Participating Athlete performed for the FO4 eSports Team A at EA Champions Cup Summer 2021.
The change must be informed to EA, 7 days prior to the domestic qualifier stage.
3.3 TRAVEL TO MAJOR EVENTS
EA and FIFA may cover certain travel and accommodation costs for Competitions, as more particularly described in the Specific Terms and Conditions for Major Events.
3.4 ENFORCEMENT
Malicious behaviour, cheating and violations to the FO4 Rules and the Specific Terms and Conditions of Major Events by any FO4 eSports Team or any Participating Athletes may, at EA and FIFA’s discretion result in the disqualification of such FO4 eSports Team or Participating Athletes or in one or more sanction(s) against such FO4 eSports Team and/or any Participating Athletes as determined by EA and/or FIFA in each Specific Terms and Conditions.
4. GENERAL TERMS AND RELEASE
By participating in this FO4S, each Participating Athletes further agrees:
To the extent permissible by law, to assume sole liability for Participating Athlete’s injuries, including personal injuries and/or damage to property, caused or claimed to be caused by participating in any part of the FO4S, or acceptance, possession, or use of any prize;
PERSONAL INFORMATION
By participating in the FO4S, Participating Athletes consent to EA and FIFA processing some personal information which will be used for the purposes and for the duration as more particularly described in each Specific Terms and Conditions.
COMMERCIAL RIGHTS
All commercial rights (including without limitation any and all marketing and media rights) relating to the FO4S belong to EA and FIFA.
No FO4 eSports Team or Participating Athlete is entitled to directly or indirectly exploit or in any manner use any media rights, marketing rights, intellectual property rights of EA and FIFA except as otherwise provided in each Specific Terms and Conditions.
The recording and dissemination of images or footage of FO4S for commercial purposes by or on behalf of Participating Athlete is strictly prohibited, except when explicitly authorized by EA and/or FIFA.
APPENDIX A: CODE OF CONDUCT
The below Code of Conduct applies to all Participating Athletes in the FO4S at all levels of the FO4S, unless otherwise specified. EA and FIFA reserve the right to levy penalties or disqualify any Participating Athlete in violation of this Code of Conduct, in its sole discretion.
As a Participating Athlete recognized by FO4S, Participating Athletes may be held to a higher standard than other Participating Athletes, and may face higher levels of penalties than they would otherwise.
Dress Code
Participating Athletes and FO4 eSports Team-officials shall wear uniform attire appropriate to the circumstances.
This includes the award ceremony following the final round, at which the winner might be required to wear formal attire.
All attire items that will potentially be worn during the F04S by the Participating Athletes have to be submitted to EA or FIFA at least two weeks before the event. Only items that were pre-approved in writing can be worn during the competition.
Participating Athletes and FO4 eSports Team-officials shall wear the official uniform of their entity throughout the event, when applicable.
Participating Athletes are not allowed to wear attire/accessories that disturb the broadcast.
If any Participating Athlete’s attire/accessories is deemed inappropriate, the Participating Athlete must rectify immediately to continue in the tournament.
Each FO4 eSports Team-official’s entourage, which includes the coach and media members of the FO4 eSports Team, shall only be permitted to wear either unbranded, non-commercial attire, or the same attire as the Participating Athletes of that FO4 eSports Team, which shall at all times be in accordance with these regulations and the Specific Terms and Conditions.
Participating Athletes shall not wear, carry or bear any items of a commercial, religious or political nature, or which in EA’s or FIFA’s opinion reflect unfavourably upon the F04S, FIFA, any FIFA event, EA, any EA product or any other FIFA partner nor carry out any promotional activity in connection with the event unless otherwise approved in writing by EA or FIFA.
Failure of Participating Athletes and FO4 eSports Team-officials to comply with this section may lead EA or FIFA to disqualify Participating Athletes and FO4 eSports Team to apply the sanctions as set forth in the Specific Terms and Conditions.
Each Participating Athletes shall participate while wearing properly fitted equipment, which shall be professionally manufactured. The jersey must be unique from other Participating Athletes’ jersey and must not include any design deemed vulgar by EA, FIFA and their affiliates.
PARTICIPATING ATHLETE BEHAVIOR GENERALLY
Participating Athletes must conduct themselves in a reasonable manner, maintaining an appropriate and respectful demeanor to spectators, members of the press, tournament administrators, and to other Participating Athletes. These requirements apply to both offline and online interactions, including social media conduct and activity on live streams. All Participating Athletes are expected to adhere to these standards of sportsmanship, including when not participating in FIFA or EA’s Major Events. Prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to:
Violating any applicable law, rule or regulation, as determined by EA and/or FIFA in their sole discretion;
Using any software or program that damages, interferes with or disrupts the FO4S or another's computer or property;
Any external software designed to give the Participating Athlete an unfair advantage;
Interfering with or disrupting another Participating Athlete’s participation in the FO4S;
Harassing, threatening, bullying, engaging in hate speech, repeatedly sending unwanted messages, or making personal attacks or statements about race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, heritage, etc.;
Publishing, posting, uploading or distributing content, or organizing/participating in any activity, group or guild that EA and/or FIFA (acting reasonably and objectively) determines is inappropriate, abusive, hateful, harassing, profane, defamatory, threatening, obscene, sexually explicit, infringing, privacy-invasive, vulgar, offensive, indecent or unlawful;
Using exploits, cheats, undocumented features, design errors or bugs in the FO4S;
Selling, buying, trading or otherwise transferring or offering to transfer an EA account, or any EA content associated with an EA account, including EA virtual currency and other entitlements, either within an EA service or on a third-party website, or in connection with any out-of-game transaction, unless expressly authorized by EA;
Engaging in any other activity that significantly disturbs the peaceful, fair and respectful gaming environment of the FO4S; and
Promoting, encouraging or taking part in any prohibited activity described above.
APPENDIX B: ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES
Participating Athletes must be a legal resident of one of these eligible countries:
China
South Korea
Thailand
Vietnam
APPENDIX C: GLOSSARY
Participating Athlete / Player / Competitor - a real-world, professional EA SPORTS FIFA ONLINE 4 player, registered in FIFA eFootball Management System to participate in FO4S under one registered FO4 eSports Team
F04 eSports Team / Squad - a group of a real-world, professional group of , consist of three or four Participating Athletes
In-game Team - in-game EA SPORTS FIFA ONLINE 4 roster of virtual in-game players, used in Major Event play by each individual Participating Athletes on a FO4 eSports Team
Free Agent – a player who is eligible to change or be newly acquired by a FO4 eSports Team.
Game - a single instance of two Participating Athletes facing off, with victory determined by the number of in-game goals scored by each Participating Athlete
Matchup - a single instance of two participating FO4 eSports Teams facing off, with victory determined by the number of games won in the course of the matchup (e.g. 2 games won in a 3-game matchup)
Double-elimination Tournament - A double-elimination tournament is a type of elimination tournament competition in which a participant ceases to be eligible to win the tournament's championship upon having lost two matches. Once the FO4 eSports Team loses the matchup, the losing FO4 eSports Team FO4 eSports Team will proceed into the losers bracket and the winning FO4 eSports Team proceed into the winners bracket. Loser bracket champion do not need to defeat the winner bracket champion twice in the grand final to win the tournament.
