12 fans will compete for confederation’s virtual title at the CONCACAF Gold Cup this July

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced today that it is launching the inaugural CONCACAF Interactive Gold Cup.  The competition, being held in conjunction with FIFA and EA SPORTS™, will give fans from all of CONCACAF’s Member Associations the opportunity to represent their National Association and play for a chance to be crowned champion of CONCACAF.

Online qualification will take place on the SONY PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system through Season 6 of the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2013 (FIWC13) played on EA SPORTS FIFA 13, which kicked off on March 1.

CONCACAF will host each of the twelve finalists in the United States for the finals in an on-site tournament play.  The two finalists will then play for the virtual title on the stadium screen in front of tens of thousands of people at the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals.

In addition to the title, the winner will receive an all-expenses paid trip for two (2) to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final, which will be played on July 28 at a venue to be revealed next month.  After the completion of the championship game, the first-ever CONCACAF interactive champion will be presented with a trophy in front of the crowd at the closing ceremony.

“The passion for football takes shape in many different ways throughout many different platforms.” said CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb.  “The first-ever CONCACAF Interactive Gold Cup is a unique way to provide a platform where our premier National Team competition merges with the video gaming space and allows the virtual athletes to compete for the glory of the 2013 trophy in front of thousands of people inside of a real football stadium.”

To enter the tournament and obtain its rules, participants must visit www.concacafinteractive.com.

The following twelve national teams have qualified for this year’s tournament (in alphabetical order): Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago and the United States.

Taking place every two years and showcasing the confederation’s best players, the Gold Cup has established itself as the region’s most popular national team tournament, routinely drawing capacity crowds and millions of television viewers.

This year’s Gold Cup – the 12th edition – will open on July 7 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, with a doubleheader featuring six-time champion Mexico.

Follow @CONCACAF on Twitter for all CONCACAF Interactive Gold Cup news.

EA SPORTS is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, fan programs and cross-platform digital experiences. EA SPORTS creates connected experiences that ignite the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, SSX™, and Fight Night boxing. For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com. Join more 10 million fans in the EA SPORTS football community at http://www.facebook.com/easportsfifa or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/easportsfifa.

About CONCACAF

CONCACAF “The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football” is one of six continental confederations of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and serves as the governing body of football in this part of the world. It is composed of 40 national associations, from Canada in the north to Guyana, Surinam and French Guyana in the south.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones, tablets and social networks. EA has more than 275 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.

In fiscal 2012, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.1 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield™ and Mass Effect™. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.

The Sims and Need for Speed are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Mass Effect is a trademark of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd.  Battlefield is a trademark of EA Digital Illusions CE AB.  John Madden, NFL and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.