Source: KeSPA

The national eSports competition of the 55th National Youth Sports Festival will kick off on Saturday, the 23rd, at the Busan Esports Arena located in Busanjin-gu, Busan. ESports, introduced for the first time in history at this year's National Youth Sports Festival, will be conducted in 'FC Online' team and individual competitions. In particular, this competition holds great significance in that, with e-sports now officially included in nationally recognized athletic competitions, student athletes' achievements can be recorded in their school records. It is also expected to contribute to establishing an institutional foundation to support the stable activities of student athletes. Representative players from 17 cities and provinces across the country, who have passed the provincial selection trials, will participate in this competition. A total of 43 players have been selected from all cities and provinces nationwide, including the host city of Busan, the Seoul Metropolitan Area (Seoul and Gyeonggi), Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, the Chungcheong, Jeonnam, Gyeongsang, and Jeju regions, and are set to engage in fierce battles to uphold the honor of their respective regions. The competition will be held over two days, from the 23rd to the 24th. The schedule proceeds through the individual semifinals, starting with the individual match between Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province and Jeollanam-do at 12:00 PM on the opening day, the 23rd. Following this, starting at 11:00 AM on the 24th, the team round of 16 will be held, followed by the finals for both the individual and team competitions in succession. Student athletes participating in the matches will be awarded medals and certificates based on their performance and event categories, while winning teams in the team competition will receive trophies. The tournament is free for everyone to attend in person, and the stadium will host a variety of events, including FC Online experience activities and cheering for regional teams. For fans unable to attend in person, live online streaming will be provided via the official school esports YouTube channel, as well as the Chijijik and SOOP platforms. Meanwhile, the 55th National Youth Sports Festival is hosted by the Korea Sports Council and co-organized by Busan Metropolitan City, the Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education, the Busan Sports Council, and the Korea e-Sports Association, and is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Education.