After two thrilling eMLS events to start 2019, the big one is finally right around the corner.
The 2019 edition of eMLS Cup presented by PlayStation, the premier eMLS event of the year, is slated to take place on March 30 during the PAX East convention in Boston. After last year's tournament, which took place during the convention, this year's edition will feature a new PAX After Hours format, with the games set to take place at The Castle at Park Plaza in Boston following the conclusion of the day's activities at PAX East.
For fans not in attendance, eMLS Cup 2019 will be streamed on Twitch, Twitter and MLSsoccer.com.
There will be plenty of storylines to follow at this year's eMLS Cup. Reigning champ Kid M3mito of the Houston Dynamo will be out to defend his 2018 crown, but is likely to face a stiff challenge from all comers. Perhaps the biggest obstacle will be the Philadelphia Union's doolsta, who took home the trophy in both of the prior eMLS events this year, League Series One and League Series Two.
Prior to the streamed portion of the event, where the eMLS Cup champion will be crowned, all 22 eMLS players (each representing a different MLS team) will compete in one last regular season, where they will compete against opponents from the opposite conference for the first time. Once that regular season is finished, the top five players in each conference – based on their aggregated record from League Series One and Two plus the eMLS Cup regular season – will qualify for the final stage. The remaining players will compete in a Last Chance Qualifying tournament, with the winner from each conference also reaching the final stage. Here are the standings heading into the eMLS Cup regular season:
At stake in the final stage is, of course, the chance at eMLS Cup glory, both for the players and their teams, not to mention a trophy and a cash prize. The winner will also receive 850 FIFA Global Series Points, which will position them to make the Global Series Playoffs. That, in turn, will give players the chance to qualify for the FIFA eWorld Cup and be crowned the best FIFA player in the world.
