The 2024-25 season of the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL) Club Championship by WOW is well underway, bringing excitement to fans across Germany.
This year, the tournament retains its roster of 35 teams, including debutants Preußen Münster and SSV Ulm, who are competing for the first time after their promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga. Jahn Regensburg also returns, while VfL Osnabrück, F.C. Hansa Rostock, and SV Wehen Wiesbaden are absent following their relegations.
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Es geht wieder los – die neue Saison der VBL Club Championship by WOW geht in die siebte Saison! 💪 #VBLCC
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— VBL | WOW VIRTUAL BUNDESLIGA (@vbl_official) October 17, 2024
The VBL Club Championship continues to grow in popularity, drawing attention from football and esports fans alike. The excitement around the competition mirrors the rising trend of blending sports and gaming, seen in everything from esports betting to online platforms offering unique features like free spins no deposit no ID verification.
Competition Structure and Key Dates
The VBL Club Championship maintains its format of two divisions—North-West and South-East—while introducing changes to match scheduling. Teams now play one match per matchday in a single round-robin phase, simplifying the format compared to the previous two-legged structure.
The season runs from October 2024 to March 2025, with live matches held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. A highlight this year is the addition of more game weeks, increasing from 14 to 17, allowing greater focus on individual matches.
Key dates include:
- Division Phase: Concludes by early March 2025.
- Playoffs: Scheduled for March 18-19, 2025.
- Grand Final: Takes place March 22-23, 2025.
The prize pool stands at €87,500, along with the German Club Champion title. SC Paderborn, the reigning champions, will face stiff competition to retain their crown.
Fans can follow the action live on official VBL platforms, including Twitch, TikTok, and virtual.bundesliga.com. The additional Thursday matchday features a VBL show that recaps the week’s highlights and streams two matches from each division.
Unique Features of VBL Gameplay
Matches are played in EA SPORTS FC 25’s Ultimate Team mode, with clubs utilizing special VBL Power Items. Each club selects two players from their real-life squads, granting them a maximum rating of 99 in the competition. Teams can also use Bundesliga Heroes and German ICON items, adding strategic depth to gameplay.
VBL Open
The VBL Open by WOW began on November 1, 2024, providing amateur players an opportunity to qualify for the playoffs and ultimately the Grand Final in April 2025. This aspect of the competition bridges the gap between professional and grassroots players, adding another layer of excitement to the league.
Standings So Far
As of the year-end, Bayern Munich and VfL Bochum are leading their respective divisions. The competition remains fierce, with every matchday offering high-stakes encounters.
The VBL Club Championship is off to a solid start, with Bayern and Bochum leading the pack as the year wraps up. There’s still plenty of action to come, and with the playoffs and Grand Final just a few months away, the competition is bound to heat up.