FIFA eWorld Cup ends in penalty controversy as player inputs are shown on big screen

The final of the FIFA eWorld Cup ended in controversy after one player’s inputs were seemingly shown on a large screen inside the arena, potentially giving his opponent the chance to gain an unfair advantage.

The final between Mark11 and Manubachoore came down to penalties after the pair tied 3-3 across two legs. However, controversy struck early in the penalty shootout when it was noticed by Mark11 that his penalty inputs were being shown on the big screen in the arena.

It meant that were Manubachoore or his coach to look at the big screen during the crucial spot kicks, they could have seen which direction Mark11 was aiming. Manubachoore and his coach contest that they did not look at the screen.

Mark11 alerted the event staff of the issue as soon as the penalty shootout started. However, in FIFA the game can’t be paused during penalties. The shootout went to sudden death, with Manubachoore eventually winning.

After the match, officials at the event attempted to establish what happened and if it could have impacted the result, but it was eventually determined that the final result would stand.

Mark11 has only tweeted once since the event. However, his Twitter bio now reads: “World Cup Top 2,” with a zipped mouth emoji, seemingly suggesting he isn’t able to talk about the incident.

VGC has reached out to EA for comment on the incident and will update this story if we receive a response.

We recently got the chance to go hands-on with EA Sports FC 24, the publisher’s upcoming FIFA successor.

“There is some sense that this year will see a huge amount of transition, with a significant number of mechanical changes that’ll be refined in a year’s time, but it’s a great start from what we’ve played,” we said in our preview. “It both feels like FIFA 24 and doesn’t at the same time, which feels like the perfect balance to us.

“But the real question is, with the reins now off and FIFA’s control over the franchise gone, what does EA have up its sleeve to breathe new life into gaming’s cornerstone sports franchise?”