Esports organisation Team Liquid has partnered with English football club Sunderland AFC for the upcoming ePremier League season. The collaboration will see two of Liquid’s premier EA Sports FC athletes, Paulo Neto and Gabriel “Young” Freitas, represent the Wearside club as they make their debut in the UK’s domestic gaming circuit.

The move marks a significant expansion of Team Liquid’s football gaming programme following their 2024 expansion into Southeast Asia and the full acquisition of Team Gullit in 2025. By pairing with Sunderland, Team Liquid enters the ePremier League with one of the most decorated duos in the scene; Neto is a former FIFAe Nations Cup champion, while Young recently secured a runner-up finish at the 2024 Esports World Cup.

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Regarding the strategic entry into the UK circuit, Maarten Sonneveld, Sr. Marketing Manager at Team Liquid, stated: “A partnership with Sunderland AFC for the ePremier League is the next natural step for the organisation’s EA FC programme. We have a deep respect for Sunderland’s history and its dedicated fanbase. We are proud to have Paulo Neto and Young representing both of our organisations as we bring our high-performance standards to the UK’s top circuit.”

The ePremier League resumes for its eighth season on 28 February 2026. The competition features a £100,000 prize pool and offers direct qualification paths to the eChampions League and the FC Pro World Championship. The 40 participating players, representing all 20 Premier League clubs, will compete in a round-robin group stage before advancing to the knockout playoffs.

David Bruce, Chief Business Officer at Sunderland AFC, commented on the club’s digital expansion: “Our partnership with Team Liquid marks an exciting step in Sunderland AFC’s commitment to innovation and global engagement. This collaboration allows us to represent the Club in a rapidly growing competitive space while engaging with a new generation of supporters.”

The players will debut a Team Liquid x Sunderland AFC jersey during the broadcast, blending Liquid’s heritage with the iconic red and white stripes of the Stadium of Light.

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