/ eFootball

Hertha BSC gamble their way to defending their title

It was an afternoon that all those involved will not soon forget! Berlin's gaming community came together in an exciting event on January 16 at the XPERION Berlinto play out Berlin's official city champion in eFootball in the 030 eCup 2026. After almost four eventful hours, the team from the Hertha BSC eSport Academy was crowned the defending champion in front of an enthusiastic crowd. There was also great joy among the runners-up from Türkiyemspor Berlin, as they qualified as the best amateur team for the Community Qualifier of the DFB-ePokal powered by ERGO. SC Charlottenburg secured ninth place after the newly introduced "Best of the Rest-Round".

In a room with subdued lighting, several people are sitting at gaming stations. Three people can be seen in the foreground wearing red training jackets with a round logo. Two of them are sitting on gaming chairs in front of monitors and console controllers, while a third person is standing next to them, leaning slightly forward as if explaining or supporting something. There are monitors, consoles and other gaming equipment on the tables. There are other people in the background, also at computers or console workstations. A scene from a soccer video game can be seen on a large screen or monitor, which dominates the entire room. The atmosphere is concentrated and communal, as if an e-sports training session or tournament were taking place.
The players of the teams present offered the audience an exciting tournament. Photo: XPERION Berlin.

"Combining soccer on the pitch with soccer on the console"

The event was opened by moderator Tolga Santino and BFV President Bernd Schultz, who put everyone in the mood for an exciting event and also talked about the association's understanding of eFootball: "We've been working on the topic since 2018 and our basic idea is to combine soccer on the pitch with soccer on the console and perhaps bring eFootball into the clubhouses in the long term. We are well aware of the occasional criticism, but we want to offer it to those who want to play it" - and that's exactly what happened when 16 teams gathered at XPERION Berlin and were ready to get started on the consoles.

In the photo, two people are sitting close together at a table or console. The person on the left is wearing a dark, checked top with white dots. They are leaning slightly forward as if they are concentrating on a conversation or a shared activity. The person on the right is wearing a striped top in shades of green and beige with graphic lettering on the chest, a necklace and a bracelet. Her hands are on the table in front of her, as if she is operating or controlling something. In the background, other people can be seen standing or walking past out of focus. The scene looks like a shared moment in a gaming, technology or leisure area. The atmosphere conveys exchange and cooperation.
The participants were highly focused. Photo: BFV

SCC becomes "Lucky Loser

On an entertaining first group match day with a total of 23 goals, the professional eSports players from Hertha BSC worked up quite a sweat on the big screen of the gaming venue at Alexanderplatz against their eventual final opponents Türkiyemspor Berlin, who were the only team that evening with female power on the controller. In the end, however, the title winners were able to claim the first of six victories that evening - a thrilling start!

The new "Best of the Rest-Round", in which all teams eliminated after the group phase battled it out for 9th place, provided an extra dose of excitement for the first time this year. This round finally had the first small final of the evening up its sleeve, and it was to be a real nail-biter: after taking an early 3:0 lead and 3:3 in the meantime, SC Charlottenburg went into the half-time break with a narrow 4:3 lead against BFC Germania. The score was 4:4 after 90 minutes, with the golden goal ultimately giving SSC the acclaimed victory and thus tickets for Hertha BSC's second league home game against Darmstadt 98.

The photo shows four people standing close together on a stage or in front of a large screen. The background graphic shows a dynamic, dark pattern reminiscent of an e-sports or gaming event. Three of the people are wearing black sports or team shirts with white logos and initials. They are standing in a row and look like members of the same e-sports team. To their left is a person in a light-colored suit, leaning slightly towards them. To the right, another person in a red jacket is holding a microphone as if they are moderating or conducting a conversation. A large gaming pad or a special controller on a stand can be seen in the foreground, which places the scene even more in the context of a gaming event. The posture of everyone involved conveys team spirit and a joint appearance at an official presentation or award ceremony.
BFV President David Dahlhaus (l.) and presenter Tolga Santino (r.) crowned SC Charlottenburg the winner of the "Best of the Rest-Round". Photo: XPERION Berlin

Hertha ice-cold to the title

However, the grand final between Türkiyemspor Berlin, who had beaten SC Gatow by golden goal in the semi-final, and Hertha BSC, who had punished Rotation Prenzlauer Berg's proliferation of chances with a 3:1 victory in their semi-final, brought the evening to a close.

A similar picture presented itself to the captivated audience watching on the big screen of the XPERION in the Hertha final. After the defending champions had taken a 2:0 lead, Türkiyemspor came back to 2:1 and then missed the best scoring chances. The players from the Hertha BSC eSport Academy once again had the upper hand in a thrilling final. In the end, the team secured the title defense with a 4:1 victory and thus the Berlin eFootball City Championship 2026, while final opponent Türkiyemspor in the Community Qualifier of the DFB-ePokal powered by ERGO against the other state champions for participation in the main round of the nationwide tournament. The trophy presentation was conducted by presidential member referee David Dahlhaus and concluded a more than successful evening that will certainly be repeated in 2027.

The Berlin Football Association would like to thank all the teams, full-time and honorary supporters, presenter Tolga Santino, Hertha BSC Ticketing and XPERION Berlin for their cooperation.

In the photo, six people stand close together in a row on a stage or event area. They look like a team or group posing together for a photo. Some are wearing sports or team clothing in blue or black, one person is wearing a suit, and another person is wearing a red jacket and holding a microphone as if they are presenting or announcing. The people stand in front of a large background with red and black graphics, which conveys a dynamic, sporty and technical atmosphere. A large, strikingly designed controller stands on a small pedestal in front of the group, suggesting a gaming or e-sports event. The group's posture appears friendly and communal - some have their arms around each other, others are standing close to each other, ready to take a photo together.
Türkiyemspor Berlin will take part in the Community Qualifier of the DFB-ePokal powered by ERGO as the best amateur team of the tournament. Photo: BFV

Kategorien: eFootball

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