eMLS CUP 2025: WHERE GAMING, SOCCER, AND CULTURE COLLIDE

Major League Soccer and EA SPORTS Join Forces for One Night Only to Celebrate the Intersection of Sports Fandom and Culture at the Whitney Museum in New York City

NEW YORK  , Feb. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — From March 12 – 14, 2025, Major League Soccer (MLS) and EA SPORTS FC PRO are presenting eMLS Cup Week 2025, which consists of a three-day event that will lead up to the eMLS Cup Final on Friday, March 14 at the Whitney Museum of American Art. This culminating event – coinciding with Whitney’s Free Friday Nights – will merge gaming, sports, music, and art.

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The eMLS Cup Final and the Whitney’s Free Friday Nights event are both free and open to the public. Free tickets are required and can be reserved via RSVP. eMLS fans worldwide can tune in via live coverage on Twitch or YouTube.

Featuring elite EA SPORTS FC 25 competition with participation from some of the world’s best, eMLS Cup 2025 will also feature a panel discussion with emerging and established athletes, high-energy music performances, and immersive art experiences. The blending of these engaging elements will showcase the future of sports, gaming, and digital fandom.

“eMLS Cup bridges the excitement of matchday with the world of competitive EA SPORTS FC gaming, broadening the growing reach of Major League Soccer and building relationships with new fans.” said Camilo Durana, MLS EVP. “We’re excited to showcase eMLS in New York City and to fans around the world.”

 Four Core Programs Define 2025 eMLS Cup Week:

• 2025 eMLS Cup Final – March 14 at the Whitney Museum
  TIME: 11am – 3pm ET
  (99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014)
  North America’s top EA SPORTS FC competitors will battle for a $50,000 prize pool and two spots in the EA SPORTS FC Pro World Championship. The event will be co-streamed with EA SPORTS FC, serving as a platform for young audiences to explore career pathways in sports and gaming.

• GAME ON: Next-Gen Fandom Panel – March 14 at the Whitney Museum
  TIME: 5 – 6:30pm ET
  (99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014)
  Featuring thought leaders, industry disruptors, and Gen Z voices, including former NFL star and avid EA SPORTS FC gamer Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, this panel will explore the evolution of sports consumption, the influences of gaming, hip-hop, digital art and sneaker culture, along with how authenticity in the digital age is essential for audience engagement.

• Live performances by Cash Cobain & DJ Silvasoundz – March 14 at the Whitney Museum
  TIME: 7:30pm ET
  (99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014)
  Bronx-based rapper and record producer Cash Cobain will perform a set from his debut studio album Play Cash Cobain. This culminating performance at the 2025 eMLS Cup Final will also feature a DJ set by Silvasoundz.

• Whitney Free Friday Nights – March 14 at the Whitney Museum
  TIME: 5 – 10pm ET
  (99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014)
  Attendees can explore an immersive cultural experience at the Whitney Museum and enjoy all that the museum has to offer, including its leading collection of digital art. During this special edition of the Whitney’s weekly Free Friday Nights program, visitors will enjoy:
  • Interactive gaming activations, presented by the eMLS, showcasing cutting-edge esports technology.
  • Live music, dancing, food and beverage specials, gallery tours, and access to the entire museum, including critically acclaimed exhibitions, and the Whitney’s leading collection of digital art, including augmented reality (AR) works on the 8th  floor terrace and in the lobby.

“It’s fantastic to see MLS bringing together the worlds of gaming, music, art, and more during eMLS Cup week” Said Sam Turkbas, Senior Director of Sports Esports at EA, “The combination of interactive opportunities and panels, headlined by incredible eMLS competition, is a can’t miss opportunity for fans, in-person and online, to interact in new and exciting ways and cheer on America’s best FC Pro players.”

How to Experience eMLS Cup Week 2025

• In-Person: The eMLS Cup Finals and Whitney Free Friday Nights are free and open to the public. Free tickets are required and can be reserved in advance at https://whitney.org/events/emls-ffn-25. Capacity is limited.
• Streaming: Fans can watch live coverage on Twitch or YouTube.

Follow the conversation: #eMLSCup #GamePositive #NextGenFandom. For more, visit mlssoccer.com/emls.

PRESS CONTACT
Bryan Pierce
MLS@1964agency.com | 917-817-1780

About eMLS eMLS is the gaming and esports property of Major League Soccer. Built around the EA SPORTS™ FC franchise, its goal is to utilize gaming to reach global audiences, raise the profile of MLS, and grow its next generation of fans. eMLS aims to authentically tap into culture, rooted in gaming but spreading across music, fashion, art, and more. For more information, visit www.mlssoccer.com/eMLS. 

About Major League Soccer (MLS) Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer — celebrating its 30th season in 2025 — features 30 clubs throughout the United States and Canada. All MLS, Leagues Cup, and select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches can be watched through MLS Season Pass, available on the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, and the web at  tv.apple.com. MLS Season Pass features the most expansive and accessible lineup of programming ever for MLS fans. For more information about MLS, visit mlssoccer.com. For more information about the Apple TV app, visit apple.com/apple-tv-app.

About Electronic Arts 

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers.

In fiscal year 2024, EA posted GAAP net revenue of approximately $7.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS FC™, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™, Plants vs. Zombies™ and EA SPORTS F1®. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS FC, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Apex Legends, The Sims, Titanfall, and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John Madden, NFL, FIFA and F1 are the property of their respective owners and used with permission.

About The Whitney Museum
The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (1875–1942), houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Mrs. Whitney, an early and ardent supporter of modern American art, nurtured groundbreaking artists when audiences were still largely preoccupied with the Old Masters. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for ninety years. The core of the Whitney’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.

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SOURCE Major League Soccer