Leïla Davaud on a major esports event in Colindale this month
The UK armed forces’ flagship esports competition will culminate in Hendon later this month, mixing gaming, military innovation and defence engagement.
Following a breakthrough first season that attracted more than 700 players, the second edition of the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) Pro League expanded the competition with the addition of F1 25 and League of Legends.
After months of qualifying stages, this year’s championship will conclude with the grand final on Sunday, 27th September featuring Rocket League, as players battle for the title at one of the UK’s most iconic aviation venues.
The pro league is an exclusive competitive arena where serving personnel, veterans, MOD civil servants, reservists, members of the UK cadet forces, the bereaved community, and immediate family members (parents, children, and siblings) can compete and connect on a national stage.
Robert Wylie, BFBS’s head of esports, said: “The pro league is the flagship competition within BFBS esports, and bringing it back for a second season is hugely exciting.
“As well as adding two massively popular titles, we want to make sure the esports ecosystem continues to grow, which is why we’re launching the open series this year. It gives more players a chance to compete, gain experience, and be part of the wider defence gaming community.”
While the grand final itself remains a private experience for invited guests, selected elements of the day will also be open to the public from 10am.
It includes esports activities, coverage of the grand final in the RAF theatre around 5pm, augmented reality esports experiences, simulators and gaming experiences, Royal Navy STEM activities and live music performances from the British Army rifles band and cadet bands.
Ben Chapman, chief executive of BFBS, said: “The BFBS Pro League continues to demonstrate the power of esports to bring together the UK Armed Forces community in new and innovative ways. This year’s event represents an exciting next step for BFBS Esports, opening the experience to wider audiences while celebrating the people that make this initiative so special and important.”
Adam Waters, BFBS director of AI culture and gaming, added: “With Season Two of the BFBS Pro League we’ve been on a mission to expand and enable more esports activities within the UK Armed Forces community. The level of competition we saw during the first season was incredibly impressive, and this year we’ve grown our league with more titles, more opportunities to compete, and have even bigger ambitions for the future.”
General admission to the museum is free. However, the museum strongly recommends booking a free entry slot online in advance via www.rafmuseum.org.uk
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