Student competing to qualify for biggest online FIFA21 event

A student studying at the new East London Institute of Technology (ELIoT) is battling it out for a spot in one of the biggest UK FIFA21 events – all from the comfort of his home! @BarkingCollege

David Croxford, 37, from Lewisham, is an Esports student at ELIoT, which is part of Barking & Dagenham College. The course is designed to prepare students for a career in the exciting gaming industry. 

Alongside his studies David has been putting his skills to the test by competing for the opportunity to represent Wolverhampton Wanderers in the biggest FIFA21 event in the EPremier League.   

Battling it out against hundreds of other gamers, he is currently in 9th position.  To qualify he must be in the top 7 of the Wolverhamton online qualifiers by the end of the qualifiers which finish within a week.   

If he is successful, he will then have to beat 7 other Wolverhampton Wanderers representatives to become the team’s representative at the FIFA 21 EPremier League Finals which will be aired on Sky in the spring and holds the chance to win £50,000.  

For David, gaming was a passion that started at an early age.  By 12 he was competing in esport competitions and since then he has competed both nationally and internationally in esport championships.    

As soon as he heard that the ELIoT – which offers higher technical education as a collaboration between employers, colleges and universities – was to be one of the first in the country to offer the esports qualification he decided to sign up to help him reach his career dream.  As David explains: “I wanted to do the course to help me achieve my goal of setting up my own esport organisation.  When I was growing up there were youth centres and other clubs that you could get involved in but I don’t think there is as much on offer for younger people now and you hear so many negative things about youth.  I don’t want that. I want to create something for them that will help keep them motivated and give them something to aim for, enjoy and even make into a career themselves.”    

David is already in the top 200 Eprem global ranking but talking about the FIFA21 competition David adds:

“I’ve really set my heart on getting my place at the competition.  It will be such a great achievement.  I’ve got a lot of games to play in the coming days to get me there, which I have to do while still working and studying but I’m determined to do it.”