PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN ESPORTS AND TEAM VITALITY ANNOUNCE A COLLABORATION ON EA FC

eSports•18 Sep 2025 11:41

Starting from the 2025-2026 season, the two Parisian clubs will join forces on the EA FC scene with a roster featuring French rising stars Ilian Bouchi and Brice Masson, alongside Johann “ManiiKa” Simon, an iconic PSG Esports figure who continues as the team’s Manager Coach. Together, the clubs are aiming for the very top of the professional circuit, which officially kicks off on September 22 with the FC Pro Open Ladder.

When the best of esports meets the best of football, it creates a collaboration of historic proportions. Team Vitality and Paris Saint-Germain Esports are proud to announce a unique, long-term collaboration on the EA SPORTS FC scene, kicking off with the 2025-2026 season!

Having entered the esports scene back in 2016, Paris Saint-Germain was the first football club to make esports a strategic and ambitious pillar of its global development. Partnering with Team Vitality represents a new and significant milestone. United by a shared ambition for performance and a bold international strategy, both clubs also carry deep roots in the city of Paris. This alliance marks a major step in what is already a historic year for the two institutions.

Together, Team Vitality and Paris Saint-Germain are determined to pursue excellence, continue pushing the boundaries of their respective fields, and embody premium brands on the global stage. Paris has never been more magical!

A competitive roster with high-level ambitions

PSG.Vitality is proud to announce the extension of two young French prodigies, Ilian Bouchi and Brice Masson, for another season. This year, the duo will have the honor of playing under the iconic Paris Saint-Germain Esports jersey. They will once again be guided by head coach Johann "ManiiKa" Simon, who will lead them throughout a season driven by ambition.

PSG.Vitality, Built for Performance

Ilian Bouchi, 20 years old: Entering his third consecutive season with Team Vitality, Ilian has cemented his reputation as one of the brightest stars on the EA FC scene. Known for his explosive playstyle and mechanical prowess, he was crowned Rookie of the Year at the 2024 eLigue 1 Awards and went on to be named MVP of the eLigue 1 in 2025.

Brice Masson, 21 years old: A mentally resilient competitor, Brice stands out for his tactical mastery and complementary playstyle to Ilian’s. The duo reached the final of the 2025 eLigue 1 McDonald’s. On the individual stage, Brice claimed the runner-up spot at the Esports World Cup.

Johann "ManiiKa" Simon, 32 years old: A former EA FC and PSG Esports legend who played four seasons under the Club’s banner, Johann has already won the eLigue 1 (2017) and DreamHack (2017). Now transitioning his experience into coaching, he brings invaluable expertise as Manager Coach. His dual perspective as both a player and coach will be essential in guiding the roster to the very top.

Armed for Competition, Aiming for Titles

After months of building synergy, the players have developed a polished and efficient team dynamic. They enter this new season with unwavering motivation and a clear ambition: to claim the prestigious eLigue 1 title in 2026. Another key objective will be to break into the Top 8 of major international competitions.

Already proven as fierce competitors on the national stage, they remain serious contenders and carry high expectations for the entire field. Their first major test will be the FC Pro Open in September, a golden opportunity to showcase their strength from the very start of the competitive calendar!

To achieve these goals, the team will train under optimal conditions at the PSG Studio—an esports-dedicated facility offering a mix of home training sessions and intensive bootcamps designed to prepare for the season’s biggest challenges. Players will also benefit from expert support provided by Paris Saint-Germain staff to optimize key aspects of team performance.

"This collaboration marks an important milestone in Paris Saint-Germain’s pursuit of excellence. By joining forces with the most successful French esports organization on EA FC, we are building an ambitious and long-term project. Excellence and innovation, two pillars of the Club’s DNA, are fully embodied in this collaboration. It aims to create a modern, inspiring model while providing a structured environment to nurture tomorrow’s talents. Each party brings unique and complementary expertise, and I am confident that this synergy will drive the project towards sustainable success.”
Nadia Benmokhtar, Diversification & Merchandising Director of Paris Saint-Germain.

"This alliance between two Parisian clubs with international reach came as a natural step. Driven by the same commitment to excellence and a profound connection to the city of Paris, we are joining forces at a pivotal moment in our sporting journeys. Beyond our shared roots, it is a shared vision that unites us: showcasing Paris on the global stage—in both sport and esports—while building lasting bridges between our two worlds. I am convinced this collaboration will mark a new chapter in our international development. I want to thank the PSG teams for their trust and commitment.”
abien Devide, President and Co-Founder, Team Vitality.

Two Clubs Focused on Excellence and the Future

Both clubs are at a historic turning point in their development. Paris Saint-Germain has just completed an extraordinary 2024-2025 season, crowned with a UEFA Champions League victory and a FIFA Club World Cup final appearance.

Meanwhile, Team Vitality continues to dominate the global esports scene with a string of prestigious titles. On EA FC25, the organization secured impressive results: second place in the eLigue 1, a Top 8 finish in the eChampions League, and a runner-up title at the Esports World Cup. Together, the two Parisian clubs are joining forces to carry this momentum into the virtual pitch.

Both organizations share core values of excellence and innovation, along with a long-term vision to elevate their brands worldwide. Their mission goes beyond training the best players in their category: it is about nurturing the champions of tomorrow through their respective French talent incubator programs. Through this collaboration with Team Vitality, Paris Saint-Germain reaffirms its ambition to embody the club of the new generation—connected, innovative, and deeply rooted in modern sports and digital culture.

Exciting new co-branded projects under Paris Saint-Germain Esports x Team Vitality are also expected to emerge, including merchandising, activations, and esports-related initiatives.

Follow our new PSG.Vitality accounts on social media:

X : http://x.com/PSGVitalityEAFC

Instagram : http://instagram.com/PSGVitalityEAFC

About Paris Saint-Germain 

Founded in 1970 and crowned UEFA Champions League winners in 2025, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is France's most successful sports Club and a leading force on the European stage. Under Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) ownership since 2011, PSG has grown into a multi-sport institution, excelling in men’s and women’s football, handball, judo, and Esports. In 2022, U.S.-based Arctos Partners invested in the Club to support its long-term growth strategy.  

With a global fan base exceeding 500 million and a combined social media following of over 230 million across social media, PSG has become a cultural icon, sitting at the intersection of sport, fashion, and entertainment. Collaborations with global brands like Jordan have solidified its status as a globally recognized lifestyle brand. In 2024, the Club inaugurated the Paris Saint-Germain Campus, a state-of-the-art facility that sets new standards for athlete development and performance. As The Club of the New Generation, Paris Saint-Germain blends athletic excellence, cultural influence, and social impact to shape the future of sport and society. 

About Team Vitality

Team Vitality is a French esports club founded in 2013 by Fabien “Neo” Devide and Nicolas Maurer. In just twelve years, the club has become a leader in France and across Europe, while competing internationally on 15 flagship titles: League of Legends, CS2, VALORANT, FC24, Rocket League, Tekken 8, Starcraft II, RENNSPORT, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), TeamFight Tactics (TFT), Fatal Fury, Free Fire, Honor of Kings (HoK), PUBG Mobile, and Chess.

Made up of world-class players delivering outstanding performances, the club is fully dedicated to identifying and developing a new generation of esports athletes. Today, the Team Vitality community brings together more than 10 million fans across all social media platforms. Team Vitality is also proud to partner with leading global brands in their respective industries.

The French powerhouse operates teams and facilities across the globe:

Paris (France): the beating heart and main hub of the club, home to a cybercafé, an official store, and a performance center located within the Stade de France.

Berlin (Germany): strategically positioned to be at the core of Europe’s top competitions.

Jakarta (Indonesia).