On September 18, 2025, the Parisian esports world witnessed a major shakeup as two of its most iconic names—Team Vitality and Paris Saint-Germain Esports (PSG Esports)—unveiled a new multi-year partnership. The collaboration, which will see the creation of a joint roster under the PSG.Vitality banner, signals a new era not only for the organizations themselves but also for the broader intersection of traditional sports and esports in France and beyond.
The deal, whose financial terms remain undisclosed according to Esports Insider, is focused squarely on EA Sports FC, starting with the 2025/26 FC Pro season. Team Vitality’s EA Sports FC division will now compete as PSG.Vitality, debuting in the upcoming FC Pro Open kicking off September 22, 2025. This marks the first time both organizations have fielded a combined roster in EA Sports’ flagship football title, with the partnership set to span at least the next two competitive seasons.
The new PSG.Vitality squad will be led by two familiar faces: 20-year-old Ilian Bouchi and 21-year-old Brice Masson, both of whom previously represented Team Vitality. Brice Masson in particular has had a standout year, finishing as runner-up at the Esports World Cup’s FC Pro World Championship in Riyadh and earning a prize of $150,000 after losing to Team Liquid’s Manuel ‘ManuBachoore’ Bachoore in the final, as reported by Dexerto. Alongside Bouchi, Masson also reached the finals of the eLigue 1 McDonald’s 2025, ultimately finishing as runners-up after a hard-fought loss to FC Lorient. Bouchi, meanwhile, has been with Team Vitality for three years and was named Rookie of the Year at the eLigue 1 Awards in 2024, before clinching the MVP title in 2025.
Guiding the team from the sidelines is Head Coach and Manager Johann ‘ManiiKa’ Simon, a veteran of the French FIFA and EA FC scene. ManiiKa brings with him not only a deep tactical understanding of the game but also a personal connection to both organizations, having competed for PSG Esports between 2017 and 2022 and winning both the eLigue 1 and DreamHack in 2017. His leadership is expected to be a key asset as PSG.Vitality sets its sights on domestic and international glory.
Notably absent from the new roster is veteran pro Corentin ‘RocKy’ Chevrey, who departed Team Vitality in August 2025. RocKy’s legacy remains intact, highlighted by his $160,000 win at the FUT17 Championship in 2017, but the new partnership marks a generational shift as rising stars Bouchi and Masson take center stage.
The ambitions for PSG.Vitality are clear: win the eLigue 1 title in 2026 and make a strong impression on the wider EA SPORTS FC competitive circuit. As the team prepares for its debut at the FC Pro Open, expectations are high, with esports betting sites already tipping them as early favorites for the upcoming season.
For both organizations, the partnership is about more than just winning trophies. Fabien Devide, president and co-founder of Team Vitality, emphasized the deeper significance of the alliance, saying, “This alliance between two Parisian clubs of international stature was a natural choice. Driven by the same commitment to excellence and a deep connection to the city of Paris, we are joining forces at a pivotal moment in our sporting journeys. Beyond our shared roots, we are united by a common vision: to showcase Paris on the world stage, in both sports and esports, and to build lasting bridges between our two worlds. I am confident that this collaboration will mark a new chapter in our international development. Many thanks to the PSG teams for their trust and commitment.”
The partnership is also set to extend beyond the virtual pitch. Joint projects co-branded as “Paris Saint-Germain Esports x Team Vitality”—including merchandise, activations, and new esports initiatives—are already in the works, with launches planned in the coming days and months, according to The Esports Advocate. This strategic move is expected to further cement both organizations’ influence in the rapidly evolving esports landscape.
Paris Saint-Germain’s involvement in esports is nothing new. The club was one of the first major football teams to invest in the sector, launching its esports division in 2016 with top FIFA players August ‘Agge’ Rosenmeier and Lucas ‘DaXe’ Cuillerier. PSG’s esports ambitions quickly expanded, with forays into League of Legends, Dota 2, Rainbow Six Siege, Arena of Valor, Rocket League, Brawl Stars, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. After a brief departure from League of Legends at the end of 2017, PSG returned to the scene in 2020 through a partnership with Hong-Kong-based Talon Esports. This collaboration yielded multiple regional trophies and appearances at the League of Legends World Championships, and was renewed in July 2025 for another competitive season.
Team Vitality, founded in 2013, has built a reputation as one of Europe’s leading esports organizations, competing across a wide range of titles. Its recent successes—including a second-place finish at the 2025 Esports World Cup and a seven-figure sponsorship deal with online casino and sportsbook platform Stake—reflect its growing international ambitions. The acquisition of Bigetron Esports earlier in 2025 also marked a significant expansion into the Asian market, further diversifying the organization’s reach.
The PSG.Vitality partnership is emblematic of a broader trend: traditional sports teams are increasingly investing in and collaborating with established esports organizations. This blending of competitive gaming and mainstream football fandom not only broadens each brand’s appeal but also helps legitimize esports as a global sporting phenomenon. For fans, it means seeing their favorite football club’s colors on the digital pitch, while for players like Bouchi and Masson, it’s a chance to represent two of Paris’s most storied institutions.
The upcoming FC Pro Open will be the first test for the new squad. Players who reach Division 4 in EA FC 26’s Ultimate Team Rivals mode will have the opportunity to compete in regional qualifiers, with the top 48 advancing to the season’s first Global Qualifier. The stakes are high, but so is the sense of excitement and anticipation surrounding PSG.Vitality’s debut.
As Brice Masson put it after re-signing with Vitality and joining PSG, “I’m so proud to be able to represent these two exceptional clubs. Happy to stay at home at Vitality for a second season.” It’s a sentiment that resonates with fans and underscores the pride both organizations feel in representing Paris on the world stage.
With a blend of youthful talent, experienced leadership, and the backing of two of France’s most influential sports brands, PSG.Vitality is poised to make waves in the EA Sports FC competitive scene. The coming months will reveal whether this ambitious partnership can deliver on its lofty promises, but one thing is certain: the eyes of both the esports and football worlds will be firmly fixed on Paris.
