EA may drop FIFA license in future soccer games

Published , by TJ Denzer

FIFA may be one of the most recognized sporting organizations in the world, but it might not be part of Electronic Arts’ plans for the digital pitch going forward. EA FIFA games have been a staple of the gaming developer and publisher’s yearly lineup, but a desire to expand the scope and possibilities of future titles has EA reconsidering its naming agreements with FIFA. It may altogether drop FIFA in future soccer video games.

This possibility was suggested in a blog post shared recently on Electronic Arts’ website. According to the post, EA wants to expand the scope of its offerings when it comes to representation of the overall global football scene, especially in regards to women’s soccer.

“We hear consistently that what matters most is growing the global community, creating innovative football experiences across new platforms, a commitment to every level of the sport including grassroots, and accelerating the elevation of the women’s game,” EA Sports Group General Manager Cam Weber wrote.

EA's FIFA games have previously featured women's clubs and national teams in a limited degree. The desire to further expand its inclusion of women's soccer is part of the consideration in dropping FIFA licensing.

To that end, it would appear that EA is considering renaming its main football video games to better broaden its offerings.

“As we look ahead, we’re also exploring the idea of renaming our global EA Spots football games,” Weber continued. “This means we’re reviewing our naming rights agreement with FIFA, which is separate from all our other official partnerships and licenses across the football world.”

EA already offered the ability to play UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, CONMEBOL Libertadores, Premier League, Bundesliga, and LaLiga Santander clubs, as well as featuring some level of women’s league and club play in recent games. It would seem we can expect an expansion of that effort in future titles if Weber’s vision of EA Sports’ future in soccer games comes to pass.

As we await further details on this upcoming development of EA Sports soccer, stay tuned to see if Electronic Arts does indeed drop FIFA. We’ll follow with further updates on this topic as details become available.