EA Sports has decided to forgo the naming rights for their flagship game FIFA. The upcoming game will be called EA Sports FC. But what does this mean for the licenses and rights of football superstars? Will we still have the opportunity to play with original virtual versions of Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo? It appears that EA has already made provisions for this...
It was a seismic announcement, particularly for us loyal fans: EA Sports will no longer have the rights to use the name 'FIFA'. FIFA 23 marked the end of an era, being billed as "the final FIFA of all time". While this news may initially sound alarming, the situation is not as dire as it seems.
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EA Sports has been creating FIFA games since 1993. With the conclusion of their current licensing agreement, fans have been left wondering: What does the future hold for FIFA? Will there even be a FIFA 24? And what about EA's game? Will we lose access to authentic leagues, clubs, and players?
After all, no one (shoutout to PES) wants to play with Kyle Muabbey, Luinel Massi or Christian Noraldo, we want to continue playing with our favorite players. EA already has an answer – which sounds very good!
EA Extends FIFPRO Deal For EA Sports FC 24 – Secures Most Important Licenses
In October 2021, EA made an official announcement regarding the extension of their agreement with FIFPRO. In their press release, the publisher highlighted the significance of authenticity, and we couldn't agree more.
Using generated or random names for players would diminish a significant aspect of the game's appeal and impact.
The FIFPRO license agreement encompasses over 65,000 professional players, ensuring that EA's products maintain authenticity. This agreement enables EA to feature thousands of player names and graphics in their games.
EA Sports is the only publisher that can make a football game with original content for prestigious tournaments such as the UEFA Champions League and CONMEBOL Libertadores, as well as renowned leagues including the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and La Liga. In fact, EA has recently secured the naming rights for the Spanish top division, and starting from the 2023/24 season, it will be officially known as La Liga EA Sports FC.
After successfully securing the licenses, David Jackson, Vice President of the EA Sports Brand, shared his thoughts in a statement:
“Our players regularly remind us that one of the most important aspects of an EA Sports experience is the deep immersion created through authentic use of the world’s greatest leagues, teams and talents - it’s how we continue to uniquely blur the lines between the digital and physical worlds of football.
FIFPRO will continue to be an important partner as we build the next generation of EA SPORTS football experiences for players around the world."
“We are extremely pleased to extend the long-term relationship with EA Sports, a true partner that’s committed to create the best interactive experience for football fans worldwide,” stated Theo van Seggelen, Statutory Director of FIFPRO Holding.
We're eagerly anticipating what lies ahead in the upcoming EA Sports FC. One thing that is certain to change is the ratings of the Top 100 players.