Konami Replaces EA as FIFA Esports Partner

FIFA is implementing significant changes in its esports landscape, announcing that it will no longer collaborate with EA for its annual esports tournament. For years, FIFA maintained a stronghold in the video game industry due to its licensing agreement with EA, which effectively sidelined competitors like Konami. Konami attempted to challenge FIFA’s dominance with its Pro Evolution Soccer series but eventually shifted its focus to the free-to-play market with eFootball, a strategy that appears to be yielding positive results with a new contract.

As per media reports, FIFA has teamed up with Konami to host its FIFAe World Cup esports event, which will be played using the latter’s eFootball game instead of EA Sports FC 25. Starting today, players can join qualifying matches that will lead to two major tournaments scheduled for 2024: one focused on the mobile version of eFootball and the other on consoles. The first championship will feature players from various countries, including Brazil, Costa Rica, England, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Morocco, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Thailand, and Türkiye.

Since its launch in 2021, Konami’s eFootball has maintained a solid player base, and forming an official partnership with FIFA marks a significant advancement for the game’s brand recognition. The esports scene surrounding football games is substantial, and EA’s loss of the FIFA license has diminished the excitement surrounding its recent EA Sports FC titles. By partnering with FIFA, Konami is strategically drawing more attention to its game, putting EA at a disadvantage.

It remains to be seen whether the FIFAe World Cup partnership will extend beyond organizing tournaments in eFootball, but considering FIFA’s rocky history with EA, it is likely proceeding cautiously as it embarks on another potentially long-term agreement with a video game publisher. While eFootball has a healthy player base, those who were initially discouraged by its problematic launch may view the FIFAe World Cup as evidence of an improved product, which bodes well for the free-to-play football game.