Key Takeaways
- FIFA and Konami are collaborating for the FIFAe World Cup, with eFootball to be featured in two tournaments.
- The partnership aims to unite players globally through special competitions, bringing fans closer to football eSports.
- FIFA’s goal is to create an inclusive space for different communities to join in eSports, with plans for the future.
FIFA has officially announced its new collaboration with Konami, marking a significant step in the world of football eSports. Thanks to this team-up, FIFA will feature Konami’s eFootball in two FIFAe World Cup tournaments planned for later this year, one for mobile and one for console.
Since the 1990s, Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer, now called eFootball, has been competing with EA Sports’ former FIFA series for the top spot in football games. PES initially made a name for itself because of its realistic gameplay, but during the 2010s, FIFA started to pull ahead. It secured exclusive rights to real teams and players, and introduced a smoother, more advanced game engine. FIFA’s esports tournaments, like the FIFAe World Cup, became a key part of its success and helped it stay ahead of the competition. A lot has changed since then, and now FIFA and Konami are set to collaborate.
Related
Rumor: New FIFA Game Could Be on the Way, and Not From EA
A rumor from a reputable source suggests a new FIFA game could be announced soon, and it’s not being developed by EA this time around.
Konami and FIFA both stressed that their partnership is all about bringing players closer to football through special competitions. These FIFAe World Cup events will let participants represent their countries in the virtual world, making football fans feel even more connected to the growing eSports community. Koji Kobayashi, a top executive at Konami, said that this partnership will take eFootball to a new level, with the upcoming tournaments providing a unique chance to unite players and fans from around the world.
FIFA’s leadership shared the same excitement, pointing out that this partnership fits perfectly with FIFA‘s goal of promoting football globally. FIFA‘s chief business officer, mentioned that creating an inclusive space for different communities to join in on eSports is a key part of FIFA‘s plans for the future.
The FIFAe World Cup 2024 will have two different competition types: a 2v2 mode for console players and a 1v1 mode for mobile players, offering multiple ways for gamers to compete. Qualifiers, which started in October 2024, will feature players from 18 countries, including football giants like Brazil, France, and Argentina, all battling for a place in the finals. The offline finals will happen later in the year, bringing together the top players from around the world for an epic global competition.
Since FIFA parted ways with EA in 2022, it still hasn’t found a new developer to create an official FIFA-branded game. It’s unclear if this partnership with eFootball will help FIFA compete with EA Sports FC, which has already established itself in the market. However, one thing is clear: FIFA is determined to make a comeback in the football gaming world and deepen its bond with fans through esports.
FIFA
FIFA is a series of soccer video games and is one of the highest-selling video game franchises of all time. The modern FIFA games generate eye-watering sums of money thanks to the Ultimate Team mode, which lets players build their own dream team.
The FIFA series has been developed by EA since its inception, though that’s set to change after EA and FIFA failed to reach a licensing agreement.