FIFA has entered a partnership with Japanese video game publisher Konami to host FIFAe World Cup events, which will feature competitions using Konami's eFootball game. This new collaboration will kick off with two major tournaments in the inaugural year, with players from 18 nations competing in both console and mobile formats. The champions of each event will be crowned FIFAe World Champions.
“We are incredibly excited to join forces with Konami,” commented Romy Gai, FIFA’s Chief Business Officer. “This partnership aligns with our goal of promoting football globally and providing players with a platform to showcase their talent. We believe in creating an inclusive ecosystem that brings various communities together under the FIFAe competitions.”
This collaboration comes after FIFA’s split from EA Sports, whose FIFA series had powered the FIFAe World Cup since its inception in 2004, when it was known as the FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC). Following the high-profile break with EA in 2022, FIFA has not had an official football simulation game for its esports competitions. While there were discussions about a potential licensing agreement with 2K Sports, the development of a game capable of rivalling EA Sports’ FIFA series could take several years.
In the meantime, Konami’s eFootball stands as the closest alternative. eFootball, an evolution of the once-popular Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series, enjoyed significant success during the 1990s and early 2000s. However, in the last decade, Konami struggled to keep pace with EA Sports, leading to a pivot towards free-to-play (F2P) and esports.
“At Konami, we have continually taken on the challenge of developing football simulation and esports,” said Koji Kobayashi, Senior Executive Officer at Konami Digital Entertainment. “We are delighted to contribute to the growth of eFootball through this partnership with FIFAe and express our gratitude to FIFA for this opportunity.”
The FIFAe World Cup is eagerly anticipated by both FIFA and Konami, who hope the event will engage players and fans globally. Since its split with EA Sports, FIFA has been broadening its esports portfolio, having signed agreements with Rocket League and Football Manager, which will also be featured in FIFAe competitions.
Though Konami has faced challenges in competing with EA Sports, particularly in terms of gameplay and licensing, the new partnership with FIFA provides eFootball with legitimacy and a platform for increased recognition in the global esports scene.