FIFA snubs EA, agrees deal with former rival Konami to host eSports World Cup

In a stunning move, FIFA has snubbed its long-time partner EA Sports and agreed to a new deal with Konami, marking a new chapter in the world of eSports.

 The announcement confirms that FIFA and Konami will collaborate to host the first-ever FIFAe World Cup™ featuring eFootball™, Konami’s flagship football simulation game. 

This development comes two years after the long-standing partnership between FIFA and EA Sports, which produced the globally popular FIFA video game series, officially ended.

As part of the deal, two editions of the FIFAe World Cup™ will take place later this year, featuring Konami’s eFootball™ formerly known as PES (Pro Evolution Soccer) on both mobile and console platforms.

 The tournament will invite 18 nations, chosen based on their player bases and past performances in esports competitions, to participate in this inaugural event.

FIFA’s Chief Business Officer, Romy Gai, expressed excitement over the collaboration, saying in a statement:

“We are incredibly excited to join forces with KONAMI. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to promote football globally and to provide a platform for players to showcase their skills.”

The FIFAe World Cup™ will begin with qualifying rounds starting on Thursday, October 10, with two competitions — one on console and one on mobile — each crowning a FIFAe World Champion. 

Konami’s Senior Executive Officer, Koji Kobayashi, shared his enthusiasm about the partnership, highlighting its potential to revolutionize the esports space.

 He said:

“At KONAMI, we have continued to take on challenges in the development of football simulation and esports. We are very pleased to contribute to the promotion of eFootball™ in a new dimension through this collaboration with FIFAe.”

Participating countries include Argentina, Brazil, England, France, and 14 others. However, Nigeria, did not make the list, leaving Africa’s representation solely to Morocco.

The 18 countries participating in the inaugural FIFAe World Cup™ featuring eFootball™ on mobile and console are:

- Argentina  

- Brazil  

- Costa Rica  

- England  

- France  

- India  

- Indonesia  

- Japan  

- Korea Republic  

- Malaysia  

- Morocco  

- Netherlands  

- Poland  

- Portugal  

- Saudi Arabia  

- Spain  

- Thailand  

- Türkiye 

For more information, visit the FIFA.GG and the KONAMI website.