FIFA has formed an unprecedented partnership with Japanese game developer Konami for the organization of the FIFA World Cup, a tournament that will take place in 2024. This news marks an unexpected collaboration between the two institutions, which until now were rivals in the sports gaming sector, with Konami being responsible for eFootball, formerly known as Pro Evolution Soccer (PES).
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According to the official announcement, the tournament will be held on both console and mobile versions of eFootball. The partnership promises to heat up the esports scene, especially with the participation of players from 18 countries, highlighting FIFA's focus on expanding its global reach within esports.
eFootball: The new stage for the FIFA World Cup
The agreement is surprising, especially after the dissolution of the long partnership between FIFA and Electronic Arts. However, the union between FIFA and Konami does not transform eFootball into the new "FIFA," but rather into an exclusive platform for holding FIFAe tournaments.
Furthermore, eFootball joins other titles already integrated into the FIFA competitive ecosystem, such as Rocket League and Football Manager. This move points to FIFA's strategy of moving away from exclusivity with EA, embracing new partners to promote global eSports events.
Konami gains ground after EA's departure
The partnership materialized after EA Sports chose not to renew its contract, ending a multi-million dollar agreement that lasted decades. Since then, EA has rebranded its football game as EA Sports FC, and has already released two editions, the most recent titled "EA FC 25". This opened the way for FIFA to seek new agreements in the market, and Konami emerged as the leading candidate.
FIFA's Director of Business, Romy Gai, highlighted the importance of the agreement, stating that it aligns with the organization's mission to promote football and create inclusive opportunities for players worldwide.
“We are extremely excited to join forces with Konami. We truly believe in an inclusive ecosystem that allows different communities to be part of FIFA competitions ,” Gai stated.
Brazil is among the participating countries in the FIFA World Cup
The tournament already has 18 confirmed countries, with Brazil being one of the highlights. The selection of participating nations was based on criteria such as the popularity of eFootball among players and performance in previous competitions. Other countries that will also be present include Argentina, Japan, France, and Saudi Arabia.
The FIFA World Cup will have two editions: one for the console and PC version, and another dedicated to the mobile version of eFootball, both scheduled to take place by the end of 2024. To participate, players need to have the latest version of the game installed, thus ensuring that all competitions are up-to-date and in compliance with global eSports standards.
The future of the partnership between FIFA and Konami
Although the current agreement focuses solely on hosting eSports tournaments, there is speculation that the partnership between FIFA and Konami could evolve into other projects within the gaming industry in the future. Thus, with EA's departure, FIFA is free to explore new horizons, and a potentially deeper collaboration with Konami could be a way to reposition its presence in electronic games.