FIFA has entered into an unprecedented partnership with Japanese game developer Konami to host the FIFAe World Cup, a tournament that will take place in 2024. The development marks an unexpected collaboration between the two institutions, which until now were rivals in the sports gaming sector, with Konami 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 the console and mobile versions of eFootball. The partnership promises to heat up the esports scene, especially with the participation of players from 18 countries, which highlights FIFA's focus on expanding its global reach within eSports.
eFootball: The new venue for the FIFAe World Cup
The agreement comes as a surprise, especially after the dissolution of the long-standing partnership between FIFA and Electronic Arts. However, the FIFA-Konami partnership doesn't transform eFootball into the new "FIFA," but rather into an exclusive platform for hosting FIFAe tournaments.
Furthermore, eFootball joins other titles already integrated into FIFA's competition ecosystem, such as Rocket League and Football Manager. This move highlights FIFA's strategy of moving away from exclusivity with EA and embracing new partners to promote global eSports events.
Konami gains ground after EA's exit
The partnership came to fruition after EA Sports opted not to renew its contract, ending a multi-million dollar deal that had lasted decades. Since then, EA has rebranded its soccer game as EA Sports FC and has released two editions, the most recent titled "EA FC 25." This paved the way for FIFA to pursue new deals in the market, and Konami emerged as the leading candidate.
FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai highlighted the importance of the agreement, stating that it is in line with the organization's mission to promote football and create inclusive opportunities for players around the world.
"We are extremely excited to join forces with Konami. We truly believe in an inclusive ecosystem that allows diverse communities to participate in FIFAe competitions ," said Gai.
Brazil among the countries participating in the FIFA World Cup
The tournament already has 18 confirmed countries, with Brazil being one of the standouts. The selection of participating nations was based on criteria such as the popularity of eFootball among players and their performance in previous competitions. Other countries that will also participate include Argentina, Japan, France, and Saudi Arabia.
The FIFAe World Cup will feature two editions: one for the console and PC versions, and another dedicated to the mobile version of eFootball, both scheduled to take place by the end of 2024. To participate, players must have the latest version of the game installed, thus ensuring that all competitions are up to date and in compliance with global eSports standards.
Future of FIFA and Konami partnerships
Although the current agreement focuses solely on 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 potential deeper collaboration with Konami could be a way to reposition its presence in electronic gaming.
