Old Rivals Konami and FIFA Sign eFootball Esports Deal Following EA Sports Split

The world of soccer video games took another twist today after Konami and FIFA — for years rivals on the virtual pitch — signed their first deal following the end of EA Sports’ long-running FIFA games. But don't get too excited yet, it's just for esports.

Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer series had for years tussled with EA Sports’ all-conquering FIFA series before finally pivoting to the free-to-play eFootball. EA has largely cornered the market, locking up the rights to the Premier League, La Liga, and other popular leagues, with Konami left fighting for scraps.

EA dropped the FIFA license in 2022 amid reports that the organization, which serves as the governing body for the various national associations around the world, had asked for more than $1 billion per four-year World Cup cycle. EA rebranded the series as EA Sports FC in 2023 with relatively few changes. Since then there has been speculation that Take-Two, with its 2K Games label, might take on the FIFA license, but in August Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said that any potential competitor to EA Sports FC would face numerous complications.

Koji Kobayashi, Senior Executive Officer, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd, and Romy Gai, Chief Business Officer at FIFA.

Now, we have the Konami and FIFA collaboration, which will see eFootball used for this year's FIFAe World Cup on both console and mobile (EA Sports' FIFA games were used in previous years). It should be noted that this is not an agreement for Konami to take on the FIFA video game series, or rebrand eFootball to FIFA, but it’s a notable shift in the ever-evolving dynamic between video game makers and those who hold the keys to real world football.

Clearly, EA will be watching developments with great interest. In July, EA Sports welcomed the potential for genuine competition in the football video game space amid rumors of a new FIFA game entering the market.

In May, FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed a new FIFA game was in the works, saying: “We will develop a new e-game, because (the) football simulation game is called FIFA. For hundreds of millions of children around the world, when they play (a) football simulation game, they play FIFA. It cannot be named something else.

“We are developing with new partners a new game which obviously, as everything we do, will be the best. So get ready for the new FIFA e-game.”

If 2K does take on FIFA, perhaps it will relaunch as FIFA 2K, similar to 2K’s already successful annualized sports games such as NBA 2K. If it goes with Konami, maybe eFIFA? Pro Evolution FIFA? Or, perhaps more likely, the simple return of FIFA with the year popped on the end.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].