EA and the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) have inked a multiyear license extension, effectively making EA Sports the exclusive owner of club football rights in gaming.

The new license extension gives EA’s FIFA franchise exclusive rights to the UEFA Champions League, as well as the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup. It also provides room to grow the eChampions League, an important tournament within FIFA competitive gaming.

EA will also use the partnership as an opportunity to expand FIFA access through unnamed in-development mobile games, as well as broadening the PC game FIFA Online 4 to reach more than 15 more countries, a move that could potentially bring in 80 million new players. The game will also be available on Google Stadia on March 17.

EA Sports’ FIFA 21 was the best-selling game in the United Kingdom in 2020 and the franchise remains one of the most popular worldwide, having sold more than 325 million units in its lifetime. EA reports there are more players active on FIFA 21 than FIFA 20, indicating fan interest continues to grow for the franchise. No specific user numbers were provided.

“Our vision is to create the most authentic, social and connected football experience by bringing our games to more devices, more countries and more fans around the world,” said DJ Jackson, vp at EA Sports. “EA Sports continues to rapidly transform how fans consume sport, evolving football from a passive and scheduled experience to an interactive one, accessible at any time.”

Photo courtesy of EA Games

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