‘EA Sports FC’ will replace ‘FIFA’ title for EA’s future football games, report says

EA Sports has reportedly decided what to name its future football video games once the anticipated end of licensing agreement with FIFA takes effect. The publisher and the football governing body were widely reported to have not reached a deal to renew their long-running partnership.

The report comes from noted video games insider Jeff Grubb. In a recent episode of his Giant Bomb show, “Grubbsnax,” Grubb reported that the previously discovered trademark application has actually revealed the title of EA’s replacement for “FIFA.”

“EA Sports Football Club, EA Sports FC, that’s the name of the game,” Grubb said (via VGC). The insider added that when the “EA Sports FC” trademark surfaced, he thought it was just going to be an in-game feature or an online mode.

After asking around, however, Grubb said he was told that it is going to be the title of EA’s future football sims once the company parts ways with FIFA. But he also noted. “They are ready to move on, they have another name lined up.” It also appears that EA is close to officially unveiling “EA Sports FC” and noted that fans “should hear about it here pretty soon.”

EA is still expected to release its next football game with the title “FIFA 23” later this year. But, after that, the publisher seems likely to take on a new title for its popular franchise. Under the “FIFA” brand, the football game series became one of the best-selling titles of all time. GamesIndustry.biz reported in February 2021 that the series has sold more than 325 million copies since its launch in 1993.

The part where EA is reportedly moving on from the “FIFA” brand lines up with leaked details from an EA all-hands meeting last month. VGC previously reported that EA CEO Andrew Wilson told employees that its licensing agreement with FIFA may have held back its vision for the football game franchise. The report quoted Wilson saying, “It’s been a fight to get FIFA to acknowledge the types of things that we want to create, because they say our license only covers certain categories.”