Netflix Announces New FIFA Game

1 week ago 13

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If you are the type of gamer who enjoys playing a bit of football (or soccer, if you prefer) every now and then with some friends, you can start celebrating because a brand-new sports franchise is finally on the way.

Literally out of nowhere, Netflix and FIFA announced a partnership this Wednesday to create a new title inspired by the 2026 World Cup.

According to the official announcement, the upcoming game will be a football simulator developed by the Delphi Interactive studio, which is currently collaborating with IO Interactive on the highly anticipated 007: First Light.

Despite not having an official title at the moment, the project is scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2026. The goal is to allow Netflix members to “experience the emotion and drama of the tournament in its purest, most joyful form — in a format that’s fast to learn, thrilling to master, and built for anyone to jump in.”

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It was also confirmed that the title will feature both single-player and multiplayer modes. To play, all you need is an active Netflix account and a smartphone or a compatible Smart TV (some select regions will also have TV support for the service).

The news certainly shook the gaming world, especially since Gianni Infantino, the current president of FIFA, stated that they see this as the beginning of a new era for the sport. "Our reimagined game truly marks the beginning of a new era for digital football," said Infantino, emphasizing the strategic shift in the federation's gaming presence.

It is no coincidence that the game will be released during the same year as the next World Cup, as the goal is to capitalize on the global excitement to build a massive online player base.

[...] the upcoming game will be a football simulator developed by the Delphi Interactive studio [...]

“The FIFA World Cup is going to be the cultural event of 2026, and now fans will be able to celebrate their fandom by bringing the game right into their living rooms,” said Alain Tascan, the president of the gaming department at Netflix, who added that they want to bring football back to its roots with something everyone can play.

It is important to note that this game is not a "new FIFA" in the traditional sense we have grown used to.

Instead, this project marks FIFA's first official gaming publication since the high-profile end of its partnership with Electronic Arts, representing a completely different direction for the brand. After decades of using the Federation's branding, Electronic Arts has famously moved on to title its football series as EA Sports FC.