Back in 2023, when EA and FIFA officially split, fans were left wondering: will the World Cup ever return to EA’s football games?
Following the switch to the EA SPORTS FC brand, EA Entertainment President Laura Miele hinted that the door wasn’t completely closed, saying that “we will look to potentially do World Cup partnerships.” EA VP DJ Jackson also added that the only thing missing from EA SPORTS FC due to the split was the World Cup itself.
Now, in May 2025, things are looking a lot more promising. During EA’s Q4 2025 earnings call, CEO Andrew Wilson made it clear that the 2026 World Cup is a big part of the company’s future plans for the FC franchise.
“Looking ahead, the 2026 World Cup represents a major acquisition opportunity and the next defining moment for the franchise,” Wilson said. He sees the tournament as a key moment for expanding the reach of EA SPORTS FC.
He also talked about activating the tournament “deeply in and around the celebration of football in the context of our game and our game community,” which strongly hints at integration within the game itself, not just external marketing or promotions.
When asked about the potential monetization impact of the World Cup, Wilson acknowledged that players don’t always spend immediately, but the long-term gains are strong. “When the world is thinking about football, that’s great for our business… It almost certainly is a great acquisition tool for us. It’s absolutely a great engagement tool for us. And over time, it also works out to drive growth in the business.”
He also pointed out that the last World Cup held in North America helped EA grow its regional player base by 50%. With the 2026 edition set to take place across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, he sees another major opportunity. “We think there is real upside there,” he said, referring to engagement across console, PC, and especially mobile.
Even without the official FIFA license, Wilson’s remarks suggest EA is gearing up to bring some kind of World Cup-themed content to EA FC 26. It might not carry the FIFA branding, but a tournament mode or Ultimate Team promos tied to the event seem likely.
EA has done this before with the EURO 2016 and EURO 2020 tournaments which were licensed in Konami PES. The company has the player licenses and the resources but it doesn’t need the FIFA name to deliver a great World Cup-style experience.
Of course, there’s also a wrinkle as FIFA has recently partnered with Konami for the FIFAe World Cup, making eFootball the official game for that tournament. While this doesn’t stop EA from building its own version of a global competition, it could complicate any attempt to work directly with FIFA for 2026 and introduces more competition in the space.
With Wilson now openly talking about the 2026 tournament as a major focus, it feels safe to expect something in FC 26. It might be a full-on mode or a series of Ultimate Team promos. Either way, fans hoping for a return of the World Cup vibe in EA FC 26 won’t be disappointed from the sound of it.
