The football gaming landscape is entering one of its most important transition periods in decades. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup expanding to 48 national teams for the first time in history, fans are expecting major changes in football video games — especially in EA Sports FC 26. At the same time, uncertainty surrounding FIFA’s gaming rights has sparked speculation across the industry about which developers could challenge EA Sports in the future.
For years, the FIFA video game franchise dominated football gaming. However, the split between Electronic Arts and FIFA in 2022 fundamentally changed the market. EA continued its annual football series under the EA Sports FC branding, while FIFA retained ownership of its name and official World Cup licensing rights.
Now, with the 2026 World Cup approaching, fans are increasingly focused on how EA Sports FC 26 will handle the expanded tournament and whether FIFA could eventually partner with another publisher entirely.
The excitement surrounding the upcoming tournament extends well beyond gaming itself. Football audiences are engaging with every aspect of the event, from esports competitions to fantasy football and even checking World Cup odds online as anticipation builds for the largest tournament in FIFA history.
The Expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup
The 2026 World Cup, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature 48 teams instead of the traditional 32-team format. It will also include 104 matches, making it the biggest World Cup ever staged.
For football gaming fans, this creates both opportunity and complexity.
Historically, World Cup modes in EA’s football games were among the most popular features in the franchise. Dedicated World Cup expansions in earlier FIFA titles allowed players to recreate qualification campaigns, group stages, and knockout tournaments using official branding, stadiums, and presentation packages.
However, because EA no longer owns FIFA branding rights, recreating the official tournament experience inside EA Sports FC 26 has become legally complicated.
Current reports suggest EA Sports FC 26 may include unofficial international tournament content inspired by the World Cup rather than a fully licensed FIFA World Cup mode.
What Could EA Sports FC 26 Include?
Although EA lacks official FIFA licensing rights, the company still controls a massive amount of football content through league, club, player, and stadium partnerships.
That means EA Sports FC 26 can still feature:
- National teams
- International tournament structures
- Player likenesses
- Stadium recreations
- Tournament-style Ultimate Team events
Reports indicate EA may introduce generic international tournament modes designed to mirror the expanded 48-team format without directly using FIFA trademarks.
This approach would allow EA to capitalize on World Cup hype while avoiding direct licensing conflicts.
Many fans are already creating custom World Cup tournaments through mods and community tools, especially on PC. According to fan discussions, there is strong demand for a proper international football experience even without official branding.
Is FIFA’s Gaming Rights the Hottest Property?
For decades, the FIFA name carried enormous value in gaming.
Even casual players referred to EA’s football series simply as “FIFA,” regardless of the yearly edition. Losing that branding created uncertainty around both EA’s future dominance and FIFA’s next move.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino previously stated that the governing body planned to work with “multiple gaming studios” after ending its exclusivity agreement with EA.
This immediately sparked rumors that new competitors could enter the football simulation market.
Could 2K Sports Enter the Football Gaming Race?
One of the most persistent rumors involves 2K Sports potentially partnering with FIFA to launch a new football simulation game.
Community speculation around a possible “FIFA 2K26” has intensified over the past year.
2K already has extensive experience in sports gaming through franchises such as:
- NBA 2K
- WWE 2K
- PGA Tour 2K
Many fans believe 2K could challenge EA by focusing on deeper career modes, improved presentation, and more immersive offline gameplay experiences.
However, building a football simulation ecosystem capable of rivaling EA would be extremely difficult.
EA has spent decades securing:
- Club licenses
- League partnerships
- Motion capture systems
- Gameplay engines
- Ultimate Team infrastructure
Even with FIFA branding rights, a new competitor would still need years to match EA’s scale and licensing network.
Konami and eFootball
Another major player is Konami, which already operates the free-to-play football title eFootball.
Konami previously partnered with FIFA for FIFAe esports competitions, giving the company an official relationship with the governing body.
While eFootball struggled during its early launch period, Konami continues updating the platform aggressively. The free-to-play model also gives it a very different business structure compared to EA’s annual premium releases.
If FIFA wants a more globally accessible gaming partner, Konami could remain part of the conversation.
The Role of Esports and Live Services
Football gaming is no longer just about offline tournaments.
Modern sports games now function as live-service ecosystems that include:
- Esports competitions
- Seasonal updates
- Ultimate Team economies
- Cross-platform play
- Live tournament integrations
EA remains extremely strong in this area. Its FC Pro esports ecosystem continues growing globally, and the company already has massive digital infrastructure supporting millions of active users.
This gives EA a major advantage even without FIFA branding.
However, FIFA itself increasingly recognizes gaming as a long-term strategic opportunity. The organization wants stronger control over esports, digital tournaments, and virtual football experiences tied directly to the World Cup brand.
What Fans Really Want
Despite licensing debates, many fans care most about immersion and authenticity.
Players want:
- Full international team rosters
- Accurate stadiums
- Real tournament atmospheres
- Dynamic commentary
- Authentic World Cup presentation
Older FIFA World Cup expansions remain highly nostalgic for many football gamers because they captured the emotional atmosphere of international football so effectively.
Whether EA regains partial tournament rights or FIFA partners with another developer, expectations for football gaming around the 2026 World Cup are enormous.
The Future of Football Gaming
The football gaming market may soon become far more competitive than it has been in years.
EA Sports FC still dominates commercially, but FIFA’s open licensing strategy creates opportunities for rival publishers to enter the space. At the same time, the expanded 2026 World Cup offers a massive marketing opportunity for whichever company delivers the most compelling international football experience.
For now, EA Sports FC 26 appears likely to feature unofficial World Cup-inspired content rather than a fully licensed FIFA tournament.
But long term, the bigger story may not be the 2026 mode itself — it may be the beginning of a new football gaming rivalry that reshapes the industry for years to come.
Charles Changestund is the kind of writer who genuinely cannot publish something without checking it twice. Maybe three times. They came to latest gaming gear reviews through years of hands-on work rather than theory, which means the things they writes about — Latest Gaming Gear Reviews, Esports Coverage, Game Updates and Insights, among other areas — are things they has actually tested, questioned, and revised opinions on more than once.
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