EA is looking for new leagues for FIFA 19 and the following FIFA installments. In the future, China and the Middle East are expected to become more important. What new licenses are coming?
Realism, authenticity, and an engaging atmosphere are terms that EA Sports annually uses to promote their new FIFA installment. To achieve these goals, real leagues, real teams, and real players must not be missing from the virtual pitch.
This is the great unique selling point of the FIFA series: Numerous licenses are held by EA Sports. And in the future, more license packages are expected to be put together.
The more leagues, the greater the competitive advantage
As kicker reports, EA’s CFO Blake Jorgensen spoke in the latest financial report about the plans for the FIFA series.
According to Jorgensen, they want to further expand the licenses, as the close partnership with the leagues is a reason why FIFA has been so successful. Currently, not all leagues are licensed, which is why they are constantly looking for leagues that are gaining importance and with which they can better cooperate.
Because more leagues in FIFA not only boost business but also promote football around the globe.
“The leagues see us as an important way to market their product, their players, their teams, and their stadiums. And we of course see it as a perfect business combination for us.”
New target audiences for FIFA can be best reached when the local leagues and clubs are represented in the football simulation. Players identify with their favorite club. If this club is in FIFA, it is a decisive reason for many whether to buy the game or not.
Therefore, EA wants to ensure that they will put together league license packages in the regions they want to develop as football markets in the future. Of course, they remain interested in advancing partnerships with the major established leagues. This is an incredible competitive advantage.
Concrete ideas for new markets are mentioned by EA’s CEO Andrew Wilson: In parts of China and in the Middle East, there are great opportunities for FIFA. The USA and Southeast Asia are also expected to continue growing alongside the already strong European market.
Therefore, we can expect new licenses in FIFA 19 and beyond from these regions in the future.
Which new leagues do players want for FIFA 19?
Update: You can find the fans’ league wishes and an overview of all leagues and teams in FIFA 19 here:
Among the biggest league wishes for FIFA 18 was the Third League. In surveys, it always ranked highly. And indeed: Since FIFA 18, the Third League has been included in the game.
Large English-speaking FIFA sites like fifplay and fifauteam currently have fresh surveys running: What new leagues do you want in FIFA 19?
At fifplay, around 750,000 FIFA fans participated in the survey (as of 05.02.). Here, the Chinese Super League is currently in the top position, just ahead of the Czech and Kazakh leagues.
At fifauteam, most of the votes were cast for the Czech league, followed by the Slovak and Chinese leagues.
Many players would therefore be pleased if the Chinese league is included in FIFA 18.
FIFA 18 – All leagues and teams – all licenses in the overview
