Exciting news for football fans: video games developed under the FIFA brand will make a comeback in an entirely new format in 2026. According to information released by the BBC, the rights to develop and publish these games have been acquired by the Netflix platform.
The new project will be led by the studio Delphi Interactive and is planned to be unveiled ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Notably, the game will be completely free for Netflix subscribers. It will be available on iOS and Android smartphones, as well as select modern television models.
A separate gamepad will not be required to control the gameplay — all controls will be operated through smartphones. This step is seen as Netflix’s move to further enhance its approach to interactive content.
For context, FIFA games were developed by Electronic Arts for nearly 30 years. However, in 2023, disputes over licensing terms led to a split between EA and FIFA. Following this, EA continued its project under the EA Sports FC brand. Despite the name change, the EA FC 24 game achieved great commercial success, becoming the best-selling game in the United Kingdom in 2023.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the new partnership with Netflix as “a new chapter in the history of digital football.” He emphasized that this format will bring football games closer to a global audience.
Meanwhile, opinions among fans remain divided. Some are concerned that the FIFA games will primarily target mobile platforms. However, one thing is certain: the fusion of football and digital technology is once again sparking significant discussions.
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