December 5 – Konami Digital Entertainment and FIFA are stepping into a new phase of collaboration with the launch of the FIFAe World Cup 2025 and played on Konami’s eFootball platform. It is the closest alignment top date between the two organisations since FIFA’s split from EA Sports.
That split seems to have favoured EA more than most expected: the developers have rolled out an extensive esports competition cycle, including the FC Pro Open and FC Pro World Championship, that is considerably outperforming the previous FIFA co-hosted editions.
But FIFA isn’t leaving the space entirely to EAFC. The FIFAe World Cup tournament begins on December 10 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, bringing the governing body’s flagship esports competition fully into the eFootball ecosystem.
This year is the second edition of the reimagined FIFAe World Cup, equipped with 90 participating countries and regions, 16.51 million competitors, and a structure that now firmly positions Konami as FIFA’s primary strategic partner in digital football gaming.
The event crowns world champions across console and mobile. Twelve national representatives – emerging from a vast regional qualifying programme – will compete in 2v2 (console) and 1v1 (mobile) formats, progressing through group and knockout stages before contesting the finals. The shift toward national representation mirrors FIFA’s broader push to align esports with traditional football identity and fandom.
To celebrate the tournament kickoff, eFootball launched a global in-game campaign yesterday running until December 18, offering free items, daily player rewards, and a Squad Challenge Event with exclusive bonuses to get players back behind the controller.
The tournament coincides with a “significant” gameplay update introducing balance refinements and new analysis tools, including real-time tactical “Advice” from virtual coaches and advanced post-match “Analysis” that visualises user tendencies and peer benchmarking.
Konami also adds new Link-Up Play features – highlighted by Ronald Koeman’s ‘Aggressive Centring A’ mechanic – alongside newly available Epic items such as David Beckham and Jan Koller.
With broadcast incentives offering up to 2,500 eFootball points for viewers, the 2025 edition stands as an important moment in the esports football world: FIFA and Konami moving in lockstep, giving another look at what the global football esports ecosystem looks like after the EA x FIFA era, and setting a foundation for its long-term esports strategy.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1764936742labto1764936742ofdlr1764936742owedi1764936742sni@g1764936742niwe.1764936742yrrah1764936742
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