German Bundesliga extends licensing agreement with EA Sports FC 27th August 2026 By Andy Elliott --> August 27 – The German Bundesliga has extended its long-running licensing agreement with EA Sports FC, keeping Germany’s top two divisions fully represented in the world’s biggest football video game franchise. The deal, announced at Gamescom in Cologne, extends a relationship dating back to 1998 and guarantees the continued inclusion of Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 clubs, players and stadiums across EA Sports FC 27 and FC Mobile. EA Sports FC 26 was the best-selling video game in Europe in 2025, topping the annual charts in 16 of the 17 countries tracked by GfK Entertainment. In the UK alone it sold close to two million copies during the year. That makes the licence one of the Bundesliga’s most valuable routes into younger and international audiences, particularly in western markets where the EA franchise has effectively become part of the way supporters consume football. The agreement also protects something the German Football League (DFL) has long treated as strategically important: authenticity. Under the existing arrangement, EA holds exclusive match-simulation rights for the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. FC 26 is currently the only football game to offer all 18 Bundesliga clubs with their official squads, kits and crests, forming part of EA’s wider licensing portfolio which includes over 20,000 players and 750 clubs and national teams. The renewal also covers the Virtual Bundesliga, Germany’s official EA Sports FC Pro competition, as well as EA’s sponsorship of the Bundesliga Player of the Month and Player of the Season awards. The renewal has triggered a further push into data and digital content, with the two sides planning to work with TRACAB’s tracking technology and the EA Sports App. Bastian Schweinsteiger, who spent 13 seasons at Bayern Munich, was present in Cologne for the announcement. He is an EA ambassador, and was in Budapest to hand the eChampions League trophy to Anders Vejrgang back in May. Nick Wlodyka, SVP and Group GM at EA Sports FC, said: “For nearly three decades, our partnership with the Bundesliga has brought German football closer to millions of players around the world. “We’re excited to continue this journey together, from bringing the Bundesliga to life in EA SPORTS FC 27, FC Mobile, and FC Online to creating opportunities for the next generation to connect with the game beyond the pitch.” There is more competition in football gaming than there was a few years ago, with Konami’s free-to-play eFootball as FIFA’s preferred option, but in Europe, EA Sports FC is comfortably the biggest commercial platform. Staying fully licensed inside it means millions of people continue to encounter Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and the rest of German football long before they ever buy a match ticket or television subscription, and that holds real value. Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: www.insideworldfootball.com