EA Sports invests $11M in women’s soccer fund, UEFA internships

Interested in learning what’s next for the gaming industry? Join gaming executives to discuss emerging parts of the industry this October at GamesBeat Summit Next. Register today.


EA Sports unveiled sweeping plans to invest in the future of women’s soccer, both in-game and on the pitch. The UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) and EA Sports partnered to provide more opportunities and representation in the best-selling franchise.

The UWCL and EA Sports announced a multi-year partnership. Teams and players from the top women’s soccer league in Europe will be available in-game in early 2023. These include Juventus Women, Real Madrid Femenino, Chelsea Women, Manchester City Women, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, Paris Saint-Germain Féminine and more.

At launch, FIFA 23 featured teams from England and France’s top women’s soccer leagues as playable clubs. EA Sports fulfilled their promise that more women’s clubs would be added over time. In a press release, Nadine Kessler, chief of women’s football for UEFA, said, “it feels like a natural fit for the world’s best women’s club competition to be part of the world’s leading football simulation game.”

EA Sports will also support the UWCL with its marketing budget. The developer has signed a multi-year agreement with DAZN to become the global broadcast partner of the UWCL. The partnership will kick off in March for the UWCL quarterfinal round. The UWCL clubs will launch in FIFA 23 simultaneously.

To further commit to the future of the women’s game, EA Sports will contribute $11 million to the Starting XI Fund. This capital will go to in-game, league, club and athlete investments that will elevate women in soccer. Additionally, EA Sports will fund a women’s internship program with each new and existing women’s league partner. The goal of these internships is to inspire and provide opportunities for young women from diverse backgrounds to get involved in soccer.

Recently, Electronic Arts and FIFA split ways. It’s unclear if this split — and the franchises future rebranding to EA Sports FC — paved the way for UWCL’s inclusion in the series. In any case, EA Sports may see this deal as a good investment as the franchise moves into uncertain territory.

GamesBeat’s creed when covering the game industry is “where passion meets business.” What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you — not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it. Discover our Briefings.

Source

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *