What Is FIFA and What Does It Mean for the Video Game Series Now?

Updated

FIFA is the international governing body for association football (the Fédération Internationale de Football Association), not a game developer or publisher. It organizes competitions such as the World Cup and sets the rules of the sport through the IFAB. The video game series that carried the FIFA name from the 1990s until FIFA 23 was made by EA. After that license ended, EA rebranded its football simulation to EA Sports FC, and the FIFA name no longer appears on those annual titles. If you are looking for the current game, search for EA Sports FC; if you want football governance, tournaments, or official FIFA events, search for FIFA.

The three things people mean by "FIFA"

The confusion comes from one word covering three separate things. Sorting them out fixes most search problems.

What you mean Who runs it What it is Where to find it
FIFA (organization) FIFA, the governing body Football's world governing body; runs the World Cup and other competitions FIFA's own official channels
FIFA (former game series) EA (developer/publisher) Annual football simulation released under license up to FIFA 23 Older titles, secondhand listings, legacy coverage
EA Sports FC EA The current football simulation that replaced the FIFA-branded series EA Sports FC news, databases, and community sites

A fourth thing people often mean is a fan resource. FIFPlay is an independent fan site covering EA Sports FC and FIFA: news, a player database, formations guides, stadiums, soundtracks, and SBC solutions. It is not FIFA the organization and not EA.

Why the game series changed its name

For roughly three decades, EA held a license to use the FIFA name on its football games. That arrangement ended after FIFA 23, and EA continued the same style of game under its own brand, EA Sports FC. The practical effects:

  • The gameplay lineage continues. EA Sports FC is the successor to the FIFA-branded titles, not a different sport or a new competitor.
  • The name on the box changed, the publisher did not. Both the old FIFA games and EA Sports FC come from EA.
  • FIFA the organization still exists independently. Losing the game license did not change FIFA's role in running football.
  • Older FIFA titles are now legacy products. They still work and are still discussed, but they are no longer the current release.

Which term to search for

Match your search term to what you actually want:

  • Want the current game, its modes, or its players? Search "EA Sports FC," plus the specific feature (for example, Ultimate Team, SBC, or player ratings).
  • Want the sport's rules, World Cup, or official competitions? Search "FIFA" plus the competition or topic.
  • Want the old games specifically? Search "FIFA" plus the year (for example, "FIFA 23"), and expect legacy rather than current coverage.
  • Want community tools and reference data? Fan sites such as FIFPlay cover EA Sports FC and FIFA content including news, player databases, formations, stadiums, soundtracks, and SBC solutions.

Quick answers to common mix-ups

Is FIFA a game? No. FIFA is the sport's governing body. The games were made by EA under a FIFA license.

Does FIFA still make a football game? The EA-published series no longer uses the FIFA name; it is now EA Sports FC. FIFA the organization is not the publisher of that series.

Is EA Sports FC the same as FIFA? It is the continuation of the same game series under a new brand, from the same publisher.

What does FIFPlay cover? EA Sports FC and FIFA news, a player database, formations guides, stadiums, soundtracks, and SBC solutions — a fan resource, not an official body or publisher.

Why do I still see "FIFA" everywhere? Because the word legitimately refers to the governing body, to the historical game titles, and to a large back catalogue of coverage that predates the rebrand.