Four major Italian Serie A teams, including Inter and AC Milan, will not be included in EAFC 25. Electronic Arts previously partnered with FIFA to make the most popular soccer video game franchise in the world. However, the developer previously broke away from the governing body of the sport in 2023. As a result, EA FC 24, released in September of 2023, was the first installment of the newly renamed game.
Because FIFA is now not directly involved in the video game, Electronic Arts had to deal with new licensing issues. Among the problems experienced by EA FC 24, four Italian clubs could not officially feature in the game. Atalanta, Lazio, Napoli, and Roma were all excluded by name due to signing exclusive agreements with Konami’s eFootball.
Although the quartet was not named in EA FC 24, they were technically available to play in the game. EA Sports named the four sides Bergamo Calcio, Latium, Napoli FC, and Roma FC instead. Barcelona and Bayern Munich also featured in the game as usual, but EA Sports altered their stadiums due to the lack of licenses.
Milan, Inter sign exclusive deals with Konami
Atalanta and Lazio will remain excluded from EA FC 25 because of their continued deal with Konami. Napoli and Roma, on the other hand, will return to the upcoming game, which will hit the markets in late September. The duo has signed an exclusive deal with EA Sports.
While having the two teams back in the popular game is a big win for EA Sports, two more prominent Serie A teams will miss out. AC Milan and Inter Milan have both signed on with Konami, meaning they won’t be in EAFC25. EA Sports exec David Jackson recently confirmed the news via an interview with Italian outlet Gazzetta.
Much like in the previous edition of the game, players of the four clubs in deals with Komani will still feature in EA FC 25. FIFPRO controls player licensing. This makes teams unable to control the issue. However, EA Sports must alter club names, kits, badges, and official home stadiums to avoid potential legal problems.
Milan rivals were top two teams in Serie A last season
Losing the Milan teams is a significant deal for EA Sports. Outside of Juventus, the two sides are the most successful clubs in Italy. The duo is also popular in Italy and around the world. They also finished first and second in the final table following the 2023/24 season.
Inter beat rivals Milan for the Scudetto by dominating the division. Simone Inzaghi’s team only lost two total Serie A fixtures in the entire campaign. I Nerazzurri also scored the most goals in the league, while having the toughest defense as well.
EA Sports FC 25 will hit the global market on September 27th, 2024. Developers will hope they can continue creating a successful soccer game without the partnership with FIFA. The previous iteration of the game sold 11.3 million copies within its first week.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.
