No Fifa, no problem: And FC26 got a World mode

The World Cup mode was recently added to the game as part of a major end-of-season update. Although only the update containing the new content was released at the end of May, the international tournament itself is available from today. Players who haven’t played EA Sports FC 26 in a while can access the new content by downloading and installing the latest update, which is free for all owners of the game. This move by EA Sports is a direct response to the termination of the long-standing partnership with FIFA, due to which the game no longer contains the official World Cup branding, trophy or ball. By creating “The World’s Game”, EA strives to retain players by offering them an experience that is as close as possible to an actual tournament.

What the new update brings

The launch of “The World’s Game” mode coincides with the start of the actual soccer World Cup. The strategy of large video game publishers is to create their own content based on real sports competitions, even without official licenses. This allows them to take advantage of the global excitement around major tournaments and keep their player base active. Although an official license is lacking, EA has managed to secure the rights to a large number of national teams, providing an authentic experience with real games and jerseys.

Officially licensed representations

Once the mod is activated, players can play with one of 53 officially licensed international teams, including the 41 national teams that have qualified for the actual World Cup. Among them are favorites like England, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, Belgium and France, as well as teams like Ghana and Scotland. It is interesting that national teams that failed to qualify, such as Wales, the Republic of Ireland, Italy and Northern Ireland, are also included.

The combination of qualified teams and other famous international selections means that players can create their own tournaments and stories. For example, you can lead Italy to the world championship despiteč because they did not qualify for the actual tournament. The update also includes debutants such as Cape Verde and Uzbekistan, which further enriches the experience. The format of the 48-team tournament, as reported by the Mirror, faithfully mirrors the actual format of the competition, with a group stage and elimination round starting with the round of 16.

New stadiums and additions for other modes

In addition to national teams, the update also brings new stadiums where matches can be played, such as Gillette Stadium and BMO Field. Also included is the fictional Central Maw Stadium, which was designed to resemble MetLife Stadium, the venue for the actual World Cup final. In addition to the standalone tournament mode, the update also brings new content for other popular game modes. Ultimate Team gets a campaign on the theme of the Football Festival, new ICON and Hero games and themed tasks, while Career Mode also gets updates related to international competitions.

A special award for all games is also worth highlighting. Playing the game between June 5th and July 24th unlocks a special ICON card of the legendary Pelé rated 93 (93 OVR Festival of Football ICON Pele), as well as three “Choose Your Journey” evolutions for the Ultimate Team. This move highlights the trend and increasing importance of licensing in the world of sports simulation. While EA Sports continues to offer a comprehensive football experience through partnerships with numerous leagues and clubs, the lack of an official FIFA license for the World Cup is a significant challenge that creative solutions like “The World’s Game” are trying to overcome.