The King of Football Licenses Joins Netflix
After nearly four years of silence following its high-profile divorce from Electronic Arts, the FIFA organization is officially returning to the digital pitch. In a landmark announcement on December 17, 2025, Netflix Games was revealed as the exclusive home for the first “proper” FIFA-branded football simulation in the post-EA era.
While EA has continued to thrive with its rebranded FC Mobile, FIFA has finally found a partner to reclaim its digital identity. By partnering with Netflix, FIFA is positioning its next flagship title to reach a global audience of over 280 million subscribers—accessible at no additional cost for members.
Developed by Delphi Interactive: A New Vision for the Pitch
The task of rebuilding the world’s most famous sports sim falls to Delphi Interactive. While the California-based studio is a fresh face as a lead developer, their industry pedigree is already formidable.
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Industry Experience: The team includes veteran talent from EA, Rockstar Games, and Microsoft.
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007 Pedigree: Delphi is currently the primary “architect” collaborating with IO Interactive (creators of Hitman) on the upcoming 007: First Light, scheduled for 2026.
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Stealth Development: CEO Casper Daugaard revealed the studio has spent over two years in “deep stealth” mode building this reimagined FIFA experience to ensure it meets AAA standards.
Innovative Play: Your Phone is the Controller
This exclusive Netflix release aims to “democratize” the football gaming experience by removing the need for expensive consoles. The game is designed for a mobile-first, living-room-friendly experience:
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Cloud-Powered TV Gaming: Play the full simulation on select smart TVs directly via the Netflix app.
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Smart Controller Tech: Players use their smartphones as a wireless controller for the TV, utilizing simplified touch-based inputs that are “fast to learn but thrilling to master.”
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Cross-Platform Access: The title will also be fully playable on iOS and Android devices, supporting both solo play and online matches with friends.
A Summer 2026 World Cup Flagship
The currently untitled FIFA sim is slated for a Summer 2026 release window, perfectly timed to capitalize on the global fervor of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the partnership as a “key milestone in innovation,” signaling a clean break from the old “boxed-copy” era. While EA Sports FC remains the titan of hardcore simulation, FIFA and Netflix are betting that a casual-first, high-accessibility model can recapture billions of fans worldwide.
