Electronic Arts (EA) has announced that they will include UEFA Euro 2024 as a free in-game update to EAFC 24. The game’s release will coincide with the real tournament set to the played in Germany this summer. Euro 2024 will kick off on June 14th and run for a full month. EA is including the update just before the tournament’s start.
The move to release the free in-game tournament to EAFC 24 further strengthens the video game company’s partnership with UEFA. The two sides previously began an official partnership in the fall of 2018. EA Sports added the UEFA Champions League to their FIFA 19 game.
“We’re delighted to announce that one of next summer’s biggest football tournaments will be fully integrated across EA SPORTS FC titles,” proclaimed David Jackson, EA Sports FC’s Vice President of Brand.
“Alongside our fantastic partners at UEFA, this exclusive Euros content will enable EA SPORTS to continue delivering the most authentic and innovative football experiences for our fans.”
Along with including Euro 2024 in their game, EA will also allow gamers to simulate the tournament from their console. The company is also ready to gift gamers who play the game before Jan. 16 an exclusive player card. These Euro 2024-themed players will be from one of the national teams competing in the actual summer tournament.
The player card can then be used in EAFC 24’s Ultimate Team game mode. The list of potential player cards includes Ousmane Dembele (France), Jack Grealish (England), Virgil Van Dijk (Netherlands), Federico Chiesa (Italy), Florian Wirtz (Germany), and Álvaro Morata (Spain).
EAFC 2024 is also home to the new eEURO Esports competition. The tournament, which will climax with a live final, plays out in the summer of 2024.
“We are delighted to further expand our partnership with EA SPORTS, with UEFA EURO 2024 becoming a part of the EA SPORTS FC™ game,” continued UEFA marketing director Guy-Laurent Epstein.
“UEFA EURO 2024 is one of the world’s most vibrant and exciting football tournaments, and we’re thrilled that the huge EA SPORTS FC 24 community across the globe will get the chance to engage with the tournament in such an authentic gaming environment. We also look forward, in coming weeks, to unveiling further details around the eEURO competitive gaming tournament.”
EA’s continued partnership comes as the company released its latest game without an agreement with FIFA. The two sides previously combined to make the most iconic and recognizable soccer video games ever. However, they eventually split in 2022. As a result, EA now does not have rights to the FIFA World Cup.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has hinted that the governing body will eventually make their own video game. “The new FIFA game – FIFA 25, 26, 27 and so on – will always be the best egame for any girl or boy,” Infantino claimed back in March. The executive also added that the organization will “have news on this very soon.” Nevertheless, little information has since surfaced regarding the potential game.
EAFC 24 is available now for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.
