FIFA is now back in the gaming world after an interval of three years, with an unexpected collaboration with Netflix Games. The company has revealed that it is working on a brand new concept FIFA football simulation game, which will be launched in summer 2026, coinciding with the FIFA World Cup 2026. FIFA is thus venturing into the world of games in a major way, following its departure from EA Sports in 2022, which ended its record-breaking 30-year association.
The title is to be developed and published by Delphi Interactive, a California-based developer founded in 2023. Although it has not produced any titles as of yet, it is currently working on a James Bond title with IO Interactive, titled 007: First Light. FIFA President Gianni Infantino was quick to show his support: “This major collaboration is a key milestone in FIFA’s commitment to innovation in the football gaming space, which aspires to reach billions of football fans of all ages everywhere in the world and will be redefining the pure notion of simulation games.”
Netflix’s strategy is designed to emphasize accessibility rather than complexity. The game is designed to be “fast to learn, thrilling to master, and built for anyone to jump in,” requiring only a Netflix account and a smartphone to play. The game can be played solo or online against friends. Its most innovative aspect is the ability to play the game using smartphones right away, something that Netflix has been doing and should continue to do within its gaming offerings.
This deal marks a significant change in strategy for FIFA, which had been having trouble keeping gaming relevance after the departure of EA. Instead of partnering with another gaming industry heavyweight such as EA, the focus was on Netflix’s gaming service. This was aimed at capitalizing on the huge following Netflix has.
However, the availability is not geography-independent. FIFA can be accessed only on selective television sets in selective countries at the initial stage and then expanded further. Details about the regions and the availability of the subscription tier are not known yet, and how this revival can change the gaming future of FIFA as it moves towards the year 2026 is unclear.
