The Most Important Thing About FIFA Games Was Their Name: FIFA. EA Is Learning the Meaning of ‘Franchise’ the Hard Way

There’s no point debating whether changing the FIFA name was a good or bad idea because EA had no choice. Starting the year before FIFA 23, EA had to drop the Federation brand and release games under its own name. The chosen one was EA Sports FC. Predictably, sales struggled from the start.

Disagreements between the major players. In May 2023, The New York Times reported that after a decade-long contract, the agreement to extend EA’s use of the name of the Federation in its game titles wasn’t on track. That would be the only noticeable change because the content remained the same, as clubs and players are licensed through agreements with individual teams, leagues, and tournaments.

Money, always money. One possible cause of the dispute was FIFA’s push to double the $150 million annual fee it charged EA. The company was also unhappy with FIFA’s demand to associate its brand with other digital products, including other video games, which it eventually did. The financial fallout was predictable: When EA considered rebranding the franchise in 2021, its stock plummeted.

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“It’s not what we wanted or expected.” As a result, EA tried to soften its third-quarter financial report, with CEO Andrew Wilson less hesitant to assign blame. He pointed to the “temporary low profitability” of EA Sports FC 25. The warning signs were there—EA had pre-announced the results last month, also citing disappointing Dragon Age franchise performance as a contributor to losses. Those losses included a 3% drop in profits.

Soccer is to blame. According to EA, its soccer franchise “experienced a 5% year-over-year decline this third quarter,” leading to “lower than expected” sales. Notably, EA said players stuck with previous installments through the holiday season. A Jan. 16 patch led to higher-than-expected player retention, which could improve fourth-quarter results—especially if expectations remain low.

The weight of a brand. Given that the evolution of the games has been minimal—or at best, no more noticeable than in previous years—it’s clear how much the FIFA brand, absurd as it may seem, matters to sales. This chart from Sherwood News highlights the drop in Google searches for the 2024 and 2025 game titles. At the end of the day, FIFA is FIFA. And if it’s not FIFA, it’s not much.

Image | EA

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