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    FIFA World Cup 2026 game launches on Netflix June 11 as EA rivalry begins

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    The former boss of Metal Gear Solid and eFootball’s Fox Engine is overseeing tech on Netflix’s new FIFA game

    FIFA is set to launch its first major home football game since splitting with Electronic Arts in time for this month’s World Cup. 

    FIFA World Cup 2026, described as a “streamlined football simulation game”, will launch exclusively on Netflix starting June 11. The game will be available for no extra charge to members and allows up to four players to use their smartphones as controllers.

    The game will allow players to choose from any of the 48 men’s teams appearing at the FIFA World Cup, who can play inside 16 real-world stadiums, and control 1248 players, according to Netflix.

    “Experience the pride of playing for your country, step into real-life stadiums and pull off incredible plays with the world’s best athletes without ever leaving Netflix,” the company said in an announcement.

    “FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition is a new direction for FIFA football games that celebrates the emotion and joy of the sport. It’s fast, fluid and fun with friends (up to four players) — no matter how familiar you are with video games or football.”

    According to Netflix, this month’s ‘launch edition’ is a “streamlined” game which will evolve over time.

    In 2023, FIFA split from its partner EA after nearly 30 years, with FIFA 23 being the last EA Sports game to feature the FIFA branding, before it was renamed to EA Sports FC.

    FIFA president Gianni Infantino has long been on record that the body planned to launch a rival game with a new partner, eventually finding one in streaming giant Netflix.

    California-based Delphi was the studio tasked with “reimagining” the FIFA series “from the ground up”, now that the brand is no longer associated with EA Sports.

    The studio is working alongside Refactor Games, the developer responsible for American football game Football Simulator, which is currently based in Delphi’s LA headquarters.

    Earlier this year, Delphi announced the hiring of Julien Merceron, who previously helmed Konami’s Fox Engine, the technology behind recent PES football games.