EA Sports FC 24 release date information: What split means for the next FIFA game
It’s September which can only mean one thing… We’re less than one month away from the release of EA Sports FC 24!
Yes, that’s right, EA Sports FC not FIFA.
One of the biggest game brands in the world, for decades football fans have been getting their virtual fix with the EA Sports FIFA Series. While some other games have long-term replayability in story modes and online multiplay, FIFA is refreshed with a new edition every year, and it’s worked.
When gamers start to get tired of the current edition, they may look elsewhere for other games to play, waiting for the next FIFA to come out. Excitement starts with the trailer, then speculation grows with leaks and then EA Sports add to it by releasing certain ratings and dates before its actual release.
Ultimate Team, Career Mode, Pro Clubs, Online Seasons; whatever tickles your fancy, the FIFA series has had football fans covered for years. But in 2023 things are changing.
When will FIFA 24 be released?
For those who have been living under a rock, FIFA 23 was the last edition of the footballing game as we know it, as EA Sports ends its affiliation with the football governing body. Announced last year, EA Sports revealed that they will be continuing its football series outside of the FIFA umbrella, dropping the name and calling their new game EA Sports FC.
“After nearly 30 years of creating genre-defining interactive football experiences, we will soon begin an exciting new era,” EA Sports EVP Cam Weber said last year.
“Next year, EA Sports FC will become the future of football from EA Sports. Alongside our 300+ license partners across the sport, we’re ready to take global football experiences to new heights, on behalf of all football fans around the world.”
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Weber added: “This new independent platform will bring fresh opportunity – to innovate, create and evolve. This is much more than just a change of symbol – as EA SPORTS, we’re committed to ensuring EA Sports FC is a symbol of change.
“We’re dedicated to meaningfully reinvesting in the sport, and we’re excited to work with a large and increasing number of partners to expand to new authentic experiences that bring joy, inclusivity and immersion to a global community of fans. I look forward to sharing more detail on these plans in the coming months.”
Despite the name change, the release of EA Sports FC 24 follows the pattern of previous FIFAs when it comes to its release date. The games are usually released on the last Friday of September, or the first Friday of October, depending on which is closer to September 30.
And this year, EA Sports FC 24 will be released on September 29, though there has been a change to the early access. While in previous years those who preordered the Ultimate Edition had full access to the game three days earlier, the wait is shorter this time around. Instead, those who preordered the Ultimate Edition will have a full week’s early access, able to play the full game from September 22.
For a lot of the build up, EA Sports were tight-lipped about the new game but information has been revealed over the past month with excitement growing.
What will be included in EA Sports FC 24?
One of the biggest questions on everyone’s lips when EA Sports FC was announced was what would happen to the licenses. Given they were moving away from FIFA, would EA Sports still have the access to the player, clubs and tournament licenses that they have had for so many years; or would fans be getting a second Pro Evolution Soccer — or eFootball as it’s now called — with fake names and badges.
But over the years EA Sports built partnerships with the teams and leagues themselves, meaning they can carry them over to EA Sports FC 24.
“Our unique licensing portfolio of more than 19,000+ players, 700+ teams, 100+ stadiums and 30 leagues that we’ve continued to invest in for decades will still be there, uniquely in EA Sports FC,” Weber said.
“That includes exclusive partnerships with the Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A, MLS – and more to come.”
Other leagues in EA Sports FC 24 include the Saudi League, where you’ll be able to play with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, the Championship, League One and League Two — with Wrexham now officially part of the structure — as well as the Copa Libertadores and much, much more.
FIFA 23 saw women’s club football enter the game for the first time, with England’s Women’s Super League and France’s Division 1 Feminine in from the off, later joined by USA’s NWSL and a handful of teams from the Women’s Champions League. There is more to come too, with the Frauen-Bundesliga and Spain’s Liga F added.
Ultimate Team changes in EA Sports FC 24
No longer FUT (dropping the FIFA), Ultimate Team is the biggest game mode on EA Sports’ game and there has been a substantial change for EA Sports FC 24. For the first time ever, players will be able to use stars from men’s and women’s football in the same team. Want to play Reece and Lauren James together? Dreaming of a strike partnership between Gabriel Jesus and Alessia Russo, or Erling Haaland and Bunny Shaw? Well now you can!
For Chemistry purposes, players for women’s clubs will link with those at the corresponding men’s clubs and vice versa, as well as nation links. The player ratings are also relative to the players they play against on the pitch in the real world, so Sam Kerr will likely be 90+-rated in Ultimate Team, among the best in the game.
There are also new women Heroes including Alex Scott and Nadine Kessler, joining incoming men Heroes such as John Arne Riise, Vincent Kompany and Nwankwo Kanu.
EA Sports are also introducing a new Evolutions system into Ultimate Team, which allows you to improve certain players that fit criteria through gameplay. It means fans could turn a cult hero with a low-rating into one of the best players in their Ultimate Team, or fast-track a youngster as shown by EA Sports’ example of Youssoufa Moukoko.
Other notable changes for EA Sports FC 24
Pro Clubs is also getting a slightly fresher look, first of all dropping the Pro to just be known as Clubs. The ranking system in Clubs has been given an overhaul, with a new Clubs League. Each Clubs League season lasts roughly six weeks and is split up into two phases: League Phase and Playoff Phase.
In the League Phase, teams fight for promotion from Division Five up, with the goal of reaching the Elite Division. The higher Division you are, the better the rewards you could claim in the Playoffs. And there’s no relegation, so once you’re in a Division, you cannot drop back down.
There are an unlimited amount of matches to try to get enough points to fight for promotion, and when you have enough, you’ll take on the Promotion Matches. There, you have to win a specific amount of games from a limited number of matches (one from three for example). If you win, you’ll go up a Division, but if you lose you’ll drop a few points — though not being too far from trying again.
When the Playoff Phase comes around, you’ll have a set number of matches to reach as high a rank as possible in your Division’s Playoff table. There are no draws here, with games going to extra-time and penalties if needs be. At the end of the season, you and your club will earn rewards based on how you performed in the Playoffs.
Career Mode has also had an update with more control of your future on the Player side, including the introduction of an agent and the ability to set a target club on your new Career Path. In Manager Career you can now pick from seven new Tactical Visions, including Tiki-Taka, Counter-Attack and Gegenpressing, bringing a bit of Football Manager to the EA Sports FC world.
What about FIFA?
When the split was first announced last year, FIFA president Gianni Infantino essentially confirmed the governing body would be releasing their own game to rival EA Sports FC, believing the FIFA name will carry the series and bring the authenticity.
“I can assure you that the only authentic, real game that has the FIFA name will be the best one available for gamers and football fans,” he said.
“The FIFA name is the only global, original title. FIFA 23, FIFA 24, FIFA 25 and FIFA 26, and so on – the constant is the FIFA name and it will remain forever and remain THE BEST.”
However, in March, Infantino spoke again about the potential new FIFA series but did not mention a 24 edition, going straight to 25 and 26 — leading fans to believe there will be no FIFA 24.
“The new FIFA game – the FIFA 25, 26, 27 and so on – will always be the best egame for any girl or boy, we will have news on this very soon,” he said at the FIFA electoral congress.
