German soccer giants Bayern Munich have announced a new multi-year partnership with video game developer EA Sports, a move that will see the club’s Allianz Arena finally appear in the flagship EA Sports FC soccer game.
The deal replaces the club’s previous agreement with rival developer Konami, which saw Allianz Arena dropped from EA Sports’ soccer game franchise and included in Konami's free-to-play eFootball game.
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Allianz Arena and the club’s women’s team will now be added to EA Sports FC, while Bayern star Jamal Musiala will feature on the cover of the EA Sports FC 26 edition alongside Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham.
Musiala is the first Bayern player to feature on the cover of EA Sports’ flagship game and the first Bundesliga player since Marco Reus graced the cover in 2017.
EA Sports FC was launched in September 2023 as a replacement for the developer’s FIFA series following the conclusion of its partnership with soccer’s international governing body.
The last time the Allianz Arena was available to the franchise was the FIFA 19 edition. Since then, the fictional 39,000 Sanderson Park has stood in as a replacement.
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By GlobalDataWhile Allianz Arena has not featured, Bayern Munich players and the badge have been displayed correctly in-game due to the developer’s partnership with the top-tier Bundesliga, which runs until at least 2027.
The deal comes a month after Bayern ended their license with Konami’s eFootball game after six years, with the developer losing rights to use the club’s name, emblem, kits, and stadium in-game.
The company also lost the license for Mexico’s top-tier Liga MX last month, opening the door for Mexican clubs to be featured in EA Sports FC 26 after a four-year hiatus.
Konami still holds licenses for Barcelona’s Camp Nou (Spain) and AC Milan’s San Siro (Italy). EA FC 25, meanwhile, has the license to feature more than 120 soccer stadiums.
