Like all major eSports games, FIFA is big business. The best players of the greatest soccer video game can be well rewarded for competing in top tournaments across the world.
FIFA continues to evolve and, as it looks to strive for realism, we will see a number of changes introduced in the future. Its aim is to emulate the real-life FIFA competitions, so what can we expect from this thrilling game in the years to come?
The Big Leagues
Lucrative FIFA eSports tournaments take place on a regular basis. The biggest of all is the FIFA eWorld Cup which has been scheduled to run annually from 2004. Other major competitions within the professional video gaming sphere include the EChampions League, The International and ESL One.
Aside from international and inter-continental competitions, there will also be domestic events in the countries where the FIFA game is most popular. It’s a growing eSport and interest is starting to spread beyond the players and officials who are directly involved.
The biggest tournaments enjoy some TV coverage while sportsbooks acknowledge that there is a demand for betting markets across all professional video gaming. The trends suggest that this interest can only increase, so how will competitive FIFA esports evolve in the future?
Likely Expansion
Recent indicators suggest that we may well see more tournaments introduced in the coming months and years. There has already been a steady introduction of new events, and the global interest in FIFA is set to make this continue.
Many potential developments will be in line with soccer as a whole. Across the world, we’ve seen expansion and the introduction of brand-new tournaments such as the Europa Conference League. As interest in the FIFA soccer game increases, the list of competitions is also set to grow.
Greater Inclusivity
This is an area that FIFA is keen to build on and one in which we may see the biggest progress. The eSports scene is male dominated to an extent, and that’s an issue that many competition organizers are keen to address.
In March 2023, FIFA announced the introduction of ‘FameHerGame’, which is a program designed to help women compete at the highest level of eSports. At a time when women are concerned about wider video gaming issues, this can only be a welcome development.
This is likely to lead to an increase in women’s tournaments within the FIFA eSports realm or, we may see more women competing alongside the men. Without any real physical demands being placed on professional gamers, there’s no reason why events shouldn’t be more inclusive.
That inclusivity can also include those with disabilities, and this is likely to be another key area of progress for eSports tournaments.
Like for Like Hosting
Could FIFA tournaments run alongside their real-life counterparts? In 2026, the FIFA World Cup is set to be hosted by three countries – Mexico, Canada and the USA. As it continues to strive for realism, maybe we will see the eSports equivalent be accommodated by the same host nations.
Logistically, it’s unlikely that the real and virtual tournaments will run alongside each other. However, it could be possible that the world champions in FIFA eSports could use the same host nations, just a few months apart. We may also see future virtual tournaments being split across two or more countries.
The video game aims to be as closely linked to the real world as possible, and this is another plausible future development.
Technical Advances
The rules of the FIFA video game are identical to those in real life soccer. There is, however, little in the way of gray areas. Yes, there is a referee and his two assistants, but the software program is the arbiter of the game. Here, there is no room for human error.
That’s why we’ve yet to see VAR in the FIFA video game. Essentially, there is really no need for it, but could it be introduced for added realism in the future? Certain advances in FIFA eSports will be linked to rule changes and new technologies in the main game, and the Virtual Assistant Referee may yet appear.
Future Splits?
Recent reports have indicated that FIFA, the governing body of soccer, is looking at plans to create their own video game. It will be fully sanctioned and will look to improve on the current most popular soccer title in the world.
If this is true, it’s almost certain that future FIFA-backed events will only feature their game. The existing title will, however, continue and it’s likely that it will retain its own competitions.
A split in the eSports landscape may be on the horizon, but the main theme moving forward is expansion. Professional video gaming is already big business, and that progression is set to increase in future years.
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