AFC names EA SPORTS FC official licensed product for Asian Cup 2027
EA SPORTS FC has secured official licensed product status for AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, giving the confederation a new global gaming channel to extend tournament reach and attract younger audiences.
The Asian Football Confederation has appointed EA SPORTS FC as an official licensed product of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, creating a new digital distribution and engagement layer around Asia’s flagship men’s national team tournament.The agreement gives EA Sports rights to bring the Asian Cup into select EA SPORTS FC products, with the AFC signalling in-game integration and fan activations as the commercial focus as the tournament build-up accelerates.AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John said: “The AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 represents the best of men’s national team football on the Continent, and we are delighted to welcome EA SPORTS FC as an Official Licensed Product in what marks a truly significant milestone for the Confederation.“This partnership underlines the AFC’s commitment to embracing innovation and engaging new generations of fans by bringing Asia’s crown jewel into the digital ecosystem, and I am confident that it will amplify the reach and appeal of the competition and enable millions of fans around the world to join in the celebration of Asian football.”Electronic Arts senior vice president for Asia publishing Jamie McKinlay positioned the deal as part of EA SPORTS FC’s push to reflect football growth markets through licensed content.“We’re proud to partner with the AFC to bring the AFC Asian Cup 2027 to life in EA SPORTS FC.“Asia is home to some of the most passionate and fast-growing football communities in the world, and this collaboration reflects our ambition to celebrate that energy on a global stage.”The licensing move supports the AFC’s broader commercial strategy of bundling global partners around Saudi Arabia 2027 while building direct-to-fan touchpoints that can sit alongside broadcast, sponsorship and ticketing.Game integrations can also provide year-round visibility in markets where tournament cycles are long, with digital activations offering inventory for branded content, player narratives and community-led challenges that are easier to scale than physical events.Asia Football Group chief executive Patrick Murphy said the partnership is designed to widen access and visibility for the tournament beyond traditional media channels.“EA SPORTS FC shares our ambition to put fans at the heart of everything we do, and there is no better partner to help us extend the reach of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 to a global audience.”“This is a landmark partnership for Asian football, and we’re proud to be delivering it alongside the AFC and EA SPORTS FC as we build towards the tournament.”The AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 is scheduled for January 7 to February 5, with 24 teams expected to compete across eight stadiums in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar, and further details on game content and launch timing are due later this year.