A deal for the ages: Bundesliga and EA SPORTS FC extend their legendary partnership
German football fans and gamers can breathe easy: the virtual future of the Bundesliga is secured for years to come. One of the most iconic alliances in sports gaming has just been given a new lease of life.
Details: The Bundesliga and EA SPORTS FC officially announced the extension of their long-term partnership at Gamescom in Cologne on August 27. The EAFC 27 News account claims the exclusive deal runs until 2034 and is worth €250 million, though the official announcements did not disclose any figures or duration.
The partnership between the German league and the American publisher dates all the way back to 1998, making it one of the longest standing collaborations in global sports and entertainment. Under the renewed agreement, Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 clubs, players and stadiums will continue to appear across EA SPORTS FC 27, FC Mobile and FC Online, while EA remains the presenting partner of the league's Player of the Month and Player of the Season awards and a longtime backer of the Virtual Bundesliga, the official EA SPORTS FC PRO competition. Bayern legend Bastian Schweinsteiger attended the announcement in Cologne as guest of honour, and EA SPORTS FC senior vice president Nick Wlodyka underlined the scale of the bond: "For nearly three decades, our partnership with the Bundesliga has brought German football closer to millions of players around the world." The previous extension, signed in January 2024, ran until at least 2027. The commercial logic is clear: EA SPORTS FC 26 was the best selling video game in Europe in 2025, topping the annual charts in 16 of the 17 countries tracked by GfK Entertainment and selling close to two million copies in the UK alone. Bayern Munich also hold a separate multi-year partnership with EA, with Jamal Musiala gracing the cover of FC 26.
The announcement lands on the eve of the new domestic season, which promises a fresh wave of interest in German football both on the pitch and on screen. It's worth noting that the Bundesliga kicks off its 2026/27 campaign this Friday, August 28, with champions Bayern hosting Stuttgart in the opening match.
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Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
