FIFA returns: FIFA splits from EA for exclusive Netflix deal

Netflix is turning the FIFA World Cup 2026 into a playable event. The streaming giant has announced an official FIFA-licensed football game for its Netflix Games service, developed by Delphi Interactive and launching in summer 2026 alongside the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico. The title will be part of the existing Netflix Games catalogue rather than a separate purchase.

The FIFA-EA breakup

The new game will be available at no extra cost to Netflix subscribers and is designed to run on smart TVs, streaming devices and mobile. On TVs, players will use their phones as controllers, in the same way as other Netflix party titles, while a native version will be available on iOS and Android. Netflix and FIFA are pitching the project as an accessible football sim with quick matches and support for both solo and online play, rather than a full-blown hardcore simulation aimed only at traditional console players.

For almost 30 years, FIFA relied on EA Sports to make its annual football games, but that partnership ended in 2022 after disagreements over licensing fees and how the FIFA name would be used in the future. EA kept its leagues, teams and player rights and rebranded the series as EA Sports FC, while FIFA was free to license its brand elsewhere. An exclusive deal with Netflix lets FIFA put its name in front of hundreds of millions of subscribers in one shot, with a simpler, TV-friendly game that lines up with the World Cup and the organization’s push to “reach billions” of fans.

What it signals for FIFA’s brand and Netflix’s games strategy

For FIFA, the agreement marks its first major football simulation game since the end of its long-running partnership with EA’s FIFA series and a key test of how much value the standalone FIFA name still carries in gaming. For Netflix, it is another step in building out its games offering beyond mobile tie-ins, following projects like 007: First Light and its growing slate of TV-playable games that use smartphones as controllers. The company is positioning the FIFA title as one of the flagship releases for its push to make playing games on Netflix as normal as watching a show.