FIFA Partners with Netflix and New Studio for Major 2026 Football Game

In a move that could shake up the football gaming landscape, FIFA has officially announced a partnership with Netflix to launch a new “reimagined” football simulation game. Set to release in Summer 2026 just in time for the FIFA World Cup, the title will be developed by Delphi Interactive, a relatively unknown studio that has yet to ship a standalone game.

This announcement marks FIFA’s most significant gaming push since its high-profile split with Electronic Arts in 2022, ending a 30-year partnership that defined the genre. While EA has successfully pivoted to EA Sports FC, FIFA has been searching for a partner to build a worthy competitor—and it appears they have chosen a streaming giant over a traditional gaming publisher.

A “Reimagined” Simulation Unlike the complex, hardcore simulation of EA Sports FC, the upcoming Netflix title is pitched as a more accessible experience. FIFA President Gianni Infantino described it as the “beginning of a new era of digital football,” promising a game that is “fast to learn, thrilling to master, and built for anyone to jump in.”

The game will be available exclusively to Netflix subscribers at no extra cost. It will launch primarily on mobile via the Netflix Games service but will also support gameplay on select TVs, using a smartphone as a controller—a feature Netflix has been beta-testing to expand its gaming reach into the living room.

Who is Delphi Interactive? The choice of developer has raised eyebrows across the industry. Delphi Interactive is a Los Angeles-based studio that, until now, has operated largely under the radar. While they have yet to release a title of their own, the studio’s website claims they are the “architects” behind the upcoming 007: First Light in collaboration with IO Interactive.

Delphi’s leadership, however, is confident. CEO Casper Daugaard stated, “Our mission is simple: make the FIFA game the most fun, approachable, and global football game ever created.”

The Post-EA Landscape Since parting ways with EA, FIFA has dabbled in smaller blockchain and mobile projects like FIFA Rivals (developed by Mythical Games), but none have filled the void left by the mainline console series. This Netflix partnership represents a strategic pivot: rather than competing directly with EA on high-end consoles immediately, FIFA is targeting the massive, casual installed base of Netflix’s 280+ million subscribers.

Whether a mobile-first, “accessible” simulation can truly satisfy fans clamoring for a console-quality FIFA successor remains to be seen. More details are expected to be revealed closer to the 2026 World Cup.