EA Sports is pledging $11 million toward growing women's soccer as part of a wider promotional bid centered on the recently released FIFA 23, the company announced earlier this week. In addition to that substantial investment, the industry giant also revealed that FIFA 23 is scheduled to receive official UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) content starting early next year.
FIFA 23 is the seventh game in the series to feature women's soccer, but also the first to expand it beyond national teams; The Barclays FA Women's Super League and French Division 1 Arkema have been fully playable since FIFA 23 had its hugely successful launch in late September, with EA Sports promising to introduce more women's competitions to the game in the coming months. The addition of UWCL is the first such DLC officially confirmed by the company.
The $11 million investment will be strategically distributed through a startup-like financial vehicle called the "Starting XI Fund." Besides conventional club and athlete sponsorships, EA Sports also intends to use the funds to license new in-game content for FIFA 23. Much like the recently leaked World Cup mode and other future DLC, any such post-launch content is expected to be included at no additional cost, at least if previous entries in the franchise are any indication.
Starting next year, EA Sports will also be offering an internship program meant to drive women's involvement in the sport. The details of that initiative are still scarce, though the company did confirm that the program will be financed in collaboration with its existing and future league partners, separately from the newly announced fund.
As for the incoming arrival of UWCL, its FIFA 23 debut is scheduled for March, coinciding with the start of its real-life knockout stages. The move is meant to denote the start of a "multi-year partnership" with the competition, the publisher said. Meaning this gameplay mode will also be featured in the first-ever EA Sports FC game, which is how the franchise will be called after EA's FIFA license expires in 2023. Likewise, the company's investments in women's soccer are expected to continue post-rebranding.
All of this makes FIFA 23 the most seminal game in the franchise in terms of female representation ever since FIFA 16 originally introduced women's national teams. Doubly so because this year's entry is also the first to feature a female player on its global cover, with that honor going to Chelsea star Sam Kerr.
FIFA 23 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Electronic Arts