Summer of Football: How EA SPORTS brought fans closer to the world’s game

AND THAT'S A WRAP!

Throughout the summer, EA SPORTS™ brought fans closer to the world's game through groundbreaking technology, elite competition,, and culture-shaping collaborations. Here is a recap of how we are continuing to shape the future of entertainment, creating community, and celebrating play.

Summer of Football At-A-Glance (TL;DR)

• Unscripted Icons: David Beckham, Zinédine Zidane, and Zlatan Ibrahimović united for an exclusive, first-ever roundtable discussion.
• Engine Innovation: Behind-the-scenes deep dives revealed how markerless motion capture is powering EA SPORTS FC™ 27.
• Esports Pinnacle: Romania's RVPLegend was crowned the 2026 FC Pro World Champion.
• Ecosystem Expansion: Introduced the EA SPORTS Partner Program to connect creators with global brands.

Let’s get into it!

Bringing players behind the game

“Few players have shaped football culture like Beckham, Zidane, and Zlatan.”

EA Presents: Icons of Football brought together David Beckham, Zinédine Zidane, and Zlatan Ibrahimović for a first-ever sit-down conversation between three of the game's most influential figures.

Having premiered on July 18 on the EA SPORTS YouTube and Spotify, EA SPORTS™ Presents Icons of Football captured a candid, unscripted and wide-ranging conversation, moderated by Alex Aljoe. For the first time, fans heard from Beckham, Zidane, and Zlatan together sharing stories, insights and perspectives that only they could. 

Few players have shaped football culture like Beckham, Zidane, and Zlatan. Individually, they redefined excellence on the pitch and influenced the game far beyond it. Together, through EA SPORTS Presents Icons of Football, they united for a conversation only EA SPORTS could bring to life, offering fans a rare opportunity to hear three legends reflect on the moments that defined their careers, how football has evolved and what's next for the sport. Read the full announcement on the EA Newsroom.

Innovation driving the next generation of football

“A deep dive into The Grounds explored how new technologies are helping create more authentic football experiences.”

This summer also highlighted the technology powering EA SPORTS FC.

A deep dive into The Grounds explored how new technologies are helping create more authentic football experiences, while another behind-the-scenes look showcased advances in markerless motion capture, allowing player movement and animations to be captured with greater realism and efficiency than ever before.

Together, these innovations demonstrate how technology continues to help deliver more authentic, immersive football for millions of players worldwide.

The world's best compete

The Summer of Football concluded with the biggest stage in competitive EA SPORTS FC.

The 2026 FC Pro World Championship crowned Romania's RVPLegend as World Champion following an unforgettable tournament that demonstrated the openness and competitiveness of the FC Pro ecosystem. From Play-Ins to lifting the trophy, the championship celebrated the incredible talent and passion of the global EA SPORTS FC community.

Football beyond the pitch

Football's influence extends far beyond gameplay.

EA introduced EA Advertising, expanding opportunities for brands to participate in football culture through authentic in-game experiences and the new EA SPORTS Partner Program, connecting global partners with one of the world's most engaged sports communities. The initiative builds on the idea that football today is experienced not only through matches, but through entertainment, creators, live events and digital communities.

A summer to remember

“It's about bringing players, creators, communities and football fans together.”

Whether through groundbreaking technology, developer storytelling, community impact, esports, or new ways for fans to engage with the game, the Summer of Football demonstrated that EA SPORTS FC is about more than what’s played on the pitch.

It's about bringing players, creators, communities and football fans together—and continuing to celebrate the world's game in new ways all year long.

Check out other amazing EA stories on ea.com/news.