A new FIFA 23 is on the way and alongside the release of what will be the final instalment of the game sanctioned by FIFA and developed by EA Sports, a new-look Esports Global Series has also been announced.

With the future of FIFA now seeming to be set to split into two separate games from next year, an as yet unknown title developed by FIFA (purportedly set to be called FIFA 24) and a new game from EA Sports heavily based on the current FIFA game engine, which is to be called EA Sports FC.

It seems that EA Sports are already laying the groundwork for the next iteration of their famous franchise as they have offered us a look into a revamp of the popular Esports Global Series, the series of tournaments by which players and teams can qualify for FIFAe Club World Cup 2023.

Brand New Flagship Tournament

One of the most eye-catching announcements in the press release was the start of a brand new flagship tournament series, which has been named the EA Sports Cup.

This new tournament will start on October 17th and will see players in teams of two, representing a mix of esports teams and football teams that have signed their own esports professionals, competing to reach the final stages of the tournament.

There will be three months of action ahead of the finals stages, which are slated to take place on January 16th to 21st, after which the Cup will crown the team as its inaugural champion and offer two teams the chance to compete in the FIFAe Club World Cup later in the year.

Esports giant Fnatic and Complexity Gaming are just two of the teams set to enter, while FIFA professionals representing Manchester City Esports and Paris Saint-Germain Esports amongst others are also set to compete.

1v1 Competition Still Key In Road To FIFAe World Cup 2023

Alongside the 2v2 competition, there is also a huge focus on 1v1 games, with the Road to the FIFAe World Cup 2023 set to start on the 27th September, the date the Ultimate Edition is released worldwide.

Running alongside that competition, the 2023 FIFA Global Series will also hold a series of esports tournaments based on over 30 different league competitions.

This includes esports versions of popular leagues and competitions such as the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, Major League Soccer, Eredivisie (Holland) plus the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores and the UEFA Champions League.

Having signed a deal to officially present the FIFA Global Series, Sony PlayStation will be presenting the tournaments and they will only be playable on their PlayStation 5 consoles, similar to last year.

That’s not great news if you own an Xbox, but is not unexpected given the sponsorship agreement for the FGS.

For sole players, the career mode has been revamped meaning you can still play and manage your way to success, ostensibly by signing the best young players in FIFA to aid your team!

Crucial Period In FIFA Franchise History

This final iteration of the game of the FIFA/EA Sports partnership era, is a key period for both organisations.

Viewership of the FIFAe World Cup 2022 was way down compared to previous years with 149,000 peak viewers, 95,000 fewer than watched in 2019.

That combined with FIFA and EA splitting and going their own ways with their own games, means that it is going to be interesting to see whether there is room for another soccer game esport, alongside FIFA and Konami Efootball (formerly Pro Evolution Soccer).

EA Sports FIFA Esports commissioner, Sam Turkbas, remained bullish about what EA Sports has to offer in 2023 and beyond.

“The FGS’s collection of the world’s top stars, top esports organizations, top football clubs, leagues and confederations will showcase the next generation of esports on the Road to the FIFAe World Cup 2023.”

“Now when you combine the star power with a robust ecosystem giving players around the world the opportunity to become the next big thing, this is confidently the biggest year in our franchise history.”

FIFA 23 The Ultimate Edition is out today, with the Standard Edition following on Friday 30th September.