In a major strategic expansion, Netflix has announced plans to launch an exclusive FIFA football simulation video game timed for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The streaming giant revealed on Wednesday that the game will be released in the summer of 2026, directly aligning with the global football tournament.
A New Player Enters the Football Gaming Arena
The upcoming title will be developed and published by Los Angeles-based studio Delphi Interactive. Crucially, the game will be available exclusively on Netflix's gaming platform and will be included as part of a standard Netflix subscription at no extra cost. The company confirmed that the experience is designed for smartphones, allowing players to enjoy it solo or compete online with friends using just their mobile devices.
While the game does not yet have an official title or a precise release date, more details are promised for 2026. This move marks a significant new chapter for FIFA's digital presence, coming three years after the governing body ended its landmark partnership with EA Sports, the creator of the iconic FIFA series, over a licensing dispute in 2022.
Strategic Moves and Gaming Ambitions
Netflix's foray into video games began in 2021 as a strategy to build an entertainment ecosystem that goes beyond films and TV series. Its gaming catalog, which is included with membership, has grown to feature mostly mobile titles, with more recent additions being playable on television. The FIFA game represents one of its highest-profile gaming ventures to date.
Alain Tascan, President of Games at Netflix, highlighted the cultural significance of the launch, stating, "The FIFA World Cup is going to be the cultural event of 2026, and now fans will be able to celebrate their fandom by bringing the game right into their living rooms."
FIFA President Gianni Infantino also expressed grand ambitions for the project, calling it "a great historic step for FIFA" that aspires "to reach billions of football fans of all ages everywhere in the world."
What This Means for Gamers and the Industry
This announcement signals a bold competitive move in the gaming landscape. For nearly three decades, the FIFA brand dominated the football simulation market on consoles like PlayStation and Xbox through its partnership with EA Sports. Following the split, EA now produces the EA Sports FC series, while FIFA has begun exploring new digital avenues.
Earlier in 2025, FIFA launched FIFA Rivals, a free-to-play cartoon-style mobile game. The Netflix partnership, however, represents a more ambitious, premium-style offering aimed at leveraging the streaming service's massive global subscriber base. Notably, Delphi Interactive is also known to be working on a premium James Bond game in cooperation with Amazon and Danish publisher IO Interactive.
For Nigerian subscribers and football fans across Africa, this development promises direct, subscription-based access to a major international football title on the devices they use most—their smartphones. It eliminates the need for expensive gaming consoles or high-end PCs, potentially bringing a high-quality FIFA gaming experience to a much broader audience when the World Cup kicks off in 2026.
