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As the World Cup 2026 finally arrives, football fans will be able to get in on the fun with a video game inspired by the international tournament.
Netflix has announced that soon, "FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition" will be available through Netflix Games — a game that will allow users to play with any of the 48 World Cup squads through just a TV and a phone.
Part of why Netflix's game will be so notable is FIFA's video game history; for a few years now, the company's partnership with EA Sports has been over, with EA transitioning into "EA FC" games instead.
Here's what to know about Netflix's new FIFA World Cup game.
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What is Netflix's ‘FIFA World Cup’?
"FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition" will be a new video game that is free, but exclusive to Netflix subscribers that can be played through the streaming service's in-app platform, "Netflix Games." It is completely focused on the 2026 World Cup, allowing users to play with any of the 48 teams.
With FIFA being the world’s governing football body, but becoming more experimental in the video game space since its 2022 split from EA Sports, "FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition" will be something a bit new as a handheld simulation game.
FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition, a new fast-paced football game, is coming June 11. Only on Netflix Games.
Experience the rush of FIFA World Cup 2026™, choose your team from a full bracket of 48 nations, and fight all the way to the finals. Play instantly on your TV or computer… pic.twitter.com/oNw7GLhyTE
When does ‘FIFA World Cup’ release?
Netflix's FIFA World Cup game will officially release on the first day of the tournament: Thursday, June 11.
How to play ‘FIFA World Cup’
With the new FIFA Netflix game, all a user needs is a subscription, Netflix pulled up on their TV and either the Netflix app on their phone or a scanned QR code.
The user's phone acts as the controller for the game, with up to four players at a time.
Developed by Delphi Interactive, another feature of the new Netflix game will be "updated daily throughout the World Cup with new challenges and features tied into the real events and results of the tournament," per Variety. Additionally, the game will "reward you with in-game currency based on your playing habits and daily challenge completion with coins that players can then be spent to boost the stats of their team members."
How is ‘FIFA World Cup’ different that EA Sports' former "FIFA" franchise?
EA Sports still leads the way in terms of football video games, with the former "FIFA" games on platforms like PC, Xbox and Playstation being rebranded into "EA FC," with remains extremely popular. The new Netflix game is different in a few ways, however.
For one, it is solely a handheld decide game — to play, Netflix subscribers have to go into the app on their phone or scan a QR code with their phone’s camera, with the game pulled up on a nearby TV. Unlike "EA FC," the new game is fully focused on that handheld platform, intended for a wider audience.
The Athletic reported that FIFA had goals of "creating a pick-up-and-play, arcade-style game with simple controls can appeal to new, younger fans, while allowing players who prefer a more comprehensive console or PC experience to continue with EA FC or eFootball."
Additionally, the new Netflix game has the benefit of licensing rights to the World Cup teams and locations this summer — "EA FC" release a World Cup-like tournament game mode called "The World’s Game," but it cannot use official FIFA licensing.
While "FIFA World Cup: Limited Edition" isn't exactly intended to rival "EA FC" in any ways, it's a new twist for football fans who enjoy video games and are looking forward to the tournament's action.
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