The National Women’s Soccer League is heading to FIFA 23. Electronic Arts announced on Monday that all 12 NWSL teams would be available to play within the game starting March 15th, thanks to a licensing partnership the company recently signed with the league and NWSL Players Association. The 12 teams of the NWSL, and all the female athletes who play on their rosters, will also be part of the franchise moving forward, including when it rebrands to EA Sports FC later this year.
FIFA 23 launched with all 24 teams from the Women’s Super League and Division 1 in the UK and France. The game also marked the first time EA featured a female player on the cover, with Chelsea’s Sam Kerr appearing on the Ulitmate Edition. All told, the series has come a long way since FIFA 16, when EA first added pro female players.
Come March 15th, all 12 NWSL teams will be available to play within FIFA 23’s Kick-Off game modes. They will also be available in the game’s Tournament Mode, as well as Online Seasons and Friendlies. If both teams are from the NWSL, EA says players will see an “authentic” match broadcast experience. Separately, the company is adding the option to play through the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) in Kick-Off and Tournament game modes. It’s also adding four new European clubs, including Juventus and Real Madrid, to round out the UWCL experience.
“The athletes that call the NWSL home are some of the best in the world and we’re excited for the opportunity to further showcase their talent through this unique gaming experience,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. “We can’t wait for fans to begin playing and we look forward to continuing this celebration of the players and the league when we kick off our 11th season on March 25.”
FIFA 23 is available on PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fifa-23-will-add-all-12-national-womens-soccer-league-teams-on-march-15th-183352449.html?src=rss