Netflix Games and Delphi Interactive Are Bringing Back 'FIFA'
Exclusive to mobile players and select TVs.
Summary
- FIFA is returning to gaming in 2026 through a partnership with Netflix Games and Delphi Interactive, launching a new football simulation tied to the 2026 World Cup
- The game will be exclusive to Netflix members on mobile (iOS/Android) and select smart TVs, featuring a mobile-first design that allows phones to be used as controllers
- Developed by Delphi Interactive, the title is described as a “clean break” from traditional console games, focusing on being a fast, approachable, and free-to-play experience for subscribers
FIFA is officially back in gaming in 2026, but not with EA. The governing body has struck a surprise deal with Netflix Games and new studio Delphi Interactive to launch a reimagined football simulation tied to the 2026 World Cup.
The title will be exclusive to Netflix members. Players will access it through the Netflix app on iOS and Android, and on select smart TVs using their phone as a controller, signalling a mobile‑first, living‑room friendly pivot for the franchise. FIFA and Netflix frame the project as a clean break from the old boxed‑copy era. The game is pitched as fast to learn, “thrilling to master” and built so “anyone can play… with just the touch of a button”.
For culture heads, this is bigger than just another football game. Netflix is positioning FIFA alongside its growing catalogue of interactive titles, betting that streaming‑native distribution and a free‑to‑play model for subscribers can reach billions of casual and lapsed fans globally.
Delphi Interactive steps into the spotlight after years in the background on projects like IO Interactive’s 007: First Light. Founder Casper Daugaard says the mission is to make the new FIFA “the most fun, approachable, and global football game ever created”.
Timing is everything. The game is slated to drop ahead of the World Cup’s US‑Mexico‑Canada takeover, ensuring FIFA has a digital flagship live just as the tournament becomes the defining sports‑and‑streaming event of 2026.
