EA FC PRO World championship

The EA SPORTS FC Pro World Championships marks a pivotal moment in gaming history, being the first World Championship since the rebranding from FIFA to EA SPORTS FC. This transition signifies not just a new era for the game, but a refined approach to esports competition. Historically, under the FIFA name, World Championships were multi-faceted, crowning champions in doubles, team-based formats, and club-based tournaments, which created a fragmented and often confusing tournament structure.

With the rebrand to EA SPORTS FC, the tournament has streamlined its focus, shifting towards a more prestigious format: crowning the single best player in the world. This change elevated the stakes and demanded a fresh approach to the brand identity system—one that celebrated individual excellence, mastery, and the singular nature of being the ultimate champion in the game.

Our task was to create a brand identity that not only reflected the new focus on individual talent but also elevated the tournament into something grander. With this new structure in mind, the identity system revolved around celebrating the ultimate individual player. We needed to craft a brand that exuded grandeur and history, signifying the importance of being crowned the best FC player in the world.

To this end, we developed a visual identity that was a clear extension of the EA SPORTS FC Pro brand. We retained the iconic triangle symbol at the heart of every execution, while leveling up the system to differentiate it from past tournaments, such as the previous EA SPORTS Pro Open. The key was to ensure the identity worked seamlessly across both digital and physical formats, from broadcast graphics to the design of the trophy itself.

One of the central assets of this new identity was the “crown” device, symbolizing the apex of player achievement. Inspired by European regal coronations, the crown incorporated the iconic EA FC triangle, creating a symbol that drew from history while representing players making their own history. The fusion of the FC Pro brand’s green with regal gold hues allowed us to maintain the modernity of the FC Pro equity while also distinguishing this new World Championship as a prestigious, stand-alone event. The “Cruyff” serif typeface, already part of the EA FC brand, was retained, further linking the old with the new.

A key challenge was the creation of the trophy. Partnering with Berry Place, we designed a trophy that encapsulated the ethos of the World Championships. After multiple discussions with partners who claimed the design was unproducible, we finally brought the trophy to life. With an acrylic base, black enamel backing, and an anodized gold crown, the trophy became the ultimate physical manifestation of the brand and its newfound prestige.

In July, Berlin crowned Danish pro player Anders Verjgang as the first-ever EA SPORTS FC World Champion, marking a triumphant close to the first season under the new EA SPORTS FC Pro banner. This was not just a victory for Verjgang, but for the entire competition, as it signified the culmination of a new era in esports—one with a clear, singular champion.

Unlike past tournaments that focused on multiple champions and team-based formats, this World Championship represented a sharp departure from the past. It embodied a focus on individual excellence, and this new format and brand universe became a way for EA SPORTS to cement itself as a leader in global entertainment.

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JOE PECCHIA, EA ESports