For the first time in the game's history, FIFA23 will feature women's club rosters. It's a great start, but fans know there is still a long way to go.
Women’s football is often about firsts. First match to be attended by a certain number of fans. First match to be watched by however million people on television. First woman to be on the cover of FIFA — the video game, not the governing body.
“So in around 2019, we realised quite how far behind the market we were, and even if the consumer demand wasn’t quite there yet, we knew it would get there and we knew it would accelerate fast, then it would leave us pretty out of position when it did.”Jackson believes the new features for women’s football in FIFA 23 will “grow female football” due to video game fans being exposed to the sport, but also because it syncs up with events like next summer’s Women’s.
With increasing media coverage, women’s football is now well-placed to take advantage of the obsession and attachment the FIFA games breed, not just with its gameplay, but also its stats. That loyalty and fandom around the world will only increase the number of followers of women’s football. He explains: “I don’t think how they’ve done it will help get women’s football out to new fans. I think right now it’s for cult people that love women’s football who can now say, ‘I can play with my favourite players’.“But if you don’t have the genuine interest, just being able to use two leagues in Kick Off isn’t going to really push that narrative of, ‘I want to get involved in this a lot more’.
Tom Maher, a football fan and FIFA enthusiast, echoes Lewis’ disappointment and also references the fact users can’t play as women’s team managers like Emma Hayes or Jonas Eidevall, but can play as fictional coach Ted Lasso with his AFC Richmond team.