Update: EA Sports has now officially announced the removal of athe Russian national team as well as all Russian clubs from FIFA 22 and NHL 22 on Twitter.
No timeframe given yet
When exactly the teams will be removed was not announced yet nor was it made clear if Russian players in foreign clubs would be affected as well. A move like that could effect many players especially as the FIFA Ultimate Team mode allows them to mix and match atheletes from different countries and clubs to their own preference.
The developers have promised to keep their fans updated on any actions taken and are likely to freeze the transfer market for the affected player cards soon.
We will keep you updated on further developments.
Original article from March 2:
The war in Ukraine is starting to affect the esports and gaming world to an increasing degreee. After Danish tournament organiser BLAST has decided to exclude Russian teams in CS:GO and Virtus.Pro’s recent exclusion at Dota 2 tournament Gamers Galaxy, the FIFA scene is now also feeling its effects.
Leaked internal company mail
According to industry insider Tom Henderson EA has plans to remove Russia from its sport simulation games like FIFA 22 or NHL 22. It is unclear yet just how far the removal will go, but it might cover both players and teams in their respective sports.
In a new company email, EA has said it will be removing Russia from the likes of FIFA and NHL games due to the invasion of Ukraine.
— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) March 2, 2022
EA Sports has not issued any statement yet on the reports, so take these news with a grain of salt. But the removal might happen sooner than later if the example of “traditional” sports associations is to be followed.
Read more:
- Virtus.Pro claims to be threatened with disqualification at Gamers Galaxy Dota 2 Invitational
- BLAST to exclude Russian-backed teams from tournaments
- FIFA Ultimate Team: 5 Cheap Hidden Gems from Ligue 1
Are you in favor of EA’s alleged decision to remove Russia? Join the discussion on social medai or our Discord!