In just a couple of days Electronic Arts’s highly-anticipated FIFA 17 will hit the stores. Yet the popular soccer video game is making news for excluding one of the most popular national teams. According to IGN, the Iceland national soccer team will not be featured in this year’s version of the popular soccer franchise. What’s the reason? Iceland’s soccer (or football) association (KSI) claims that EA offered them a price that was too low to accept. The $15,000 price for the rights to use the national Icelandic soccer team was reportedly “below their expectations.”
IGN reports that President of KSI (football association of Iceland) told BBC that
They are the one buying these rights and they almost want it for free. The performance at the Euros show that we are quite a good team and many would like to play with our team. It’s sad for the players – but the criticism should be towards EA Sports. I really feel if we are giving away rights, or offering rights, it has to be proper negotiations and fair fees. I didn’t feel that was done in a fair and open manner.
This will come to a surprise to many, and quite possible anger many FIFA fans because the Icelandic team became extremely popular this summer. During this year’s Euro 2016 soccer tournament, the Icelandic national soccer team captured headlines all across the world and grabbed the attention of all soccer fans. Coming into the tournament with no expectations to reach the playoffs, the Icelandic team not only went past the group stage, but upset the heavy favorite – and soccer juggernaut – English national team.
Iceland has not been featured in any FIFA game before, but with the immense popularity their team got this summer during the Euros, EA Sports might regret low-balling them. The Iceland team is most notably known for their “Viking Clap”, which they perform after every game. And EA had previously stated earlier this month in a tweet they sent out that they’d be including this clap on their game. However, it appears that they might have to go back on this promise, seeing how they weren’t able to reach an agreement with Iceland.
FIFA 17 comes out next Tuesday, September 27th for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. For Xbox One owners with EA Access membership, the full game is out for play now.