By AARON CRANFORD
For the first time in history, women will grace the cover of the FIFA video game.
In May, EA Sports announced that for the first time, gamers could play with 12 different women’s national teams on FIFA 16, and Monday, the company continued to set new precedent, announcing that U.S. Women’s National team forward Alex Morgan will share the cover of the U.S. edition with Lionel Messi.
“It is an incredible honor to be one of the first women featured on the cover of EA SPORTS FIFA,” Morgan said in a statement. “I know people all over the world play this game and I’m really excited that FIFA 16 is putting such an important spotlight on women’s soccer. And now to share the cover with today’s greatest player is surreal.”
However, Morgan isn’t the only female to feature on a FIFA 16 cover in North America, as Canadian captain and star Christine Sinclair will also share the spotlight with Messi in the Canadian edition.
“This year’s World Cup showcased the unbelievable talent and skill in women’s soccer,” Sinclair said of the announcement. “I’m thrilled that EA SPORTS is celebrating female athletes in FIFA 16. To be featured in the game and to promote women’s soccer with Alex is really special and another exciting step for women in sports.”
The game is set to be released across North America on Sept. 22, 2015, but in the meantime, take a look at each full cover below:
What do you think about the FIFA 16 covers? Think another U.S or Canadian player should have been featured instead?
Share your thoughts below.
I wonder what they are looking at.
first “female”.
Not to make a big deal of it, but we call them “women”. Female is an adjective, among other things.
It is also a noun.
Christine Sinclair? Really.
A good player, nearing the end of a career that is inarguably Canada’s best.
Other than in British Columbia does she have any brand cache? Oh yeah. EA sports is in Burnaby where she grew up. Never mind.
Relax, that’s just the Canadian edition.
Cool but I’d rather see a USMNT instead of messi
Why not a USMNT player as well? Howard or Dempsey? Nothing wrong with a USWNT player, but no need to kick the men off entirely.
Ah, I see the Men’s Rights movement made its way over here too
Ah, I see the social justice warrior who responds to an innocuous statement with an ad hominem made its way over here too.
Alex is on the cover purely for her looks, she has done nothing recently. If you are going to put a woman on the cover Carli Lloyd deserves it 1000 times more than Morgan. There are plenty of others that deserve it before Morgan; Solo, Wambach, Rapinoe, etc
I would agree the US Soccer force-fed us Alex Morgan. While she is good, she does not hold a candle to Megan Rapinoe, Lloyd or Solo. They pushed Solo until she proved that she was a nut case. Rapino, has the media savvy, playing style and then some. Alex Morgan is overrated and I watch women’s soccer quite a bit. Anthony mentioned Press, but she has not done anything. It should have been Rapinoe that the publicity machine should have parked behind.
Not sure I agree. When Morgan is healthy she can take over. Was at a WNT game against France wen she came back from her injury before last as a 2H substitute. Took a 2-0 game and turned it into a 2-2 draw almost single-handedly (scoring both goals) Honestly, I think she rushed her return from injury because this was the WC and no way was she not going to play.
Also bears reminding that almost everyone here (including me) we asking for Lloyd to be benched after the group stage…. Nothing against Rapinoe or Lloyd and yes — “marketability” matters, but Morgan stands as a fine choice on soccer capabilities alone.
I wouldn’t say she is overrated. Honestly, I think Morgan, Lloyd, Rapinoe, LeRoux cann all ball, but Morgan and LeRoux were coming back from injury (LeRoux furhter along), so we did not see their best. However, even their team-mates think Lloyd on her can be the best player in the world. Just like when you ask casual USWNT fans, they talk about Mia Hamm back in the day, but those women talked about Michelle Akers, who was just a BEAST when she played.
I don’t follow the USWNT enough to be an authority on the topic, but it was my understanding that injuries led to Morgan’s dip in form. Before that wasn’t she kicking ass and taking names? Additionally,hasn’t she been in the running for the Ballon D’or?
Morgan is gorgeous, but that shouldn’t be a knock on her ability.
From now on her (and Solo’s) intro music will be 5 Seconds of Summer’s She’s Kinda Hot Though…
Woulda like a cover with a photo of blatter in shackles with dollar bills thrown at him but this will do 😉
Honestly tho, great for female soccer !
Sounds kinky. I’d buy it.
Im sayin’.
But what should the theme song be……Travis Porter “Make it Rain”
Love it — You could have multiple play modes:
“I am FIFA” — Build Personal loyalty through graft and favoritism. Crush all that dare to get in the way.
“Capture the WC” — Compete for influence to ensure your country / media entity wins the rights to the event.. Bonus play where you see how much money you can avoid losing.
“Sponsor Mode” where you maximize revenue for your non-profit. How many things can YOU sell?
“Mr Fix It” — use influence at all levels to make sure that the results in Serie A turn out just as predicted at the beginning of the season.
New in FIFA 16 – Extradition Mode! Gather global fugitives, build the case and compete for conviction rates and strength of penalties….
BEST. GAME. EVER.
Alex is hot and all, but Carli maybe would have been more appropriate. Just sayin’
Well marketing is a big factor in these choices. Carli Lloyd had the better tournament, but Alex Morgan is still more marketable and recognizable.
I see what you are saying about Alex Morgan being more marketable, but I think the people who would buy the FIFA games would know Carli Lloyd. In fact, I think Rapinoe should be on the cover, but some may not like it. I think they’re both better players, and I prefer them over Morgan. While Morgan is good, those 2 are a step above, but they did not get pushed for short-sighted marketing reasons.
In terms of hotness (H-town brought it up), Morgan is overrated. She does not hold a candle to Christine Press (but hey, it’s all subjective). No, I don’t think it sexist/wrong to discuss hotness of female athletes as well as their athletic ability just like I don’t think it’s wrong when my female friends also discuss hotness of male athletes. We are not blind!
Sorry, 99.99% of FIFA gamers have no idea who Carli Lloyd is.
Drew, this cover is for the USA only. 99.99% of Americans, let alone FIFA players, know who Carli Lloyd is now.
Thank you!!!!!
Christen Press is the hottest player on the team, she needs more pub.
If we are marketing our players based on looks then Press, Johnston, and Krieger could all get more shine than Morgan.
We have the same taste. I am all about Press, Krieger and Johnston. I noticed Krieger before the last World Cup. However, Press is the best of the three. Press is ridiculously fine.
I don’t have children, but I think this is a cool step forward for young girls who are gamers and may enjoy sports titles like FIFA.
I guess it’s cool and all but actual FIFA players like myself are hoping that they’ve added something else for the North American fan besides this halfhearted attempt to include women.
It’s ok that they added 12 more teams for the meaningless versus mode or possibly a 12 team tournament, but EA needs to include more for MLS fans. Primarily there needs to be more work on the career mode and for starters we need a Concacaf Champions league, even if that is just a quarterfinals on tournament with MLS and Mexico. As is if you are an MLS fan your career mode is just MLS league and the open cup (if you’re playing as an American team).
That gets old quick. Reward hardcore players with something more than 12 teams you can’t use in career mode.
Steph Catley was announced as being on the Australian cover almost two weeks ago.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jul/10/fifa-16-matildas-steph-catley-to-be-first-ever-woman-on-cover-alongside-messi