Delivering immersive in-game rewards and expanding how players play, connect, and compete
Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), a global leader in interactive entertainment, today announced a landmark, multi-year collaboration with Visa (NYSE: V), the world’s leader in digital payments, to deliver the next generation of immersive, player-first experiences across EA SPORTS™ franchises.
Visa is partnering with EA SPORTS franchises EA SPORTS FC™ and EA SPORTS™ College Football, offering in-game rewards and experiences for EA SPORTS’ global community of fans. By combining EA’s interactive, participatory platforms with Visa’s expansive global brand, this partnership demonstrates how the line between sports fandom and video games continues to blur as audiences increasingly play, watch, and connect across both physical and virtual sports.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Visa for one of Electronic Arts’ most expansive brand partnerships to date, bringing more value to fans,” said David Tinson, Chief Experiences Officer at Electronic Arts. “At EA, we bring together a global community of hundreds of millions of fans through interactive play and fandom. That gives us a unique platform to connect sports, players, and culture in meaningful ways. Together with Visa, we’re building for the long term to create more connected, rewarding experiences for fans across some of the biggest moments in sports.”
The partnership will introduce immersive experiences that feel organic, premium and contextually relevant, leveraging dynamic technology designed to enhance gameplay without disrupting the experience. EA SPORTS will create tailored content as part of the partnership to drive meaningful and measurable value for partners and players alike.
“Interactive entertainment has become the new stadium for sports fans around the world, and our partnership with Electronic Arts and EA SPORTS puts Visa at the heart of that experience,” said Frank Cooper, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Visa. “Together, we’re creating meaningful ways for fans to engage with the sports they love, blending digital gameplay and real-world moments while making it more rewarding to play, engage, and connect through Visa and our many partners.”
Key highlights will include:
- Player-First In-Game Experiences:
- Within EA SPORTS FC, players can participate in limited-time challenges and live moments that grant in-game rewards as they play and compete.
- In EA SPORTS College Football, players can unlock in-game name, image, likeness (NIL) sponsorship opportunities within the game’s career mode, Road to Glory, reflecting how real college athletes partner with brands. As players accept branded deals, they receive boosts to their stats and attributes, mirroring real-world sponsorship opportunities for athletes.
- Rewards That Extend Play and Community: Players around the world can earn in-game rewards and participate in a branded Visa Objective in EA SPORTS FC 26, including Squad Building Challenges and a branded Visa Live Game Mode. In EA SPORTS College Football, players can participate in Visa-themed College Ultimate Team (CUT) challenges, featuring curated objectives, lineup-building moments, and limited-time events, to earn in-game rewards and engage more deeply with the Ultimate Team experience.
- Celebrating the Biggest Moments in Sports and Culture: The partnership comes to life at marquee sports moments like the Visa Infinite lounge experience at the EA SPORTS Presents Madden Bowl event during Super Bowl LX week, elevating the fan experience with immersive, premium moments that blend competition, entertainment, and culture, while celebrating the energy and passion of the player fandom.
