Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

EA is removing Russian teams from FIFA, NHL games

In two separate announcements on Twitter, publishing giant EA stated that it is in the process of removing multiple prominent Russian teams from two of the biggest sports franchises on the market: FIFA and NHL. The move is being done in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

A statement from EA SPORTS NHL: pic.twitter.com/2uX4h55ok4

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) March 2, 2022

According to a post on the EA Sports FIFA Twitter account, the publisher is removing the Russian National football team as well as all Russian football clubs from FIFA 22FIFA Mobile, and FIFA Online. A similar post on the EA Sports NHL Twitter account stated that “Following the IIHF’s suspension of all Russian and Belarusian national and club teams from IIHF competitions, we will be removing those teams from NHL 22 in the coming weeks.”

Recommended Videos

This isn’t the first time that EA has made sudden changes to one of its sports titles due to ongoing events. In 2020, the company had all references to the now-Washington Commanders removed after it was revealed that the team would replace its offensive title. However, EA’s sudden decision to remove Russian and Belarusian teams from all FIFA and NHL games is its largest alteration to date.

EA’s actions, along with the company’s statement that it stands “with the people of Ukraine and join the voices around the world calling for peace,” are also the first from a major company in the game industry. Multiple small studios, both inside of Ukraine and in nations surrounding the country, have voiced their opposition to Russia’s invasion, with some donating thousands of dollars while others have asked fans to send money to Ukraine’s armed forces.

Otto Kratky
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Otto Kratky is a freelance writer with many homes. You can find his work at Digital Trends, GameSpot, and Gamepur. If he's…
First EA Sports College Football game in over a decade officially revealed
An Oklahoma football player with a hand on his fellow player's shoulder in College Football 25

College Football 25 | Official Reveal Trailer

"Finally, it is here," says the announcer in the first trailer for EA Sports College Football 25, kicking off the countdown to the release of the first College Football game in 11 years.

Read more
The next Battlefield game is in development with help from Dead Space studio
Crawford shoots enemies with a turret he place in Battlefield 2042.

EA Motive, the studio behind 2023's excellent Dead Space remake, confirmed that the next Battlefield game is in development and that it will assist with its development. Unfortunately, work on that new game also means that seasonal updates for Battlefield 2042 will cease after the conclusion of Season 7: Turning Point.

These announcements were made across two separate blog posts. The one about EA Motive explains that "a group of developers from Motive are joining the talented teams at Criterion, DICE, and Ripple Effect to continue unlocking the full potential of Battlefield." Dead Space remake creative director Roman Compos-Oriola and executive producer Philippe Ducharme were named as the leaders of this team.

Read more
EA just brought PC gaming classics like Populous and Dungeon Keeper to Steam
Populous gameplay on Steam.

Electronic Arts owns the rights to a rich back catalog of PC games from series like Populous, Command & Conquer, and Dungeon Keeper, but many of them weren't readily available on Steam. That changed today as EA brought many of its classic PC games and expansions to Valve's PC gaming platform today.

Some of the most notable additions come from the long-ago shut down Bullfrog Productions' lineup of games, like Dungeon Keeper Gold and Populous. Personally, I'm looking forward to jumping into The Saboteur, an underrated game from Pandemic Studios' where players fight to sabotage the Nazi takeover of Paris in the 1940s. Here's the full list of titles EA brought to Steam today.

Read more