Does FIFA 22 Have African Teams?

No, FIFA 22 did not feature any African international sides due to ongoing licensing and rights issues with national soccer federations in Africa.

The Omission of Africa – Why?

Africa has struggled for consistent representation in FIFA games over the years. Unlike Europe and South America, EA Sports has found it difficult to secure licenses agreement with all of the region‘s national soccer governing bodies.

This has led to the random exclusion of teams – even when they have qualified for upcoming FIFA World Cup tournaments.

With the region now home to many top talents playing for elite European clubs, calls for EA to better represent African sides have been growing.

Imbalance inRepresentation

When compared with other confederations globally, Africa has long been under-represented proportionally on officially licensed FIFA games:

"The lack of African national teams in the hugely popular FIFA video game series has been an increasing point of frustration for many," notes Musa Okwonga, football journalist and author of One Game: Why the Premier League and Modern Football Are Bad for Us.

Africa‘s Stars Coming to FIFA 23

Thankfully in FIFA 23, fans will now be able to play as African countries participating in this year‘s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia will feature – opening up the chance to control the likes of Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy or progress to glory with dark horse contenders Morocco.

As Okwonga tells FIFPlay magazine "It‘s vital for fans globally to get familiar with outstanding talents like Riyad Mahrez and Achraf Hakimi. And for aspirational young footballers in Africa to see their heroes celebrated alongside Messi and Ronaldo."

The timing with the World Cup is also fortuitous, with interest in African soccer at an all time high. Several sides have a chance to make a deep run to the knockout rounds.

Africa‘s Emergence Reflected in FIFA

The rise of African players across Europe‘s major leagues has corresponded with this growth:

Top clubs like Manchester City now actively scout and recruit African talent due to their technical quality, athleticism and determined playing style. Stars like Liverpool striker Sadio Mané bring a commercial benefit too, massively growing the club‘s supporter base back in Africa.

As the region continues to strengthen tactically and competitively on the global stage, EA seems to have taken notice by re-investing in African national team licenses.

Commercial Value Driving Representation

Along with fan pressure, the inclusion of African World Cup sides also makes commercial sense for EA when cross-promoting FIFA 23.

Nigeria for example is one of the largest gaming markets in Africa, with an estimated $200m+ in revenue. Working with music and sports celebrities there has become the norm for titles like FIFA seeking to drive uptake.

Mark Reid, who heads up Xbox operations across Africa, has stated "There‘s still much untapped opportunity across Africa for console gaming growth. Partnerships with local heroes like Nigeria‘s national team could light the spark to significantly scale our business there."

With soccer‘s explosive rise in the region, highlighted by infrastructure investments and training programs across Africa, the sport‘s governance bodies all have a renewed interest and mandate in developing the game globally.

Africa‘s Time to Shine?

As anticipation builds towards Qatar 2022 by passionate African supporters new to the FIFA franchise, the eyes of the world will be watching to see if one of their debutant nations can cause a World Cup upset.

I know I personally can‘t wait to jump into career mode with African underdogs Morocco and try lead them on a historic tournament run when FIFA 23 launches! Whichever side progresses furthest could become the breakout team, driving engagement from new African gaming markets in the coming years.

So while hopes are high, Africa‘s extended inclusion likely hinges on continuing the continent‘s promising trajectory on the actual pitch…