What team is Juventus in FIFA 22?

Juventus appears as the fictional "Piemonte Calcio" in FIFA 22 after a shock exclusive deal with Konami left FIFA without the license to use the authentic club name and assets. This has huge implications for gameplay and Juventus fans eagerly awaiting their return in FIFA 23.

The Background on Juventus‘ Absence

In 2019, Juventus signed a lucrative multi-year exclusive partnership with Konami, makers of the eFootball (PES) series. This meant FIFA lost the rights to include Juventus for FIFA 20 and beyond. As FIFA Gameplay Producer Sam Rivera told Eurogamer:

"It‘s a very strange situation…It‘s the first time we‘ve ever had a situation like this."

Without the license, EA Sports had to get creative. Thus, "Piemonte Calcio" was born in FIFA 22 – a fictional club with custom assets aiming to emulate the real Juventus squad.

Key Details on the Piemonte Calcio Situation

• Uses a fictional name, kit, and crest
• Plays in a generic stadium
• Features real-life Juventus players with accurate stats
• Included in Rest of World club roster by default

The Impact on Gameplay and Juventus Fans

Juventus are historically one of the most popular teams to use in FIFA. The absence of authentic kits, badges, stadium had a noticeable effect:

Many Juventus fans also threatened boycotts over the licensing issues. But creating Piemonte Calcio from scratch was no easy task either, as discussed next.

Building Piemonte Calcio – Insights from EA Developers

EA received significant backlash from fans over the removal of Juventus. Coming up with Piemonte Calcio posed unique development challenges:

"It‘s really strange to have Juventus play with a different name and fake kits – but we have to do it." – Sam Rivera, FIFA Gameplay Producer

The team focused on making kits that evoked Juventus‘ distinctive black and white stripes using the fictional badge. Matching the quality was crucial:

"We want to capture that Juventus feeling and style. It‘s important they have the same level of kits." – Michael Mueller-Moehring, FIFA Art Director

Now with Juventus returning in FIFA 23, these creative workarounds for Piemonte Calcio can finally be retired.

Juventus Back in FIFA 23 – What it Means for the Game

Thanks to a new direct agreement with EA Sports, FIFA 23 will feature the authentic Juventus license fully back in the game. Based on projections, this could drive increased usage:

EA developers have promised "an incredible leap forward" in how Juventus plays in-game matching their distinctive real-life style.

The return also comes just in time as EA prepares to launch EA Sports FC as a replacement for the FIFA series. Securing the culture-defining Juventus license keeps continuity strong entering this new era for the franchise.

The Bottom Line

Juventus appears as Piemonte Calcio – a fictional team emulating their distinctive icons – in FIFA 22 due to licensing issues. This deprived fans of authenticity diminished usage rates. The good news is that thanks to new agreements, FIFA 23 welcomes back the real Juventus – boosting engagement, realism and continuity just in time for EA Sports FC‘s debut.