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FIFA Rivals Launches Worldwide, Bringing Non-Simulation Arcade Football Action to Mobile Devices

FIFA Rivals Launches Worldwide, Bringing Non-Simulation Arcade Football Action to Mobile Devices

Business Wirea day ago

ZÜRICH & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FIFA, the global governing body of football, and next-generation gaming technology studio Mythical Games today announced the worldwide launch of FIFA Rivals, the officially licensed arcade-style mobile football game now available for download on the App Store and Google Play.
Powered by FIFA's global license and Mythical Games' cutting-edge platform, FIFA Rivals delivers an arcade-style football experience with gamers building their dream teams and attempting to dominate their rivals by competing in live events and PvP leagues. Following a successful soft launch, the global launch introduces innovative features, fast-paced multiplayer, enhanced gameplay, and digital ownership, providing a fresh take on competitive football gaming.
"Football is the world's game, and we're thrilled to bring its billions of global fans an experience that captures the thrill of the sport, with the accessibility of mobile gaming," said John Linden, CEO of Mythical Games. 'With FIFA Rivals, we're blending high-energy arcade gameplay with team-building strategy and actual ownership in gaming. This is just the beginning of what we believe will become a landmark title in gaming.'
In FIFA Rivals, gamers can build their dream football team from their favorite stars, teams, and leagues, compete in real-time PvP matches, and take on live events to climb the global leaderboards. Dynamic gameplay and intuitive controls, designed for mainstream mobile gamers, allow users to pull off skill moves, trick shots, and signature plays from star athletes — each represented as a tradable digital collectible on the Mythical Marketplace.
Highlights include:
Fast-paced PvP gameplay designed for mobile users worldwide
Skill-based progression with real-time events and competitive leagues
Player collectible ownership and trading through blockchain technology, with no prior web3 knowledge required
PVE Scenarios Mode to hone your skills and relive highlights from famous matches
Access to Mythical Marketplace allowing gamers to trade, buy, and sell their way to the greatest football team.
The launch of FIFA Rivals forms part of FIFA's broader objective to make esports and gaming more accessible, offering fans across the globe a wide range of digital football experiences. The global launch of the free-to-play mobile game FIFA Rivals marks the latest milestone in this journey.
FIFA Rivals is available now on the App Store and Google Play Store. For updates and more information, visit fifa.rivals.game and join the community on X (@fifarivals).
About Mythical Games
Acknowledged by Fast Company's World Changing Ideas 2021 and recently Forbes' Best Startup Employers (2024), Mythical Games is a next-generation game company creating world-class games and empowering players to take ownership of their in-game assets through the use of blockchain technology. The team has helped develop major franchises, including Call of Duty, Call of Duty Mobile, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Magic: The Gathering, EA Madden, Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery, Marvel Strike Force, Modern Warfare 3, and Skylanders. Mythical's current games, Blankos Block Party and NFL Rivals, are already played by millions of consumers worldwide and create a new economy for players, allowing them to engage in a new way with games, but also directly trade and transact safely with other players worldwide.
The Mythical Marketplace, the first in-game blockchain Marketplace on iOS and Android, provides gamers with ownership and control over the purchase and sale of digital assets, while the Mythical Platform protects gamers that may be new to blockchain through a custodial wallet for their digital items.

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Club World Cup and referees: Explaining the new goalkeeping rule, ‘Ref Cam' and advanced VAR
Club World Cup and referees: Explaining the new goalkeeping rule, ‘Ref Cam' and advanced VAR

New York Times

timean hour ago

  • New York Times

Club World Cup and referees: Explaining the new goalkeeping rule, ‘Ref Cam' and advanced VAR

They number 117 and have travelled from 41 different countries. But what is expected from the Club World Cup's match officials now they have assembled in the United States? It feels like a step into new territory. FIFA, the tournament organiser, has introduced innovations it predicts will 'enhance fan experience, transparency and operations' and at the heart of those will be all those referees, assistants and VARs picked from around the globe. The last 10 days have been spent fine-tuning an understanding of new rules and roles. Here, The Athletic assesses how life will change for match officials at the Club World Cup, and what impact it will have on players and fans. Time wasting has become an increasing bugbear of football's key stakeholders. Back in March, the game's rule maker, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), approved a significant change designed as a clampdown. An amendment to Law 12.2 will see goalkeepers given eight seconds to release the ball from their hands or be punished with a corner being awarded to the opposing team. Advertisement The Club World Cup, along with the European Under-21 Championship being played in Slovakia, will see that formally put into practice, with referees counting down from eight and raising an arm to indicate when there are five seconds left for the goalkeeper to act. Any attacker found to be obstructing the goalkeeper, though, will have an indirect free kick awarded against them. 'In many leagues, the goalkeeper can tend to keep the ball in his hands for 20 or even 25 seconds, which is a huge amount of time during a match,' Pierluigi Collina, the head of FIFA's referees committee and a celebrated former official, told reporters on Wednesday. 'There is nothing entertaining in this.' The previous version of the rule allowed goalkeepers six seconds before an indirect free kick was awarded, but that law had increasingly become unenforced within the professional game. The new eight-second rule will come into place at all levels of the game from July 1 and follows a trial period at this year's Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, the South American equivalents to UEFA's Champions League and Europa League. Collina attempted to quell concerns that the alternative rule would lead to a spike in corners at the Club World Cup. The Italian said that in the 160 trial matches played in South America, only two goalkeepers were punished. This is the latest step in FIFA's attempts to tackle time-wasting and do not be surprised to see games at the Club World Cup follow Qatar 2022 with ample minutes added. 'Time lost will be compensated,' said Collina. Match officials will have to think differently over the coming weeks but their appearance is also going to look a little out of the ordinary. Attached to the earpiece and microphone already worn for communication purposes, there will be a tiny camera capturing a 'ref's-eye' view of the action at each Club World Cup game. Advertisement FIFA, with the blessing of IFAB, stresses this is only a trial but the motivation is primarily to 'offer TV viewers a new experience' during matches. The camera feed's footage will be transmitted via a private 5G connection to production teams, who will be able to then show replays of key moments. Only the six NFL stadiums being used at the Club World Cup, though, have the technological capabilities to use footage live, such as at the coin toss. 'During the match, there might be an occasion to show the play from a very unique perspective, the referee's eyes,' said Collina. There will be limits to what is shown. Any incidents captured by the referee's camera considered controversial, such as penalty decisions or red cards, will not be approved for broadcast. 'This is a trial,' added Collina. 'We need to do something new — and the simpler the better. So we fixed some rules within a protocol. Will we offer these images in the future? Maybe when we learn to run, maybe not, maybe we will do.' That is not the only technology advancement directly impacting the officials at the Club World Cup. Video assistant referee (VAR) footage shown to the referee during a game at the monitor will be broadcast simultaneously to the stadium crowd over the big screen, before a final decision is relayed over the public address system. And forget those fiddly bits of paper exchanged every time a team wants to make a substitution. FIFA has introduced substitute tablets given to each bench, with changes punched into that and shared with the fourth official and broadcast teams. There is no going back on the VAR system in football, but Collina accepted this week it has led to problems that FIFA will attempt to address, using more technology, at the Club World Cup. 'Since the very beginning (of the VAR system), on-pitch assistant referees have been told in case of doubt, keep the flag down,' he said. 'It went a bit far. The doubt became bigger and bigger. Advertisement 'We worked on this because we were aware that the decision to keep the flag down, which is part of how VAR works, may lead to some consequences.' A grave example was the injury suffered by Nottingham Forest's Taiwo Awoniyi, who had to be placed in an induced coma in April when an offside decision was not flagged and play allowed to continue. Semi-automated offside technology has been around since 2022 as a support tool for assistants, but FIFA's advanced system, previously trialled at the Intercontinental Cup in December, provides 'real-time alerts to match officials in the event of clear offsides'. An audio signal will be sent to the assistants informing them that an offside flag can be raised but FIFA stresses this is not diminishing the touchline role. What it considers 'challenging offside scenarios' will still need the VAR to clear the decision. 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Meet the amateur New Zealand team aiming to topple soccer's biggest names at the FIFA Club World Cup
Meet the amateur New Zealand team aiming to topple soccer's biggest names at the FIFA Club World Cup

CNN

timean hour ago

  • CNN

Meet the amateur New Zealand team aiming to topple soccer's biggest names at the FIFA Club World Cup

As FIFA's revamped expanded Club World Cup kicks off in the United States on Saturday, most fans' eyes will be firmly fixed on the plethora of soccer superstars competing for up to $125 million, with the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland all taking part with their respective clubs. However, the remarkable story of amateur side Auckland City FC has flown under the radar, with the Oceania team's players set to embark on the trip of a lifetime to test themselves against some of the world's elite. Based in the North Shore suburb of New Zealand's largest city, the club boasts a squad comprised solely of players who work or study full-time in addition to their soccer careers. From forklift drivers to soda salesmen and real estate agents, the rise of the small New Zealand side to the apex of the global club game has been likened by some to the narrative of a Hollywood script. Having been crowned as the Oceania Champions League winner last year, Auckland City booked its place at the tournament and became the continent's sole representative in the process. Drawn in a group featuring 34-time German champion Bayern Munich, Portuguese giant Benfica, and iconic Argentine side Boca Juniors, the Auckland City squad will look to create soccer history as they compete against some of the sport's greatest players over the next fortnight. Speaking to CNN Sports, team captain Mario Ilich described how his side's 'love of the game' was the driving force behind its historic qualification. 'People say that professional players work hard, which they do, but we are trying to compete at the top level of the game while holding down two, and in some cases three, jobs.' Ilich, who earns his living as a sales representative for Coca-Cola, detailed the hectic routine most of the squad follows on a daily basis. Without the multi-million-dollar training complexes available to many elite European teams, Auckland City players need to cram in the majority of their gym and recovery work outside of club facilities. 'My normal day begins around 5 a.m. when the alarm goes off. I'm up and off to the gym for an hour before returning to grab breakfast and make it to the office for 8 a.m. 'I try to finish up before 5 p.m. so I can make it across town to training, which gets underway at 6 p.m. We'll spend about two hours on the grass, and I'll get home at about 9 p.m. before heading to bed to prepare to do it all again the next day.' The Navy Blues train four evenings per week, with their New Zealand Regional League fixtures usually played on Saturdays. It's a schedule that doesn't lend itself to much of a life away from the office or soccer pitch and can take its toll, not just on the players, but on their families and friends too. 'I only get to see my partner on a Friday night really, or the odd Sunday, but thankfully she is very understanding of the finite nature of a player's career and allows me to pursue my dreams,' Ilich said. Auckland City FC goalkeeper Conor Tracey recalled the moment he and the rest of the playing squad learned the results of the Club World Cup group stage draw. 'You'll never forget a moment like that,' Tracey told CNN, describing how the players and management met up at 6 a.m. to watch the draw live from the Auckland City clubhouse before heading to their respective jobs. 'As each team was pulled out, our jaws just kept dropping closer to the floor. Each side has such an incredible history and reputation in the sport – it really is the dream draw in terms of who you want to test yourself against.' For Tracey, who spends his days on the warehouse floor of a veterinary pharmaceuticals company, the tournament will be 'the pinnacle' of his career. However, with manual handling and frequent heavy lifting required in his day job, he has recently struggled with injury. 'My job can be extremely physical and can take its toll on my body. I've been far more prone to injuries than a regular goalkeeper, given the lack of time we have for adequate recovery too. 'I won't lie – it can be really hard mentally, especially when you're trying to deal with the dark mornings and nights in winter,' Tracey added. 'There have been a few occasions where I've thought about giving up on football, and lots of guys have done that over the years, with it just being too much with family and career. But the Club World Cup has been a goal worth putting in the hard yards for.' The difficulty in dealing with the demands of elite football while attempting to balance an 'ordinary' job is one that resonates with Auckland City vice-captain Adam Mitchell. Mitchell thought he had achieved his childhood dream when he secured a move to former European Cup winner Red Star Belgrade in the nascent stages of his career. However, a lack of gametime saw him move on to club soccer in Slovenia, followed by a short stint in the lower tiers of English football with Bolton Wanderers. A point was reached where Mitchell had to decide whether to continue to pursue his professional soccer dream or return to New Zealand, with the prospect of a more secure income from selling real estate proving to be the decisive factor in his decision. 'At a young age, it's a lot of people's dream to make the big time and become a professional player, but I think a lot of the time people don't realize how hard and competitive it can be,' Mitchell told CNN Sports. 'There are thousands of players fighting for just a handful of contracts. So, when you don't end up in the glitz and glamor of elite soccer – where there are no big houses or flashy cars – you can find it very tough, especially if you are away in a foreign country.' Thankfully for Mitchell, playing for Auckland City presents him with the opportunity to continue chasing his soccer dreams, albeit in a different way than many would imagine. As the kickoff to the team's opening group game against six-time Champions Leasgue winner Bayern draws ever closer, the magnitude of the occasion is not lost on the veteran defender, who hopes his squad's exploits can stoke a fresh wave of excitement among New Zealand's sporting public. 'I remember watching the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as a young kid. I have such vivid memories of the excitement when New Zealand got three draws. So it is a huge opportunity to do the same thing at club level and represent our country and region with pride,' Mitchell said. With each of Bayern, two-time European Cup winner Benfica and six-time Copa Libertadores winner Boca Juniors boasting World Cup winners among their ranks, the Navy Blues will truly be pitting themselves against the world's best. For Ilich, the prospect of facing nine-time Bundesliga winner Joshua Kimmich in midfield is one he relishes. 'As a midfielder myself, I've always looked at the way Kimmich plays the game, so to test myself against him will be pretty cool. Jamal Musiala is another who is just an incredible dribbler and creator. Their quality all over the field is insane, to be honest,' he told CNN. Goalkeeper Tracey will line up against the 'revolutionary' Manuel Neuer, a player he credits with modernizing the way the position is played. Despite the reverence he holds towards the Bayern captain, forklift driver Tracey is determined to show the World Cup winner that his Auckland City side have not just traveled to the US to take in the tourist sights. In the defensive line, vice-captain Mitchell can scarcely believe he will be tasked with containing England's record goalscorer Harry Kane, whom he adamantly labels as one of the best strikers of this generation. With names of such stature as opponents, the Auckland City squad is 'under no illusions' as to how difficult its task is, according to skipper Ilich. However, the amateur side heads to the United States with an unwavering belief that anything can happen, no matter how great the odds. 'They are on millions and millions of dollars, and we are just amateurs playing for the love of the game,' Ilich said to CNN Sports. 'But what we have is that we are all mates on and off the pitch and are going to compete so hard for one another. 'If we execute our coach's plan and give it our best shot, who knows what can happen? At the end of the day, it's just 11 players versus 11 players. 'So, we are just going to go there and do what we have always done: dream big.'

Meta Risks Regulatory Scrutiny in Pursuit of Scale AI
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Bloomberg

time2 hours ago

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Welcome to Tech In Depth, our daily newsletter with reporting and analysis about the business of tech from Bloomberg's journalists around the world. Today, Jackie Davalos reports on Big Tech's 'acqui-hire' strategy for artificial intelligence that is drawing scrutiny from regulators. Airbnb's World Cup opportunity: Airbnb is joining with the world's soccer authority, FIFA, to offer celebrity-led activities for soccer fans tied to the FIFA Club World Cup beginning Saturday in the US; the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico; and the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil.

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