July 19, 2022, 11:59 am | Read time: 2 minutes
The cover for FIFA 23 has finally been revealed–and for the first time, it features a female soccer player!
Traditionally, EA unveils the new cover of the next FIFA game in the summer. For the 2023 edition, there’s a surprise. Alongside Kylian Mbappé, striker Samantha “Sam” Kerr is also featured.
Sam Kerr on the Cover of FIFA 23
While Mbappé is appearing on the cover for the third consecutive time, it’s Kerr’s first. She is also the first woman ever to receive this prominent spot from FIFA. Although there was a cover version in 2016 with Christine Sinclair, Alex Morgan, and Stephanie Catley, it was only available in the U.S.
The Australian Kerr is currently a striker for Chelsea FC. With the London club, she became champion in the 2019/20 season, which was cut short due to COVID-19. In the 2020/21 Champions League final, the strong team was defeated by FC Barcelona. Additionally, Kerr is the all-time leading scorer for the Australian national team with 54 goals (as of July 2022), across both genders.
In addition to the joint cover of Kerr and Mbappé on the FIFA 23 Ultimate Edition, there are also individual covers for both exceptional athletes.
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Further Plans for Football Manager
Since 2021, there have been plans to give women’s soccer a platform in Football Manager. Although no separate version is planned, the women’s league teams are to be integrated into the existing version.
Currently, there is no foundation for the necessary databases and animations. Consequently, the costs for this project are likely to be high. Director Miles Jacobson says: “We believe in equality for all and want to be part of the solution. We want to be part of the process of equalizing women’s and men’s soccer.”
In FIFA 22, 17 women’s national teams were already represented. With Sam Kerr on the cover, developer EA likely aims to integrate even more teams.