If you hadn't already heard, EA's exclusive partnership with AC Milan is over after just two years.
Fresh off the back of the news, Konami has now revealed that they have agreed to a multi-year partnership with AC Milan, stealing the Italian giants from their rivals!
Inter Milan remains in an exclusive partnership with EA and will remain absent from eFootball, but for how much longer?
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We've known that European giants AC Milan will be returning to eFootball in the 2023 game for a little while now, but the official Twitter account has just confirmed it.
You can watch the AC Milan promo video released by Konami via the official eFootball Twitter page above.
EA's exclusive deal with the Italian club has come to an end, allowing Konami to take ownership of the club and player rights, meaning we will see real AC Milan players in the next release!
Multi-year partnership
It's official, AC Milan is the latest Serie A club to strike a deal with Konami!
The official announcement reads as follows:
Konami Digital Entertainment B.V. today revealed they have formed a multi-year partnership with Italian club AC Milan which will incorporate a range of elements into the eFootball™ title.
With EA's exclusive partnership with AC Milan ending this summer, Konami's new partnership will come into effect on Friday, 1 July 2022.
There is nothing to say that the new partnership is exclusive, so for now AC Milan will remain in EA's FIFA franchise as we know it.
License to kit
Unsurprisingly, the new deal will allow for a set of rights including AC Milan’s stadium, the San Siro, playing squad including full 3D facial scans, and fully licensed kits including Home, Away, Third, and Goalkeeper.
As part of the partnership, Konami becomes the first-ever ‘Official Training Wear Partner’ in AC Milan’s history.
The training kit of the men’s team will feature the eFootball logo on the front and will be released in the next few months alongside further details of the partnership.
With the eFootball Version 1.0.0 update coming soon, we can't wait to see the famous red and black stripes in the game.
"One of the biggest in Europe"
It is not just fans of the game who will be excited by the news, as Konami Digital Entertainment B.V.’s European President Naoki Morita shows.
“KONAMI are very excited to be working with AC Milan once again.
"Becoming a Principal Partner of one of the biggest football clubs in Europe and also putting our brand on their training kits is an incredible opportunity.
"We are looking forward to working with the Club and creating an innovative partnership together.”
"Excited about the potential"
It is not just Konami who see the benefit of this deal, with AC Milan also set to join a growing list of Italian clubs thriving in partnership with eFootball.
Casper Stylsvig, AC Milan’s Chief Revenue Officer, said: "We are thrilled to welcome KONAMI, back into the AC Milan family as one of our Principal Partners and our very first Training Wear Partner for the men’s team.
"We are very excited about the potential that this partnership offers us both as a Club and a brand to break new ground together. "