Arsenal Confirm Multi-Year Extension With Konami

Arsenal have signed a multi-year extension to their partnership with Konami to remain one of the core clubs in the developer’s eFootball franchise – adding to an already eight-year co-operation.

The renewal of the deal also means Konami retain multiple commercial rights across the club, including promotional access to players and the use of official club branding and imagery in their eFootball gaming series. The value and length of the extension remains under wraps.

Arsenal’s official kits and stadium will remain in the free-to-play game, as the battle for licensing between two big online giants rumbles on. Last season, Konami secured exclusive rights to both Milan clubs, meaning rival EA Sports had to create fictional club names, badges and kits for each, though they could still use the players themselves.

Konami switched to the free-to-play model in 2021 to compete with EA Sports. They formerly produced the Pro Evolution Soccer franchise.

Shinji Namekawa, Konami Digital Entertainment B.V.’s European President, said: “We are proud to be extending our partnership with such an iconic club. Arsenal Football Club represents excellence on and off the pitch, and we are excited to continue this journey together. Our commitment remains to continuously evolve and enhance eFootball, and this continued partnership is a clear indicator of those efforts.”

Juliet Slot, Chief Commercial Officer at Arsenal, said: “We are incredibly proud of our longstanding partnership with Konami, and we’re excited to begin this next chapter of our journey together. The longevity of our partnership reinforces our shared values of innovation and progress, and we’re pleased to ensure Arsenal is a core part of the game for years to come.”