FIFA
Image: Damien McFerran / Time Extension

As hard as it may be to comprehend, the era of FIFA is now over. Back in 2022, EA and the footballing body decided against continuing their business partnership, and instead, the video game series is now known as EA Sports FC, with EA Sports FC 24 being the inaugural entry.

It's quite a shock to see this annual football series without the FIFA name on the box – after all, with 325 million copies sold as of 2021, this is one of the most successful franchises in the world of interactive entertainment, and effortlessly the most popular sports series in video game history.

From 1993 to 2022, some of the most famous footballers in the history of the sport graced FIFA's covers, and below, you'll find the internet's most exhaustive list. You might assume that FIFA has only used a handful of cover stars per release, but, as you can see from the images below, some entries have multiple cover stars, with EA choosing to give individual regions or countries their own unique overly design.

If you spot any mistakes or omissions, please let us know by posting a comment. Oh, and don't forget to click on each image to enlarge it and get a better look!

1990s

FIFA International Soccer

FIFA
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • David Platt & Piotr Świerczewski (United Kingdom / International)
  • Alexi Lalas (North America)
  • Ruud Gullit, Unknown, Pat Bonner & Paul McGrath (North America, Japanese)
  • Lothar Matthäus (German Version)
  • Some hands (Japanese Version, Super Famicom)

FIFA Soccer 95

FIFA 95
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Eric Thorstvedt (European)
  • Alexi Lalas (North America)

FIFA Soccer 96

FIFA 96
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Jason McAteer & Frank de Boer (Europe)
  • Andy Legg & Ioan Sabau (North America & Japan)

FIFA 97

FIFA 97
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • David Ginola (Europe)
  • Bebeto (Americas, Asia)

FIFA 64

FIFA 64
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Jordi Cruyff (North America)
  • Bebeto (Europe)

FIFA Road To World Cup 98

FIFA Road to World Cup 98
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • David Beckham (United Kingdom)
  • Roy Lassiter (North America)
  • Paolo Maldini (Italy)
  • Andreas Möller (Germany)
  • David Ginola (France)
  • Raúl (Spain)
  • 'Flame' design, taken from the Japanese national team shirt (Japan, N64)

FIFA World Cup 98

FIFA World Cup 98
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • FIFA World Cup Trophy (All versions)

FIFA 99

FIFA 99
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Dennis Bergkamp
  • Fabien Barthez
  • Olaf Thon
  • Christian Vieri
  • Rui Costa
  • Fernando Morientes
  • Hidetoshi Nakata (Japanese Edition)

2000s

FIFA 2000

FIFA 2000
Image: EA / Time Extension

  • Sol Campbell
  • Dovani Roso
  • Pep Guardiola
  • Emmanuel Petit
  • Vincenzo Montella
  • Jaap Stam
  • Vasilios Tsiartas
  • Eddie Pope
  • Simão Sabrosa
  • Hidetoshi Nakata (Japanese Edition)

FIFA 2001

FIFA 2001
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Paul Scholes
  • Thierry Henry
  • Gaizka Mendieta
  • Filippo Inzaghi
  • Lothar Matthäus
  • C.J. Brown
  • Ricardo Sá Pinto
  • Hidetoshi Nakata (Japanese Edition)

FIFA Football 2002

FIFA 2002
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Thierry Henry
  • Tomasz Radzinski
  • Ruud Van Nistelrooy
  • Iker Casillas
  • Gerald Asamoah
  • Roberto Carlos
  • Francesco Totti
  • Nuno Gomes
  • Zlatan Ibrahimović
  • Labros Houtos
  • Hidetoshi Nakata (Japanese Edition)

2002 FIFA World Cup

2002 FIFA World Cup
Image: EA / Time Extension

FIFA Football 2003

FIFA 2003
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Roberto Carlos
  • Ryan Giggs
  • Edgar Davids
  • Landon Donovan
  • Hidetoshi Nakata

FIFA Football 2004

FIFA 2004
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Alessandro Del Piero
  • Thierry Henry
  • Ronaldinho

FIFA Football 2005

FIFA 2005
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Patrick Vieira
  • Fernando Morientes
  • Andriy Shevchenko
  • Oswaldo Sánchez
  • Freddy Adu

2006 FIFA World Cup

FIFA 2005
Image: EA / Time Extension

FIFA 06

FIFA 06
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Wayne Rooney
  • Ronaldinho
  • Freddy Adu (North American Edition)
  • Omar Bravo (North American Edition)
  • Lukas Podolski (German Edition)
  • Park Chu-Young (South Korean Edition)

FIFA 07

FIFA 07
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Wayne Rooney
  • Ronaldinho
  • Landon Donovan
  • Francisco "Kikin" Fonseca
  • Lukas Podolski
  • David Villa
  • Juninho Pernambucano

FIFA 08

FIFA 08
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Wayne Rooney
  • Ronaldinho
  • Sergio Ramos
  • Miroslav Klose
  • Andreas Ivanschitz
  • Tranquillo Barnetta
  • Florent Malouda
  • Franck Ribéry

FIFA 09

FIFA 09
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Wayne Rooney
  • Ronaldinho
  • Kevin Kurányi
  • Daniele De Rossi
  • Richard Dunne
  • Petr Čech
  • Franck Ribéry
  • Karim Benzema
  • Balázs Dzsudzsák
  • Ricardo Quaresma
  • Gonzalo Higuaín
  • Tranquillo Barnetta
  • Guillermo Ochoa
  • Maurice Edu

2010s

2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

FIFA 10 World Cup
Image: EA / Time Extension

FIFA 10

FIFA 10
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Wayne Rooney
  • Theo Walcott
  • Frank Lampard
  • Tim Cahill
  • Bastian Schweinsteiger
  • Ronaldinho
  • Giorgio Chiellini
  • Steve Mandanda
  • Karim Benzema
  • Guillaume Hoarau
  • Xavi
  • Robert Lewandowski
  • Simão
  • Balázs Dzsudzsák
  • Cuauhtémoc Blanco
  • Sacha Kljestan
  • Fernando Torres

FIFA 11

FIFA 11
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Wayne Rooney
  • Kaka
  • Landon Donovan
  • Carlos Vela
  • Tim Cahill
  • Mesut Özil
  • Giorgio Chiellini

FIFA 12

FIFA 12
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Wayne Rooney
  • Jack Wilshere
  • Kaka
  • Philippe Mexès
  • Karim Benzema
  • Giampaolo Pazzini
  • Gerard Piqué
  • Xabi Alonso
  • Mats Hummels
  • Tim Cahill
  • Valentin Stocker
  • Vasili Berezutski
  • Balázs Dzsudzsák

FIFA 13

FIFA 13
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Leonel Messi (Global Edition)
  • Leonel Messi, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain & Joe Hart (United Kingdom Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Claudio Marchisio (Italian Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Karim Benzema (French Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Roberto Soldado (Spanish Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Tim Cahill (Australian Edition)

FIFA 14

FIFA 14
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Leonel Messi (Global Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Gareth Bale (United Kingdom & Middle East)
  • Leonel Messi & Robert Lewandowski (Polish Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Tim Cahill (Australian Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Xherdan Shaqiri (Swiss Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Balázs Dzsudzsák (Hugarian Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Stephan El Shaarawy (Italian Edition)
  • Leonel Messi, Maya Yoshida & Makoto Hasebe (Japanese Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Michal Kadlec (Czech Republic Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Arturo Vidal (Central / South American Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Javier Chicharito Hernandez (North American Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & David Alaba (Austrian Edition)

2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

FIFA World Cup Brazil
Image: EA / Time Extension

FIFA 15

FIFA 15
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Leonel Messi (Global Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Eden Hazard (UK, Belgium, France and Netherlands Ultimate Team Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Yahya Al-Shehri (Saudi Arabian Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Arda Turan (Turkish Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & David Alaba (Austrian Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Michal Kadlec (Czech Republic Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Robert Lewandowski (Polish Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Atsuto Uchida (Japanese Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Arturo Vidal (South American Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Xherdan Shaqiri (Swiss Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Gonzalo Higuain (Italian Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Javier Chicharito Hernandez (Mexican Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Tim Cahill (Australia and New Zealand Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Clint Dempsey (North America - note the non-Xbox kit on the PS4 cover)

FIFA 16

FIFA 16
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Leonel Messi (Global Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Jordan Henderson (United Kingdom Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Arda Turan (Turkish Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Mauro Icardi (Italian Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Yann Sommer (Swiss Edition)
  • Leonel Messi, Tim Cahill & Steph Catley (Australian Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Yasser Al-Shahrani (Saudi Arabian Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Oscar (Brazilian Edition)
  • Leonel Messi, Andy Boyle & Ciaran O’Connor (Republic of Ireland Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & David Alaba (Austrian Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Arek Milik (Polish Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Antoine Griezmann (French Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Christine Sinclair (Canadian Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Alex Morgan (United States Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Juan Cuadrado (Latin America Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Marco Fabián (Mexican Edition)
  • Leonel Messi & Shinji Kagawa (Japanese Edition)

FIFA 17

FIFA 17 Cover Vote
Image: EA

Marco Reus, Eden Hazard, James Rodríguez and Anthony Martial were announced as the official ambassadors of FIFA 17. After a global cover vote conducted by EA Sports, Reus was selected to be the cover star.

FIFA 17
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Marco Reus (Standard Edition, Worldwide)
  • Tomoaki Makino (Japanese Edition)

FIFA 18

FIFA 18
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Cristiano Ronaldo (All Editions)

FIFA 19

FIFA 19
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid / Juventus, Standard Edition)
  • Neymar, Kevin De Bruyne & Paulo Dybala (Updated Standard Edition)
  • Cristiano Ronaldo & Neymar (Champions Edition)

2020s

FIFA 20

FIFA 20
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Eden Hazard (Standard Edition)
  • Virgil van Dijk (Champions Edition)
  • Zinedine Zidane (Ultimate Edition)

FIFA 21

FIFA 21
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Kylian Mbappé

FIFA 22

FIFA 22
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Kylian Mbappé

FIFA 23

FIFA 23
Image: EA / Time Extension
  • Kylian Mbappé
  • Sam Kerr