FIFA Rivals brings sports brand Adidas into its universe with in-game content
FIFA Rivals is bringing the sports brand Adidas into its soccer universe with exclusive in-game content. Adidas is entering the world of FIFA Rivals with a series of digital products, features, andin-game content. The multi-year licensing agreement kicks off with the worldwide launch of FIFA Rivals on June 12th, the new officially licensed, arcade-style mobile […]
FIFA Rivals is bringing the sports brand Adidas into its soccer universe with exclusive in-game content.
Adidas is entering the world of FIFA Rivals with a series of digital products, features, and in-game content.
The multi-year licensing agreement kicks off with the worldwide launch of FIFA Rivals on June 12th, the new officially licensed, arcade-style mobile football game from FIFA and Mythical Games, which makes hybrid Web2/Web3 games. In soft launch in just three countries, FIFA Rivals has 150,000 players already.
The Adidas brand and products will be featured across FIFA Rivals, providing players with access to exclusive digital items, including kits, jerseys, and shoe releases inspired by the brand’s rich soccer heritage.
“This is a great partnership for us. They definitely understand gaming well, which is awesome. And they, they’ve jumped in very happy. So we have a multi-year contract with with Adidas, it’s going to be very exciting. I think we’re doing many drops a year with them. There’s a lot of integrations happening. The Adidas gear will actually come into the game,” Mythical CEO John Linden said in an interview with GamesBeat.
“FIFA Rivals is all about celebrating the global passion for football in a fresh and modern way,” said Linden. “Bringing Adidas into this world gives players a deeper cultural connection and the chance to represent one of the most iconic brands in football – on and off the pitch. This collaboration sets a new standard for how brands show up in digital experiences.”
A new era of soccer gaming
FIFA Rivals offers a bold new take on mobile football—combining FIFA authenticity with lightning-fast, arcade-style gameplay. Players can build their dream team from the world’s biggest clubs and stars, compete in real-time PvP, and trade digital player cards on the Mythical Marketplace. As part of this collaboration, fans and FIFA Rivals players can unlock a range of digital items to outfit their teams in true three-stripe style, including: ● Digital Kit Drops featuring classic and future-forward Adidas jersey designs ● Boot Releases tied to real-world player performance and Adidas drops ● A limited-edition match ball designed for FIFA Rivals gameplay ● A fully immersive Adidas Training Facility, where players can level up player cards and complete challenges
The collaboration also includes limited-time in-game events, challenges, and rewards tied to Adidas’ connection to the digital pitch, and includes cover-athlete rights and cross-promotional campaigns.
FIFA Rivals: The future of soccer powered by Mythical
Fifa Rivals and Adidas are teamed up.
Following a successful beta in key markets, FIFA Rivals is launching globally next week on the App Store and Google Play Store. Built for both core football fans and mobile gamers, FIFA Rivals is a high-octane arcade-style game that allows anyone to jump into the action instantly, build their dream squads, compete in real-time PvP matches, and trade player cards—represented as digital collectibles—on the Mythical Marketplace.
Backed by Mythical’s platform and Marketplace, FIFA Rivals gives players full ownership of their in-game assets with the ability to buy, sell, and trade securely with others around the world.
FIFA Rivals is scheduled to launch globally on iOS and Android on June 12.
The backstory
Mythical has had a a hybrid Web2/Web3 NFL Rivals football game out for a while and it has been a success, with seven million downloads to date and 60,000 a day engage with the Web3 marketplace. That’s a small percentage of the overall players, but those players tend to monetize better and keep coming back to trade items in the marketplace. Most players don’t care that it’s a hybrid game, as players cannot purchase victory.
Since NFL Rivals launched, the app stores have loosened up some restrictions in the marketplace. One of the potential problems was that the platforms could have placed a 30% fee on every trade transaction in the Web3 marketplace. But that isn’t the case at the moment with the way Mythical handles “quick trades,” said Linden.
FIFA Rivals has a secondary market.
If you want to trade to get a Cristiano Ronaldo card, it might require you to send a whole package of less famous players to another player. Mythical carries out those trades as a kind of barter, which carries no fee in the app stores. If there are multiple trades that need to happen, then Mythical carries them out. With each trade, Mythical collects a small transaction fee. But the players don’t incur the bigger platform fees.
Adidas can also bring in a lot of its running shoe fans — 400 million of them — into the FIFA Rivals game.
“They are such a big influence in the world of football,” Linden said.
And since players no longer seem to care about the Web3 distinction, Linden said the company is lose to dropping the Web3 terminology from the description of the game.
“It’s just a game with a tradeable economy, and I think everybody’s starting to understand that,” Linden said. “NFL really helped us kick that off the ground. Trading is happening around the world and it is an exciting global secondary market. You’re able to trade seamlessly with each other.”
As for the advances Epic Games has made in getting Fortnite back into the App Store after winning antitrust litigation with Apple in the U.S., Linden said, “I think what Epic is doing is absolutely remarkable for the industry. I think it’s a much needed thing to be done. I don’t think we’re out of the woods yet as an industry, but I do think Epic is making some good progress in terms of what developers can do to engage with their players. And I think that’s awesome.”
As for the ability to create alternative web shops and promote them inside an app, Linden said it is OK to push players toward a secondary market. So the restrictions have loosened on that front. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) still have some restrictions, but the market is opening up.
“It makes it much easier for what we’re doing,” Linden said. A lot of the things we dealt with over the last three or four years from bot a regulatory perspective and also with the App Store perspective, I think that’s all going away now.”
And Linden noted that Adidas has embraced Web3 pretty heavily in the past with sales of collections. But this partnership focuses on Adidas’ interest in gaming and gamers.
With the success of NFL Rivals, Mythical has been able to grow close to 250 people now.
San Giljan Water Polo Club redevelopment gets ERA approval
The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) has approved a revised land reclamation project tied to the redevelopment of the San Giljan Aquatic Sports Club in St Julian’s, MaltaToday reports. The development is set to feature a restaurant with outdoor seating, a lido for sunbeds, a swimming pool, and upgraded club facilities. An […]
The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) has approved a revised land reclamation project tied to the redevelopment of the San Giljan Aquatic Sports Club in St Julian’s, MaltaToday reports.
The development is set to feature a restaurant with outdoor seating, a lido for sunbeds, a swimming pool, and upgraded club facilities. An earlier application was withdrawn after the ERA objected to the destruction of protected seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica) and the project’s heavy visual impact on Balluta Bay.
In the revised plans, the land reclamation footprint was reduced, cutting projected seagrass loss by 80%, the newspaper reports. A redesigned bullnose breakwater will be built on piles instead of caissons, ensuring the seagrass beneath is not entirely buried. However, some shading and scouring impacts are still expected. An updated Environmental Impact Assessment downgraded the ecological impact from “major significant” to “minor-to-moderate significant.”
While the visual impact has been lessened in some viewpoints – particularly from Pjazza Balluta and Xatt is-Sajjieda – it remains moderate-to-major from other vantage points, including Triq George Borg Olivier and Spinola seafront. ERA noted that such visual effects are “unavoidable” in urbanised land reclamation projects.
During July’s board meeting, NGO representative Martin Galea DeGiovanni and member Charmaine Mangion voted against approval, warning that the project still represents substantial development with lasting pressure on fragile marine habitats, MaltaToday reports.
Despite these objections, ERA’s directorate recommended approval, noting improvements in design and mitigation measures. The permit will require independent monitoring of the marine environment, silt curtains to contain dredging, prevention of spillages, and limits on lighting during construction.
The ERA board approved the project, with only two dissenting votes. Chairman Perit Vincent Cassar underlined the importance of strict monitoring of Posidonia throughout the works, which will be funded by the developer.
ERA’s clearance paves the way for the Planning Authority’s final decision.
The San Giljan club, one of Malta’s leading water polo teams and current Premier Division Winter League champions, has long been seeking modernised facilities to match its sporting stature.
The Piedmont High School boys water polo team is looking forward to another successful season despite a change at the top. Longtime coach John Savage is stepping back this year after his child was born in December. Rik Krumins, who has served as an assistant in several previous seasons will take the reins with Savage […]
The Piedmont High School boys water polo team is looking forward to another successful season despite a change at the top. Longtime coach John Savage is stepping back this year after his child was born in December. Rik Krumins, who has served as an assistant in several previous seasons will take the reins with Savage only coming out once or twice per week.
Savage joked that he will be a “consultant” this year.
Krumins is more than familiar with the program. His son Peter was a standout on the North Coast Section Division 2 championship team in 2023. His daughter Esme is a junior on the Piedmont girls team.
“We’re actually really excited about this group,” Rik Krumins said. “We have a few seniors coming back.” Elles Krieckhaus is one of those.
“He has been on varsity for the past four years,” Krumins said. “He’s going to be our key goal scorer. He’ll be playing two-meters and doing a lot of post up on the side as well as leading our counter attack.”
Goalkeeper Luke McAuliffe is a senior entering his third year as a starter. “He has been playing club,” Krumins said. “He gets out of the water pretty high. He’s a very vocal goalie. Controlling the defense, directing where our players are at certain times.”
Luke McAuliffe
Zach Dupree, another senior, will be seeing an increase in playing time. “He’s an up and coming varsity player,” Krumins said. “He’ll be two-meter offense and prob two-meter defense.”
A couple of returning sophomores will also be key players. Krumins called Rylan Patty, “a very aggressive offensive player, he’ll be doing a lot of post up, driving, counter attacking.”
Zach Dupree (2) at the Napa Tournament
Rylan Patty rises out of the water
Krumins said of Henry Stein that he’s a left-hander and “played a lot of minutes last year as a freshman. He really holds down the 4-5 side and the wing.”
Freshman Ben Kappes should make an immediate impact. “He has been playing club for the last three-four years,” Krumins said. “He’ll be coming in with a skill set to contribute to the team on the defensive side and the offensive side.”
Henry Stein looks to pass
Krumins said the team will use a drop defense while splitting the top. The advantage the Highlanders have is rather than just one player to center the offense and counter around, they have several and can push the tempo. Krumins said maturity and growth will need to improve over the course of the season. “Slowing the tempo down and making the right decisions,” he said.
The goals are the same. “Competing for league championships, competing for an NCS title,” Krumins said. “We’re a pretty well-balanced team. We have four, five, six, seven players that can contribute at any one time.”
The team will again play without a home pool as construction continues. Krumins said he has been told completion is about 10 weeks out but isn’t counting on any home matches.
“My goal would be to have an alumni game as the first in the new pool,” he said, targeting November or December.
A new global research study commissioned by IBM shows that fans are changing the way they consume sports, turning to new, more dynamic experiences, including the use of AI, personalization and real-time features. The survey queried more than 20,000 global sports fans across 12 countries, asking them about their habits in consuming sports of all kinds. The […]
A new global research study commissioned by IBM shows that fans are changing the way they consume sports, turning to new, more dynamic experiences, including the use of AI, personalization and real-time features.
The survey queried more than 20,000 global sports fans across 12 countries, asking them about their habits in consuming sports of all kinds. The results showed that those fans increasingly view technology — particularly AI — as a positive force and that they are using it more often. Total AI usage among fans has grown since 2024 across nearly all markets, with 85% of respondents noting that they saw value in integrating the emerging technology into their sports experience. In addition, 63 percent expressed some level of trust in AI-generated sports content, noting that real-time game/match updates (35%) and personalized content (30%) were their top priorities for AI-enhanced engagement.
The survey also asked fans how often they attend in-person events, with 73% around the world saying that they attend at least one event per year.
When it comes to the digital experience of consuming sports, over half (51%) of the fans surveyed turn to video highlights, with 37% enjoying post-event recaps and 32 percent staying connected to their sport by consuming player interviews. Dedicated mobile sports apps are also important to sports fans: Nearly 75% use them to stay updated.
Social media also remains the leading platform for accessing additional content, with influencers play a prominent role: 59% of fans surveyed engage with influencers for analysis and predictions.
Habits May Shift Again
The survey also shows that fans’ consumption of sports is not only changing now, but will likely continue to change in the future. Only 27% of surveyed fans expect those habits to stay the same over the next two years, with 80% saying technology – specifically AI— will have the greatest influence on how they follow sports by 2027.
More than half (56%) of surveyed fans want AI-powered insights and commentary for past, current and future sporting events. And advances in tech may open up new avenues for future fans in countries where they don’t speak the language. One-third of responders said real-time translation technology will have the most significant impact on their international sports experience in the next 2-3 years — particularly in markets where English is not the dominant language.
“The sports media landscape is more complex than ever, and fans are comfortable consuming digital content around the clock,” said Kameryn Stanhouse, IBM’s vice president, sports and entertainment partnerships. “With fans signaling their readiness to embrace AI, we will continue working with our tournament, league and media partners to meet fans where they are, whether they’re watching the action in person or enhancing their second-screen experience.” To access the full report, click here.
How Amarillo College reunited a group of Hereford volleyball alums
The Hereford athletic program has produced a handful of talented college volleyball players in recent years. Former Herd star and current West Texas A&M standout Taytum Stow has received numerous conference and national awards while competing for the Lady Buffs. Before Stow, Meagan Ellis starred for HHS, continuing her career at Southern Nazarene University in […]
The Hereford athletic program has produced a handful of talented college volleyball players in recent years.
Former Herd star and current West Texas A&M standout Taytum Stow has received numerous conference and national awards while competing for the Lady Buffs.
Before Stow, Meagan Ellis starred for HHS, continuing her career at Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma, where she also earned all-conference recognition.
Now, the next pair of Hereford products are looking to leave their mark at the collegiate level as they begin their freshman seasons at Amarillo College. London Baker and Jynae Fletcher, two first-year players for the Badgers, enter the program after strong careers in Deaf Smith County.
While the NJCAA may be a step up in competition for the Hereford products, their relationship with a member of AC’s coaching staff has helped ease the local talents into their next chapter.
More: Former Vega standout preparing for freshman season with Amarillo College volleyball
More: Led by local stars, Amarillo College volleyball returns for program’s fourth season
More: Texas Panhandle Super Team: Amarillo area’s top high school volleyball players from 2024
Hereford reunion at AC
Baker and Fletcher’s familiarity with the coaching staff at Amarillo College is part of what brought the duo to head coach Scott Sandel.
The aforementioned Ellis, a Hereford graduate, is an assistant coach for the Badgers’ volleyball team, and has known Baker for years. As a middle school student, Baker served as Hereford’s ball girl while Ellis was starring on the team, initially building a relationship between the two.
“I have known London since I was a freshman in high school, so 2013,” Ellis said. “She was one of my ball girls because I played with her older sister, who’s a year older than me. So London has been in the gym, running around, constantly touching a ball. Her job was supposed to be shagging balls, but we could always just never get her off of the wall setting and passing and always just trying to pepper with one of the other volleyball girls.”
“I think that I have been able to see her come out of her shell a little bit more as she’s gotten older, and I think that she’ll only excel. I think she’s a great gal. She’s so much fun to be around, and so I think once we start getting her more comfortable, then she’ll do great things.”
Like Baker and Ellis, Ellis has known Sandel since she was around 11-years-old. Ellis’ mother was an assistant for the Amarillo College head coach when he was coaching club volleyball, and Sandel began giving Ellis lessons.
Ellis’ relationship with Sandel brought her to Amarillo College after finishing her career at SNU, and Baker’s connection with Ellis helped land the Texas Panhandle Super Team honoree on the Badgers’ roster.
The relationship between Ellis and Baker has also helped the 5-foot-9 setter work on one of her primary goals since arriving on campus.
Mastering a new skill
Like any freshman starting their first season of college athletics, Baker knows there are a few areas she needs to improve on the court.
With Amarillo College, though, Baker is more focused on growing as a vocal leader and communicator.
“My goals are to just grow as a person, not only as a player, but as a person,” Baker said. “ I feel like I’ve spoken more, been more of a leader. I love talking and getting to know all the girls individually. I used to be very soft spoken.”
Ellis has also noticed Baker’s efforts to be vocal on and off the court, saying that being around the team more often has been good for the HHS product.
Sandel also had high praise for Baker, highlighting her ability to connect with her teammates and her efforts to be a good teammate.
“I love London,” Sandel said. “She’s awesome. One of London’s biggest strengths is, everybody just loves her. She’s just a great person, so, for her, that’s always going be her thing. Her teammates are going to give her everything they have, because they just love her.”
“So for her, coming out (of her shell) a little more, being a little more directive, that’s a process that she needs to learn. That’s a process we need, because they’re going to play hard for her. So the more she learns and demands out of them, they’ll come with her, that’s a plus.”
After earning TGCA All-State and District 4-4A Co-Offensive MVP recognition as a senior, Baker appears poised for a strong collegiate career with the Badgers.
A longtime coach is making his return to competition this fall at Fenwick High School. Kyle Perry, who coached boys water polo from 2012 to 2023, has taken over the Friars’ boys golf team, replacing another longtime coach, Jerry Kribs. “I am excited to be [varsity] head coach,” said Perry, who served as the head […]
A longtime coach is making his return to competition this fall at Fenwick High School. Kyle Perry, who coached boys water polo from 2012 to 2023, has taken over the Friars’ boys golf team, replacing another longtime coach, Jerry Kribs.
“I am excited to be [varsity] head coach,” said Perry, who served as the head coach of the junior varsity team and was Kribs’ varsity assistant the last three seasons. “Having worked with Coach Kribs over the past few seasons, he has left me with a great group of gentlemen. These guys love to play golf and love to grind out results.”
Fenwick returns seven golfers from last season: seniors Ryan Brennan, Johnny Cox, Aidan Haefner, Conor Hanley, Michael McMahon, and Luke Sherlock; and junior Alex Kulisek. Newcomers are freshman Marco Cefalu; juniors Clayton Dine, Danny O’Donoghue, James Papp, and Jay Raber; and senior Lee Sheahan.
