The FIFA Cover Star Curse: A Growing Concern for EA Sports FC 26
Football fans are beginning to express concern that the so-called FIFA cover star curse is making a comeback. This time, it's not just one player but both of EA Sports FC 26’s cover stars who are currently sidelined due to injuries. The situation has sparked discussions among gamers and football enthusiasts alike, as it raises questions about the timing and implications of selecting these players for the game’s cover.
The cover stars for EA Sports FC 26 were officially announced this week, along with initial details and gameplay footage for the upcoming title. Jude Bellingham, the England and Real Madrid midfielder, continues his role as the main cover star, having also appeared on the cover of EA Sports FC 25. He is joined by Jamal Musiala, his former teammate at Bayern Munich. However, the timing of their selection has proven unfortunate, as both players are currently unable to play football in real life.
Bellingham suffered a shoulder injury in November 2023, which required surgery. Despite his efforts to continue playing, he recently underwent the operation, and it is expected that he will be out of action for approximately four months. This means he will not be available for the release of EA Sports FC 26 on September 26, nor will he be ready for the start of the 2025-2026 season. His absence adds an extra layer of irony, given that the announcement of his injury coincided with the unveiling of the game’s cover.
Musiala’s situation is equally troubling. He sustained a broken leg and a dislocated ankle during the Club World Cup earlier this month while playing for Bayern Munich against Paris St-Germain. After undergoing surgery, he is now expected to miss a significant portion of the season. Like Bellingham, Musiala is unlikely to return to the pitch until November 2025 at the earliest.
This situation has led some fans to speculate that the FIFA cover star curse is once again in effect. While the term “curse” might sound like a myth, there have been several instances where players featured on FIFA covers have faced misfortunes. These include injuries, poor performances, or unexpected setbacks. Although not every year has seen such occurrences, enough examples have been documented to warrant inclusion on Wikipedia’s list of sports-related curses.
For instance, Kylian Mbappé, the star of FIFA 21, went on to score no goals during the UEFA European Championship in 2021. However, it’s important to note that many of these incidents are coincidental rather than supernatural. That said, the timing of Bellingham’s injury and the selection of both players for the cover of EA Sports FC 26 has raised eyebrows.
EA Sports could have anticipated Bellingham’s need for surgery, as his injury occurred in late 2023. Despite this, the company still chose to feature him on the cover of last year’s game. It remains to be seen whether this pattern will affect the sales of EA Sports FC 26, though the marketing impact is certainly notable.
In contrast, Zlatan Ibrahimović, a Swedish football legend who retired in 2023, appears on the cover of the Ultimate Edition of EA Sports FC 26. So far, no similar issues have arisen for him, and fans are hoping he remains injury-free in the coming months.
Beyond the FIFA series, fans of the Madden NFL games also have their own superstitions. They believe that any player appearing on the cover of a Madden NFL game is destined to suffer an injury. In a 2007 interview with Kotaku, Chris Erb, then vice president of brand marketing at EA Sports, acknowledged these beliefs but noted that they did not deter players from seeking to appear on the cover.
“Players don’t think it’s a jinx,” Erb explained. “They know better than anyone how easy it is to get injured or to have a bad season.”
As EA Sports FC 26 prepares for its release, the situation surrounding its cover stars highlights the unpredictable nature of professional football. Whether the so-called curse is real or just a coincidence, it serves as a reminder of the challenges athletes face both on and off the field.