In Brief
- On July 3, 2026, EA Sports officially announced the new name of the FC Pro World Championship Trophy: “Diogo Jota FC Pro World Championship Trophy.”
- The announcement comes on the one-year anniversary of the death of Diogo Jota, former Liverpool player and Portugal national team member, who died in a car accident with his brother André Silva.
- The trophy is to be awarded on July 26, 2026, during the final held in France.
- EA Sports highlights the player’s connection to video games and esports, notably recalling his victory at the ePremier League Invitational in 2020.
- This decision establishes a lasting tribute within the FC Pro competition, at the heart of the competitive EA Sports FC ecosystem.
On July 3, 2026, EA Sports announced that the FC Pro World Championship Trophy would officially change its name to become the “Diogo Jota FC Pro World Championship Trophy.” The choice reflects a clear intention: to anchor a permanent tribute to a player whose relationship with video games and esports went beyond mere leisure passion. In the world of EA Sports FC, where competition serves as much as a sporting showcase as a community gathering, symbolism matters. Renaming a trophy is inscribing a name into the annual story of the circuit, on stage, before professional players, partner clubs, and the public.
The timing of the announcement is no coincidence. It comes exactly one year after the passing of Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident with his brother André Silva. By placing his name at the peak of the FC Pro season, EA Sports explicitly links football and esports in a commemorative gesture that will touch every future world champion. The trophy presentation is expected on July 26, 2026, in France, during the final. A date already identified as a major moment in the competitive calendar, set to gain additional significance.
The FC Pro World Championship Trophy: what changes with the name “Diogo Jota”
The change concerns a central element of the circuit: the trophy crowning the EA Sports FC competitive season. From now on, the full title announced by the publisher is “Diogo Jota FC Pro World Championship Trophy.” Practically speaking, the stakes go beyond the engraved plaque. This name will appear in official overlays, broadcasts, marketing materials, and, above all, in the historical record of the competition’s winners.
This type of decision is rare in esports, where trophies more easily change design than identity. Here, EA Sports signals that the tribute must be lasting, since it affects the most symbolic object of the world championship. The message is clear for players: lifting this trophy also means carrying a name loaded with meaning for part of the football and video game community.
A dated announcement, an already established ceremony: the schedule of the final in France
Two dates structure this sequence. July 3, 2026 corresponds to the official announcement of the new name by EA Sports. The presentation, meanwhile, is announced for July 26, 2026, during the final event organized in France. At this stage, concrete landmarks give weight to the initiative: a renamed trophy truly exists only when it is presented on stage and handed to the winner.
Linking the announcement to a final deadline strengthens its impact on the audience. In an esports competition, symbols travel at the speed of clips, photos, and stream excerpts. A trophy named “Diogo Jota” will become a fixed point of these images, season after season.
Diogo Jota, football and video games: the reasons behind EA Sports’ tribute
The tribute is based on a fact emphasized in the stories around the announcement: Diogo Jota was not only a recognized football player, but also a competitor and a face associated with EA Sports FC (and previously FIFA) on the video game side. This proximity long served as a bridge between traditional football fans and the esports scene, a link the publisher has maintained for years through official tournaments and events with professional players.
A particular element is often mentioned: Diogo Jota won the ePremier League Invitational in 2020, an event tournament linked to the Premier League. In an industry where many athletes show interest in gaming, having won an identified competition provides a concrete marker. For EA Sports, it is also a straightforward argument: the name on the trophy refers to a real competition history, not a superficial partnership.
A figure at the crossroads of esports and modern football
High-level football has progressively normalized video gaming among players, to the point of making it a public expression platform: streams, challenges among teammates, and charity tournaments have multiplied over the years. Diogo Jota was among those for whom controller-in-hand performance was a reality, not just a show.
For a world championship like FC Pro, this bridge is strategic. It helps establish esports within an already massive football culture, with its rites, rivalries, and taste for records. Naming the trophy after Diogo Jota is a reminder that this world also has its stories and landmarks, beyond the seasons and patches of the game.
What this renamed trophy says about EA Sports’ strategy for FC Pro and esports
FC Pro is not just a competition circuit: it is a continuous promotion device for EA Sports FC, designed to fuel the video game’s visibility throughout the year. In this context, renaming the trophy in homage to Diogo Jota reflects an identity strategy. A world championship needs stable symbols to be remembered, and a trophy bearing a proper name creates an immediate landmark for fans.
This decision can also be read as a way to strengthen the “sport” dimension of esports. Football relies on institutionalized tributes (stands, honors, moments of silence, awards). By importing this type of gesture into FC Pro, EA Sports brings its competition closer to the codes of real football, which facilitates the adhesion of a broader audience than the competitive scene alone.
In practice, the impact will be visible from the final: commentators’ announcements, stage visuals, club and player communications. In the medium term, the trophy’s name will be imprinted in archives, recap videos, and shared records, establishing a lasting tribute, mechanically repeated every season.
Factual landmarks: dates, official name, presentation, and context
| Element | Measurable / Verifiable Data |
|---|---|
| Official name of the trophy | Diogo Jota FC Pro World Championship Trophy |
| Announcement date by EA Sports | July 3, 2026 |
| Announced presentation date | July 26, 2026 |
| Competition concerned | FC Pro World Championship (EA Sports FC) |
| Esport landmark associated with Diogo Jota | Winner of the ePremier League Invitational (2020) |
On the reaction front, the initiative is also a test: esports increasingly accepts the sports world’s commemorative markers but expects coherence and respect for the figures highlighted in return. Here, coherence is direct, as it relies on a public link between Diogo Jota, the competition, and video gaming.
Privacy, cookies and news dissemination: why this message appears on many sites
When reading this announcement online, a practical detail often recurs: consent banners related to cookies and data. On many services, the logic is similar: cookies are used to deliver and maintain services, measure audience, detect failures, and fight spam, fraud, and abuse. Accepting certain options can also enable additional uses, such as content and advertising personalization or measuring the effectiveness of ads.
These settings influence the reading experience more than it seems. A reader refusing non-essential options generally sees less personalized content and ads, more related to the context of the page consulted and general location. Platforms also refer to dedicated management tools, such as g.co/privacytools for Google services, to finely adjust preferences.
To follow a heavily commented and widely shared esports news, these settings matter: they condition the recommendation of articles, videos, or automatic summaries offered during navigation. It is a useful reminder at a time when FC Pro, like any competition, is widely consumed via platforms and their distribution rules.
What do people say?
Renaming the FC Pro World Championship Trophy as “Diogo Jota FC Pro World Championship Trophy” is a strong decision because it anchors a tribute in the most visible object of the competition. The choice of July 3, 2026, the anniversary date, reinforces the symbolic scope without diluting the message. The presentation announced on July 26, 2026, in France will provide a first concrete measure of the impact when the trophy’s image circulates everywhere. For EA Sports, the operation is also a storytelling gain: it brings esports closer to football’s codes, with a lasting and immediately understandable landmark.
What is the new name of the FC Pro World Championship Trophy?
The trophy is now called the “Diogo Jota FC Pro World Championship Trophy.” EA Sports officially announced this designation on July 3, 2026. The name will be used in communications, broadcasts, and the historical records associated with the FC Pro competition.
When will the renamed trophy be presented for the first time?
The presentation of the trophy under this new name is announced for July 26, 2026. This date corresponds to the final event of the season, held in France, when the winner of the FC Pro World Championship is to lift it on stage.
Why does EA Sports associate this tribute with Diogo Jota?
EA Sports highlights Diogo Jota’s public connection to video gaming and esports, beyond his football career. A commonly cited reference is his victory at the ePremier League Invitational in 2020, which provides a concrete basis for the idea of a tribute linked to the competition.
Why is this type of renaming important for an esports scene like FC Pro?
A trophy is a central symbol: it appears in victory images, archives, and season summaries. Giving it a proper name establishes a stable and memorable landmark. In FC Pro, this also serves to strengthen the bridge between football and esports for the general public.