November 5 – EA Sports debuted its FC Pro Open Qualifiers at DreamHack Atlanta this weekend, and with it, a clear vision of where the next generation of football gaming is heading.
For Monica Dinsmore, head of esports at EA, the mission is simple but ambitious: keep competition open, authentic and evolving. The “couch to champion” concept – allowing players to climb from casual gaming at home to competing on the world stage – sits at the heart of that philosophy.
“We’re a couch to champion game,” Dinsmore told Insideworldfootball on Sunday. “We try to give as many opportunities for people to come in and compete. With this Open Qualifier at an event like DreamHack, we’re positioned perfectly to reach more people.”
Accessibility is a key part of the new model, which has been introduced since EA ended its long-term licensing of the FIFA brand in 2022, and renaming the game to EA FC. Registration for FC Pro now happens entirely within the game itself – a subtle but powerful change that lowers the barrier for entry.
“If you think you’re good enough to compete, you don’t have to go anywhere else to register,” said Dinsmore. “By removing that barrier, we’re enticing more people to give it a go.”
The results speak for themselves. New faces continue to break through, with underdogs regularly upsetting established names – something Dinsmore believes keeps the ecosystem healthy.
“Yes, you do see a lot of the same pros in our circuit, but that doesn’t make it stale. Last year’s world champion just got knocked out by a newbie. The guys at the very top are incredible – but it’s great to have both.”
Beyond competition, Dinsmore is also focused on representation. FC Pro remains a male-dominated space, but EA’s decision to include female players in Ultimate Team for the first time in FC24 has been a major step forward.
“Some esports have seen great success with female leads,” she said. “We try to make sure we have authentic programmes, and adding female players into the game was a big moment. I think it’s planted the seed to expand opportunity for female competitors. As a woman myself, I’d love to see more female players in the FC Pro ecosystem.”
That inclusion is already having an impact, not just on participation but on visibility.
“You can see our pros choosing female players in-game to help them win,” Dinsmore added. “It’s giving those players even more exposure, this time on the esports stage.”
With qualification to the FC Pro Open on the line, which serves as the gateway to the FC Pro World Championships – where players can compete for up to $1 million in prize money – 64 top players were whittled down to 16 to compile the Open’s final roster.
Despite the star-studded, money-heavy climax set to unfold, the essence of FC Pro Open remains grounded in the same philosophy that makes football universal – anyone, anywhere, can play.
“That’s the key,” Dinsmore concludes. “The open is really open. We want to reach as many players as possible and encourage that competition. Because at the end of the day, that’s what this is all about – giving everyone the chance to go from their couch to becoming a champion.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]