EA's Madden NFL license gets key update as agreement ends next year

EA Sports' NFL license for its Madden series is up for renewal next year and there has been a key update about its potential renewal.

Madden is EA's iconic NFL video game series that has been going strong since 1988 and it's officially licensed by NFL, meaning all the official teams, players, stadiums and more from the league are represented in the game.

The current licensing agreement between EA and NFL is set to expire after the end of the 2026 season but there has been an encouraging update, according to a report from InsiderGaming.

It comes as negotiations between EA and NFL for the exclusive license that the publisher has had for 20 years have continued.

EA's NFL license expires next year at present / Screenshot from EA Sports

EA reportedly said it is "confident" an agreement can be reached for "years to come".

A source told InsiderGaming: "We have things in the works that are two, three, four years away. There's a lot in the pipeline that has been heavily planned with designing well underway. Putting those resources into something that might be ending just wouldn't make financial sense."

One NFL source told the publication: "[NFL is] so closely aligned with the development with the key beats and moments throughout the season. Over the years, that relationship has only gotten stronger."

Despite the encouraging remarks, sources reportedly did not confirm anything has been completely agreed as of yet and none of this has been confirmed by EA or NFL.

For more from indy100, check out our best 100 video games of all time and our recent review of Assassin's Creed Shadows.

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