FROM FIFA TO THE FANS: ICONS SHIRT BROUGHT TO LIFE FOR FIRST TIME

Gaming and football fans can buy the official FIFA 22 Ultimate Team (FUT) ICONs shirts for the first time as Sports Direct become the only high street retailer to stock the legendary home and away strips.

Designed with EA SPORTS as exact replicas of the in-game kits, both home (white) and away (black) shirts feature the striking gold colourway inspired by the iconic status of the legends who once graced the field. Fans will now be able to don the same shirts as those worn by over 100 existing FUT ICONs, including the latest additions to FUT 22: Wayne Rooney, Cafu, Iker Casillas and Robin van Persie.

Sports Direct will also connect virtual and real footballing worlds by giving fans the ability to personalise the ICONs shirts with their console gamertag (Xbox, PlayStation or PC) for the first time. Available at its Oxford Street Flagship Store, the personalisation innovation will add additional characters to the MY ID service so football lovers can play with their online gaming name on the back of the shirts.

Hashtag United founder and Sports Direct Ambassador, Spencer Owen, said: “I love it when the worlds of gaming and “real life” sports collide. It’s amazing that so many icons of football are in FIFA and the fact that I can now wear a FUT ICON shirt from the game in real life, with my own name on it, is very cool!”

Beckie Stanion, Chief Marketing Officer Sports Direct, added: “We take pride in being the number one destination for football – whether that’s in the virtual or real world. Being the first high street retailer to stock the ICONs shirts is just the beginning of an exciting partnership with EA SPORTS, so watch this space for more products and in-store experiences that blur the lines between the real and virtual world for our customers.”

James Salmon, Marketing Director, EA SPORTS FIFA Brand, said: “EA SPORTS’ ambition is to embed FIFA in the fabric of football, and our partnership with Sports Direct is another step towards this. FUT ICONs are a celebration of the greatest to ever play the game and have been a much-loved addition to the EA SPORTS FIFA series since they were first introduced in FIFA 16. We’re delighted to be partnering with Sports Direct to retail the FUT ICONs shirts for the first time and are excited to offer fans the opportunity to wear the same kit as these legends.”

As part of its Game Recognises Game platform, Sports Direct is the only sporting goods retailer to sell the EA SPORTS FIFA 22 video game and ICONs shirt. The retailer seeks to blur the lines between the virtual and the real world, enabling fans to elevate their gameplay and inspiring them to unleash their inner legend on the pitch.