FIFA 22 reveal preview: Mbappe returns as cover athlete

Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe will once again grace the cover of EA Sports FIFA. EA announced the upcoming reveal for FIFA 22, confirming Mbappe, who was also the cover star for last year’s FIFA 21, will once again have the honor this year as well.

The 22-year-old footballer appeared in 31 games for Paris Saint-Germain last season, scoring 27 goals as PSG finished second in Ligue 1. However, Mbappe failed to score a goal in the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament as France was eliminated in the Round of 16.

There’s no denying Mbappe is a worldwide star, but to have him on the cover for consecutive years has drawn some criticism — especially with players like Harry Kane, Neymar and Raheem Sterling as potential cover candidates.

As for FIFA 22, the game will formally be revealed on Sunday, July 11. EA has only released a very brief teaser, but did promise a “game-changing” reveal.

FIFA 21 received pedestrian reviews. It honestly felt more like a transition game as it released in that awkward time around the launch of next-gen consoles. It was a fine game, correcting a few flaws and offering some improvements under the hood, but there was nothing substantial that set it apart from previous installments.

With FIFA 22 presumably being built for next-gen, we can only hope that it will harness the power of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S and introduce some major improvements. And I’m not just talking about more sweat. Fans want to see less focus on Ultimate Team and more attention on improving some of the game’s other modes, like Career Mode.

For what it’s worth, it seems EA has at least listened on the football side of things. The developer has made a conscientious effort to improve the long-forgotten Franchise mode and has spent a great deal of time touting its improvements. Hopefully, FIFA 22‘s other modes get the same attention and love.

Tune in to the FIFA 22 reveal on July 11 at 11:30 a.m. We’ll likely get another more in-depth at EA Play Live later this month. A release date has not yet been announced, but a late-September/early October launch for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S (and probably PC, PS4 and Xbox One) seems likely.