Arsenal Football Club gained a prominent position in football history. And that’s because of its success both in the sports and gaming arenas. Through its gaming tournament backing and player community spotlighting, Arsenal demonstrates how the club tots football into every dimension where the sport meets fans worldwide — both physically and digitally.
Let’s dig deeper and explore how Arsenal FC supports both historic football traditions and gaming culture. You will also learn about present-day retired players who enjoy video games with special consideration for FIFA.
Arsenal in Esports — It’s Role Is Growing
Arsenal is always participating in esports and gaming. The most prominent example of this is their participation in eFootball Championship 2025 — the big esports gaming event. In early February 2025, the club played host to its Club Finals event, which was the end of several months of battling Arsenal fans from around the world online.
As it was a mobile and console competition, the competition pitted Arsenal supporters against one another trying to find out who was the best eFootball player.
AN10_Tienes and SABER_AT battled it out in a nail-biting Mobile Finals encounter before the final 1-0 scoreline went in favor of the victors. The win puts AN10_Tienes into rotation at the eFootball Championship World Finals that were due to be held in Tokyo in July 2025.
What an event like this demonstrates to Arsenal fans is the club’s commitment to offer fans new and exciting ways of being involved with the club away from traditional football.
That’s true — Arsenal esports tournaments act as a bridge between the football and budding esports industry, which is built on a game such as FIFA. Arsenal’s own players are certainly avid gamers themselves and are not the only players in London who have a passion for competitive gaming.
Arsenal Players Who Love Playing FIFA: From Current Stars to Club Legends
FIFA is much more than just football simulation; it does not only teach players about football but also takes them through other facets of managing a football team,
including team formation. A certain percentage of Arsenal players indulge in FIFA Ultimate Team, wherein they can build their own team, trade and acquire players as well as FIFA coins to improve their squads. It lets them acquire better footballers, increase their team customization, and play at the supreme level, all of which cements their love for football both on and off the field.
Current Arsenal Players and Their Love for FIFA
Bukayo Saka is among the young talented football players at the Arsenal team. The athlete actively declares his love for FIFA from where he can be seen too many times posting things related to FIFA on his social media. Similar to all other professional sportsmen, he plays soccer to relax and to spend his leisure time with friends and his teammates.
FIFA is another one of Emile Smith Rowe’s favorites. Smith Rowe embodied a rather jovial disposition on social media as an essential man in the middle of the park who occasionally posted updates of his gaming time. In the present period, Smith Rowe treats FIFA as a means of uniting with his teammates and fans in a fun and exciting way.
Former Arsenal Legends and Their FIFA Love
While many current players are fans of FIFA, the game’s appeal isn’t limited to just the younger generation. Several of Arsenal’s legendary figures have been involved in the game too, and even some of them have gone on to share on social media that they are gaming.
Thierry Henry, one of the greatest players in Arsenal’s history, has long been a fan of FIFA. As evidenced by his love for gaming in general, Henry has always stated his love for FIFA specifically. French striker, known for pace and clinical finishing, has been a regular in charity gaming events that see other footballers and celebs pitted against each other for his autograph.
Another Arsenal legend, Robin van Persie has also spoken a lot about FIFA openly. Van Persie, who enjoyed a stellar career with Arsenal before moving to Manchester United, has been seen playing FIFA with friends and sharing his experiences with fans on social media. The love he has even for football in its virtual form shows that footballers are bound to football in ways that football itself tends to die for.
Cesc Fàbregas, though not a current Arsenal player, is another former Gunner who has shown his affinity for FIFA. The Spanish midfielder, who played for Arsenal from 2003 to 2011, has often made no secret of his gaming activities.
Fàbregas is a well-known enthusiastic gamer and FIFA has been a game he would always turn to. It’s no surprise his personality came out in the gaming community, competitive, passionate, and constantly looking at what he can do to make the world of football more fun.
Final Say
As a top football club, Arsenal is promoting football both in the real and virtual world pitch. Esports and gaming also help the club to reach a wider audience, while its players actively contribute by playing various games, not just FIFA, thereby popularizing the entire gaming industry.
For example, Oleksandr Zinchenko has taken his passion for gaming further by founding his own Dota 2 team, demonstrating how footballers can influence esports beyond just playing.
This approach strengthens Arsenal’s global appeal as well as the relationship between fans and the sport, given that young generations, immersed in the digital culture, play an important role in this. This may lead to the unexpected merging of two sports which will further shape how football is watched as well as modify the future of both football and the gaming industry.
