The first FIFA video game was released by EA Sports on 15th July 1993, and since then it has become the most popular and successful soccer video game ever. While in most countries FIFA's popularity followed the popularity of soccer itself, in the US it seems interest in the video game preceded - and may have even boosted - the popularity of the sport.

With his colleague Adam Green, today's guest Andrei Markovits has explored the growth of soccer’s cultural presence in the United States over the past 10–12 years, arguing that one of many factors in soccer’s surge in popularity in the United States has been the FIFA video game series. The game's creator, EA Sports, has actively targeted the US market, using popular American celebrities in its campaigns as well as featuring American soccer stars on the cover of the game itself. 

• How does FIFA's influence in the US compare with football culture in Japan, where cartoon's led to a boom in soccer's popularity?


• How much did the US Men's National Team's absence from the 2018 World Cup affect enthusiasm for the sport in the country?


• Do e-sports pose a threat to physical sport?

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Each week, Ash, Chris and Norman explore societal issues through the lens of the beautiful game.

From the ethics of gambling sponsorship to what a stadium move means for fans, we’ll be covering it all each week with expert guests from the worlds of sports journalism and sociology.