Epic Games collaborated with its business partner IMG to bring football clubs from all over the world into Epic’s popular multiplayer game Fortnite and provide a new type of experience for the players.

Player Skins and Official Kits

The partnering agency IMG signed deals with 23 football clubs across 5 continents and 10 professional football leagues to introduce new male and female skins and official kits from the clubs as a purchase option for players in the new Kickoff Set, ahead of its launch January 23.

“Global football is consistently one of the top sports that our players tell us they want to see and experience in Fortnite.”

Nate Nanzer, Head of Global Partnerships, Epic Games

Besides the opportunity to play featuring the official kit of their favorite football team, players would also have access to animated emotional expressions, similar to the famous goal celebration of Brazil’s legend Pele.

“We’re excited to partner with some of the world’s largest football clubs and icons like Pelé to bring ‘the beautiful game’ to Fortnite fans around the world as they face off in competitive tournaments, experience new creative modes of gameplay, and celebrate global football.”

Nate Nanzer, Head of Global Partnerships, Epic Games

The Football Clubs

Targeting Epic Games’ global player database, IMG provided the presence of some of the most popular football teams on a worldwide scale, such as AC Milan, Juventus, AS Roma and Inter Milan from the Italian Serie A, and local rivals Celtic and Rangers from the Scottish Premiership, Borussia Mönchengladbach and FC Schalke 04, as well as VfL Wolfsburg from the German Bundesliga.

The presence of Santos and Esporte Clube Bahia from Campeonato Brasileiro, Cerezo Osaka from the Japanese J1 League, Atlanta United, Los Angeles and Seattle Sounders from the US Major League Soccer, and Melbourne, Sydney and Western Sydney Wanderers from the Australian A-League ensures fans of Fortnite game in South and North America, Japan and Australia also have an official kit to pick.

Manchester City, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers from the English Premier League, Sevilla from the Spanish La Liga, and Sporting CP from Primeira Liga in Portugal completed the set of professional teams which agreed with Epic Games to have their official kits integrated into the game.

“This is a truly international collaboration, tapping into clubs from almost every continent and offering fans the opportunity to express their passion for the beautiful game and their favourite team through the trailblazing world of Fortnite.”

Matthew Primack, Senior Vice-President, Licensing, IMG

Celtic Happy to Partner

Released in 2017, Fortnite started to gain popularity in the UK in 2018, when Epic Games launched the game for users of mobile devices based on iOS. Last year, the video games developer engaged in lawsuits with Google and Apple which both ditched the game from their app stores.

Now the game is phenomenally popular according to Gordon Kaye, head of business development at Celtic FC, one of the clubs integrated into the new Kickoff Set.

“…we know Celtic fans all over the world will be excited to board the Battle Bus and take on their friends in the famous green and white Hoops. We are delighted to partner with Epic Games to bring a bit of Celtic into the world of Fortnite.”

Gordon Kaye, Head of Business Development, Celtic FC

Pele’s air punch emote and the Kickoff Set can also be won for free via the Pele Cup, a tournament which starts January 20, where the top goal scorer will win a customized signed shirt.