EA Sports is set to become the new sponsor of La Liga from the 2023/24 season, replacing Santander as the league’s naming partner. The division within Electronic Arts responsible for sports titles will determine how the Spanish competition is branded in a format that has not yet been finalized.
La Liga still carried a valid contract with Santander, but officials from both sides announced in July that their sponsorship agreement would be dissolved at the end of the upcoming season, a development first reported by El Periódico de España this week.
At the helm of the la Liga organization, Javier Tebas explained that the league is undergoing a reassessment of its commercial strategy. He added that the offer on the table from the Santander group, led by Ana Botín, was already eclipsed by what the market could deliver in a modern sponsorship landscape.
For the immediate season, no changes will be visible. The top division will retain the name La Liga Santander, while the second tier will continue to be known as La Liga SmartBank.
nearly doubling the investment
Multiple sources indicate that EA Sports, which already maintains sponsorships beyond La Liga, is preparing a deal that would approximate a figure near 20 million euros per year. The shift comes as Santander’s status as nominal sponsor is rolled back, a transition that would free up significant resources for the league’s broader commercial ambitions.
EA Sports, the creator behind the legendary FIFA franchise and the owner of the Formula One video game line, is expected to sponsor both the first and second divisions. The commitment would also extend to related ventures such as La Liga Promises and the e-sports ecosystem tied to the league’s programming and events.
According to Marca, the unnamed agreement could span five seasons, extending from the 2023/24 season through the 2027/28 season, once official confirmation is in hand.
The move arrives at a pivotal moment for EA Sports after the brand decided to separate from FIFA, shifting its football titles to be published under the EA Sports FC banner beginning in 2024. While the brand transition is underway, the company continues to invest in high-visibility partnerships that align with its global gaming audience across North America and Europe. The La Liga deal would place EA Sports front and center in a major European league as interest in soccer video games continues to surge among fans and casual players alike.