FIFA 18: 9 Things We Already Know

6. The Chinese Super League Isn't In The Game

Former English Premier League Chelsea player Ramires Santos do Nascimento of Brazil, center, shakes hands with Chinese soccer fans on his arrival at Nanjing Lukou International Airport in Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu province. Ramires has signed a
AP/AP

Confirmed as missing from the league lineup during an interview with one FOX outlet in Italy, the cash rich Chinese Super League won't be part of FIFA 18. Lead Gameplay Producer Sam Rivera said that EA did consider the CSL, but in the end decided that it wasn't one of the best leagues in the world and therefore shouldn't be included.

This is a strange decision, because (even though Chinese football threatens to destroy the game by paying huge money for average players) it is home to ex-Premier League stars like Oscar and Ramires. Meanwhile, just how many players use teams from Saudi Arabia or the SSE Airtricity division in Ireland? Playing as another export to China like Hulk is way more appealing than slogging it out with Sligo Rovers, truth be told.

Perhaps EA took this decision to try and shy away from the riches in China. The league's chiefs would probably demand some hefty licensing fees, so there's a chance EA just weren't prepared to pay them. That's all conjecture, but what isn't is that the CSL won't be in FIFA 18.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.