EA Sports FC publisher Electronic Arts agrees £41 billion buyout deal

Kieran Lynch, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 30/09/2025

Electronic Arts, the creators of games including EA Sports FC, Madden and The Sims, is set to be taken private following a record $55 billion (£41bn) buyout.

It is thought to be the largest leveraged buyout in history with a significant amount of the purchase financed by borrowing money.

The deal will take EA private, meaning all of its public shares will be purchased and no longer be traded on the stock exchange.

Stockholders will receive $210 (£157) per share in cash. The price per share is 25% more than EA’s unaffected stock price of $168.32 (£126.12) on September 25th, 2025.

The consortium will acquire 100 per cent of EA in a deal which has been approved by the company’s board of directors and is expected to go through in the first quarter of 2027.

Andrew Wilson, who will remain as CEO, said: “Looking ahead, we will continue to push the boundaries of entertainment, sports, and technology, unlocking new opportunities.

“Together with our partners, we will create transformative experiences to inspire generations to come. I am more energised than ever about the future we are building.”

Who has acquired Electronic Arts?

Electronic Arts, the developers of EA Sports FC, has been acquired in a buyout by a consortium made up of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), private equity firm Silver Lake and investment firm Affinity Partners.

Saudi Arabia’s PIF already has a big role in the world of sports and esports. They control LIV Golf and Premier League side Newcastle United and also own a stake in Nintendo.

Riyadh has already hosted the Esports World Cup and is planning to host 2027’s planned Olympic Esports Games.

Silver Lake also has had a role in gaming by investing in Unity, the game development engine platform used in titles like League of Legends: Wild Rift.

Affinity Partners is founded by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. It has not previously revealed any partnerships with other gaming or esports companies.

Egon Durban, the co-CEO of Silver Lake said: “The future for EA is bright, we are going to invest heavily to grow the business and we are excited to support Andrew and the EA team as the company accelerates innovation, expands its reach worldwide, and continues to deliver incredible experiences to players and fans across generations.”

What could the buyout mean for EA Sports FC?

The acquisition of Electronic Arts could bring major changes for EA Sports FC in the years to come.

EA FC 26 launched earlier this month and there have been some positive reviews, but also some complaints, including over a career mode glitch when the game launched.

With PIF, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners backing the company, EA is likely to benefit from significant financial resources and global expansion opportunities.

For EA Sports FC, this could mean an increased investment in technology, more immersive gameplay experiences, and the potential for broader integration of esports – given PIF and Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in the gaming scene.

However, being taken private also raises questions whether the game’s development direction might shift under new ownership.

The Financial Times have reported that the new owners bet on artificial intelligence (AI) to cut EA’s costs and ‘manage a large debt load on a company that historically carried limited net debt’.

This is said could boost EA’s profits in the coming years.

EA Sports FC fans will be hoping for more ambitious game updates, global tournaments and deeper licensing opportunities, with EA FC 26 not featuring enough international teams to stage a World Cup. There will likely be scrutiny though over how much influence investors have on the series’ identity.

Kieran Lynch, Senior Editor

Kieran Lynch is an esports journalist who writes about several games including EA Sports FC 25, Call of Duty, Rainbox Six Siege, and more. He previously worked as a sports journalist for MailOnline.

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