What do pro EA Sports FC players earn? Secrets of FIFA & esports content creation revealed

GOAL sat down to chat with EAFC content creator and FIFA commentator Brandon Smith

A whole new vocation has arisen with the growth in esports: the professional gamer. If you're a lover of the EA Sports FIFA series — now known as EA Sports FC — you might even have considered looking into it yourself as a potential career path.

It's a competitive field, no doubt, with millions of people playing these games every year, but there is a healthy cohort of pros out there forging a living out of their efforts.

So, what sort of money is involved for the elite-level gamers who stream daily, open Ultimate Team packs for their subscribers and participate in official competitions? The figures might come as a surprise, especially if you are talented.

«There's such a stigma around gaming and esports players in general,» EA Sports FC content creator and FIFA commentator Brandon Smith told the FootballCo Business Podcast.

«A player probably wakes up at 10am or 11am and I reckon they're probably playing from around midday until the early hours of the [following] morning. Yes, there are breaks in between, but I reckon they are playing for around 12 hours, just grinding, playing other pro players, ripping packs.

Smith continues: „If you're a top level FIFA player, or EAFC pro, you can be looking at a salary of £5,000 a month, £10,000 a month, plus.

“Yes, you are expected to stream, yes, you are expected to activate brand deals when they come in for your team, but, if you're a top level player, you can be looking at a good £10,000-plus a month.

»Some of those contracts can be two years if you're smart, so it's a lot of money and then there is prize money on top of that.

«For example, 'Nicholas99', an Argentinean player, he's been playing since 2018.