The soccer game GOALS has been in development for almost five years and is set to officially launch in 2026. However, the title is going offline for now to prepare for the open beta phase in spring.
According to an official statement from the developers, GOALS will be suspended “for a few months” in order to return better than ever. With “new features” and a “more well-rounded experience,” the soccer game is then scheduled to enter the open beta phase in March.
Until then, only a “limited group of insiders” will be able to continue playing GOALS. However, this group is set to grow: The creators want to involve even more “insiders” in optimizing the title. The big goal is a full release right on schedule.
This is because version 1.0 is scheduled to be released before the World Cup in the summer of 2026 in order to capitalize on the global soccer hype. Whether this plan can be implemented as planned will depend on the success or failure of the open beta.
The summer of truth is approaching
GOALS has not been shy with its big ambitions in recent years: it aims to be the “ultimate soccer game experience.” “Everyone’s Game,” “Gameplay First,” and “eSport-ready” were the buzzwords that characterized the announcements.
The title is intended to improve on what EA SPORTS had botched in the past with the FIFA and FC games, from the developers’ point of view. Fittingly, Kurt Fennech is involved in the project. The Maltese was formerly known as the chief critic of the FIFA series.
However, the makers of GOALS still have to prove that they actually understand what fans of virtual soccer want. In the summer, it will become clear whether they can keep their many promises.
