FIFA/UT Faces PEGI Shift
PEGI plans to raise the age rating to 16 for games that include loot boxes — a change that will directly affect FIFA/EA Sports FC Ultimate Team access and pack marketing for EA Sports FC 27 across Europe [].
PEGI announced on March 12, 2026 that games containing paid random items will receive a minimum PEGI 16 rating starting in June 2026. gamesindustry.biz If EA keeps Ultimate Team’s paid card packs in EA Sports FC 27, that series — currently rated PEGI 3 for core releases — would face a reclassification to at least PEGI 16 because of its paid-random-items mechanic. videogameschronicle.com Regulators have already used gambling law in Europe against loot boxes: Belgium’s Gaming Commission declared certain loot boxes illegal in 2018, and a Dutch court has authorised fines of up to €500,000 per week over FIFA Ultimate Team packs. gamedeveloper.com PEGI says the changes target four new “interactive risk” categories and apply to newly submitted games from June 2026, a move PEGI director Dirk Bosmans called “probably the most significant update” to its system — a change that will affect store listings, age-gating and marketing in PEGI countries. gaminghq.eu
