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eFootball
eFootball remains the top-grossing mobile game in Japan's smartphone market, with a free-to-play model driving global growth, while the standalone single-player entry eFootball Kick-Off! launched on Nintendo Switch 2 in June 2026 to positive reviews.
Synthesized from 10
Yomimono stories · updated
4d ago
eFootball, the free-to-play soccer series reborn from Winning Eleven, has maintained a dominant position in Japan's mobile revenue charts through 2026. Sensor Tower rankings repeatedly place it at #1, including for the weeks of July 2-8 and July 23-29, with the latter driven by the eFootball Festival event. Its lead continued into August, holding the top spot even as competitors like Fate/Grand Order and Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket posted massive anniversary-driven surges. On PC, eFootball also secured the #2 spot on Japan's Steam sales ranking in late July, part of a top three entirely composed of free-to-play titles.
Konami's broader strategy for the series extends beyond mobile. In June 2026, the company released eFootball Kick-Off! for Nintendo Switch 2, a standalone single-player entry priced at 3,850 yen. It marks the first Nintendo console release since the rebranding and the first standalone single-player-focused game in the series. Critics praised its simplicity, removal of gacha and in-app purchases, and affordability, though some noted thin content. The game drew a Metacritic score of 75 from 16 reviews.
Konami's fiscal results for the quarter ending in mid-2026 show record first-quarter net sales, up 33.6% year-on-year. The company credits eFootball's free-to-play model and expansion into emerging markets, including Africa, alongside the World Cup 2026 tailwind, for driving the game to 1 billion cumulative downloads globally. eFootball is also a main title at the National Prefectural eSports Championship 2026 Online, scheduled for December 12 and 13.
Key facts
- Record quarterly net sales
- Net sales up 33.6% year-on-year in the first quarter of fiscal year ending March 2027. ↗
- Global downloads
- eFootball reached 1 billion cumulative downloads globally. ↗
- Japan mobile revenue rank
- eFootball held the #1 spot in Japan's smartphone game revenue ranking for the week of July 30 to August 5, 2026. ↗
- Steam Japan rank
- eFootball ranked #2 on Japan's Steam sales chart as of July 27, 2026. ↗
- eFootball Festival revenue bump
- eFootball's #1 mobile revenue rank for the week of July 23-29, 2026, was tied to an 81% week-over-week increase from the eFootball Festival event. ↗
- Esports tournament inclusion
- eFootball is a main title at the National Prefectural eSports Championship 2026 Online, held December 12 and 13. ↗
- Campaign-driven revenue surge
- eFootball jumped from 5th to #1 in Japan's mobile revenue chart for June 4-10, 2026, with a 76% week-over-week increase driven by a campaign distributing players Takefusa Kubo, Lionel Messi, and Lamine Yamal. ↗
- Switch 2 release and reception
- eFootball Kick-Off! launched June 4, 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2 with a Metacritic score of 75 from 16 reviews. ↗
- Standalone single-player entry
- eFootball Kick-Off! is the first standalone title since the series rebranded from Winning Eleven, and the first Nintendo console release since the rebranding. ↗
Timeline
- Aug 29, 2026 Konami Credits eFootball's Growth to More Than the World Cup Tailwind
- Aug 14, 2026 eFootball Holds Top Spot in Japan's Smartphone Game Revenue Ranking
- Aug 7, 2026 Steam Japan Sales: Free-to-Play Titles Take Top Three Spots
- Aug 6, 2026 eFootball Tops Japan's Weekly Mobile Game Revenue Chart
- Aug 6, 2026 National Prefectural eSports Championship 2026 Goes Online With Three Titles
- Jul 16, 2026 Weekly Japanese Smartphone Game Revenue Ranking: eFootball Tops
- Jun 18, 2026 eFootball Tops Japan's Smartphone Game Revenue Chart for June 4-10, 2026
- Jun 9, 2026 Efootball Kick-Off Draws Praise for Simplicity and Lack of Monetization
- Jun 3, 2026 Konami Launches eFootball Kick-Off! on Switch 2 as a Standalone Single-Player Entry
- May 31, 2026 This Week's New Game Releases Include Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Gothic 1 Remake, And More
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Noted
- retained top revenue spot in Japan's smartphone game market · 2026-08-14
- Noted
- The FIFA World Cup 2026, which began June 11, 2026, fell inside the quarter and drew new and returning players. · 2026-08-29
- Noted
- the game's free-to-play model and its expansion into emerging markets, including Africa, also drove its global reach of 1 billion cumulative downloads · 2026-08-29
- Noted
- ranked second in Steam Japan sales ranking · 2026-08-07
- Noted
- eFootball at #1 in Japan's domestic smartphone game revenue · 2026-08-06
- Noted
- 81% week-over-week increase tied to the eFootball Festival event · 2026-08-06
- Noted
- eFootball at #1 · 2026-07-16
- Noted
- took the #1 spot in Japan's domestic smartphone game revenue ranking for the week of June 4-10, 2026 · 2026-06-18
- Release
- game · 2026-08-29 · 2026-08-29
- Release
- game · December 12 and 13, 2026 · Japan · 2026-08-06
Connections
Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/efootball.
CC BY 4.0.
All coverage
Aug 29
Konami Group reported record first-quarter results for the fiscal year ending March 2027, with net sales up 33.6% year-on-year. The company attributes part of the surge to eFootball, the free-to-play soccer title reborn from the Winning Eleven series. The FIFA World Cup 2026, which began June 11, 2026, fell inside the quarter and drew new and returning players. But the game's free-to-play model and its expansion into emerging markets, including Africa, also drove its global reach of 1 billion cumulative downloads.
Aug 14
Sensor Tower data for July 30 to August 5, 2026, shows eFootball retaining the top revenue spot in Japan's smartphone game market, despite a slight dip. Fate/Grand Order surged to second place with a 422% revenue increase following its 11th anniversary campaign, while Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket saw a 779% revenue jump.
Aug 7
ASCII.jp's weekly Steam sales ranking for Japan, as of July 27, 2026, shows free-to-play games dominating the top three positions for the first time in a while. Valve's Counter-Strike 2 leads, followed by KONAMI's eFootball and EA's Apex Legends. New hololive rhythm RPG HOLOLIVE DREAMS debuts at fourth.
Aug 6
Sensor Tower data for July 23-29, 2026, shows eFootball at #1 in Japan's domestic smartphone game revenue, with an 81% week-over-week increase tied to the eFootball Festival event. Three new titles entered the rankings: hololive Dreams at #2, VAMPIR at #22, and Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation - Chronicles of Echoes at #49.
Aug 6
The Japan eSports Association announced on July 23 that the National Prefectural eSports Championship 2026 Online will be held December 12 and 13. The main titles are eFootball, Gran Turismo 7, and Puzzle & Dragons, with Puyo Puyo eSports as an exhibition match. This 8th edition is a special tournament ahead of a format change and is the first online edition since the pandemic.
Jul 16
The weekly domestic smartphone game revenue ranking for July 2-8, 2026, based on Sensor Tower data, shows eFootball at #1, with Pokémon GO surging to #2 due to its 10th anniversary event and Goddess of Victory: Nikke climbing to #3 after a new version update. The article also introduces the global revenue ranking for April-June 2026.
Jun 18
Konami's eFootball took the #1 spot in Japan's domestic smartphone game revenue ranking for the week of June 4-10, 2026, according to Sensor Tower data. The soccer title jumped from 5th place with a 76% week-over-week revenue increase, driven by a campaign distributing players Takefusa Kubo, Lionel Messi, and Lamine Yamal. Other notable movers include Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel (504% revenue surge), Arknights: Endfield (448%), and Brown Dust 2 (478%), all tied to in-game events or anniversaries.
Jun 9
Konami's eFootball Kick-Off! for Nintendo Switch 2 launched June 4, 2026, to a Metacritic score of 75 from 16 reviews. Critics highlight the removal of gacha elements and in-app purchases, accessible gameplay, and affordable price, though some note thin content.
Jun 3
Konami releases eFootball Kick-Off! on June 4, 2026, for Nintendo Switch 2 at 3,850 yen. The game is the first standalone title since the series rebranded from Winning Eleven to eFootball. It targets beginners with simplified controls, assist functions, and a 5-a-side mode. Single-player modes include World Tour, Rebound Ball, and Football Relay.
May 31
Game Spark published its weekly roundup of new game releases for the week of June 1 to June 6, 2026. The list covers releases across Windows PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2, with separate schedules for Japan and North America. Major titles include Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, launching June 3 on Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2; Gothic 1 Remake, arriving June 6 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S; The 7th Guest Remake, out June 4 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S; and eFootball Kick-Off!, also releasing June 4 on Nintendo Switch 2. Other notable releases include House Flipper Remastered Collection, River City Saga: Journey to the West, TETRIS THE GRAND MASTER 4 -ABSOLUTE EYE-, and multiple smaller indie titles. The roundup also lists several games launching across multiple platforms on the same day, such as the Kunio-kun title River City Saga: Journey to the West and the villain-reincarnation game Villain Reincarnation.