A practical guide to FIFA 22’s ongoing content removal, detailing what’s changed, what remains, and how it affects your gameplay
The Incomplete Purge: Understanding FIFA 22’s Ongoing Content Removal
EA SPORTS has moved to remove Russia content from FIFA 22 Ultimate Team and offline modes, though they’ve not fully finished the job yet.
EA SPORTS has made a stand to remove content related to Russia from FIFA 22, though players have noticed the developers have not completed the job fully yet.
On March 2, just days after Russian military forces invaded Ukraine, Electronic Arts made a statement confirming that Russia would be taken out of its sports video games. Both FIFA 22 and NHL 22 were impacted by the action, as the dev studios behind both series “initiated processes” to take out selected items. The publisher also stopped sales of FIFA and Apex Legends in the territory soon after. Five days later, an alert appeared in Ultimate Team stating that player items from Russian clubs, kit items, and related stadiums, as well as its national team, would be erased. However, it appears that there’s still some way to go before it’s all gone.
EA SPORTSThis was the alert EA used to show players what was being deleted from FIFA 22.
EA SPORTS holds an agreement for the licensing of the UEFA Champions League, meaning that the European competitions ran by the footballing body appear in their games. This includes not just official logos and theme songs but also mirrors the sponsorships fans see when watching matches across Europe, in-game.
The Gazprom Anomaly: Why Advertising Boards Persist
One of those is, of course, the Russia-based gas industry company Gazprom. UEFA ended its official partnership with the Russian majority state-owned multinational energy corporation on February 28, following the country’s military action against Ukraine. While Russian teams and stadiums are now unusable in FIFA 22, it appears that developers haven’t yet got round to sponsorships, as Gazprom still features on electronic advertising boards.
EA SPORTSGazprom boards still appear in UEFA Champions League matches, played in Career Mode. Following some testing, it appears the boards only appear in Career Mode and have been removed from Kick-Off. Other sponsors include Pepsi Max, Hotels.com, and UEFA Foundation.
Practical Impact on Gameplay and Strategy
This partial removal creates several practical considerations for FIFA 22 players. First, squad building in Ultimate Team has been permanently altered—Russian players removed from packs cannot be replaced, affecting certain hybrid squad possibilities. Second, the visual disconnect in Career Mode, where Gazprom boards appear despite real-world sanctions, breaks immersion for realism-focused players.
Advanced players should note that removed content sometimes creates market opportunities. Cards that were common before removal may become collector’s items, though EA typically prevents market manipulation by making removed items untradeable. For Career Mode enthusiasts, the persistent advertising represents a minor visual glitch rather than gameplay impact, but it does highlight how live service games struggle with comprehensive content updates.
Common mistake: Some players assume all Russian content is gone and are surprised when facing Russian-named created players in Pro Clubs or seeing Gazprom in Career Mode. Always verify current game state through official channels rather than assuming completion.
The Road Ahead: What to Expect from Future Updates
In their previous statement, EA said: “EA SPORTS stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and like so many voices across the world of football, calls for peace and an end to the invasion of Ukraine.” The message included a reference to “actively evaluating related changes to other areas” of their games, meaning it’s likely only a matter of time before Gazprom’s promotional material is ripped down.
Based on EA’s update patterns, expect the remaining Russian content to disappear in one of two ways: either through a dedicated content patch (less likely for FIFA 22 as focus shifts to newer titles) or as part of a larger game update fixing multiple issues. The timing depends on development resources, with NHL 22 receiving similar attention. Players monitoring patch notes should look for mentions of “sponsorship updates” or “licensing changes” rather than explicit geopolitical references.
Optimization tip: If Gazprom advertising bothers you during Career Mode matches, temporarily switch to a different competition like the Premier League or La Liga where UEFA sponsorship boards don’t appear. Alternatively, use camera settings that minimize board visibility during gameplay.
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » FIFA 22 removes Russia clubs and items, but EA forgot something A practical guide to FIFA 22's ongoing content removal, detailing what's changed, what remains, and how it affects your gameplay