FIFA has been around for decades and is still one of the most played games in the world. Millions of players play it every year, not just for the updated teams and graphics, but also because the charm of football never fades.
When FIFA 21 arrived, one of the biggest questions on players’ minds was whether the game supports cross-platform play. By 2020, many popular games like Fortnite and Call of Duty were already allowing friends to connect on consoles and PC, so fans were justified in expecting the same from FIFA.
So, does FIFA 21 let you play with your friends on different platforms like PlayStation, Xbox, PC or Switch? Let’s understand everything step-by-step and clear the confusion.
What is FIFA 21?
The FIFA series began in 1993 and has since become the favorite soccer game of millions of players. Each new release adds new content, updated players, and new features—and FIFA 21 is no different.
Developed by EA Vancouver and EA Romania, FIFA 21 is a soccer simulation game that launched in October 2020. Just like the real sport, the game focuses on competition, team-building, and strategy.
FIFA 21 offers several modes of play. The two most popular ones are:
Career Mode – In this mode, you take charge of a soccer club. You handle transfers, training, and matches, trying to get your team to the top. It’s as if you were managing your own version of the World Cup or a league season.
Ultimate Team (FUT) – Here, you create a dream team by collecting player cards. The specialty here is that you can include real stars like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo in your team. Some cards can be earned, while others must be purchased.
Both modes give players a reason to come back again and again, whether it’s the long journey of Career Mode or the competitive thrill of Ultimate Team.
FIFA 21 Released Date?
FIFA 21 was officially launched worldwide on October 9, 2020, and early access was available to EA Play subscribers a few days earlier. The game was developed by EA Vancouver and EA Romania and published by Electronic Arts.
At launch, FIFA 21 was available on:
- PC (Windows)
- PlayStation 4
- Xbox One
- Nintendo Switch (Legacy Edition)
Later, enhanced versions were also released for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, featuring improved graphics and faster loading times taking advantage of the new hardware.
Upon release, FIFA 21 received a Metacritic critic score of 72, while user scores were much lower, around 1.0/10. Players’ main complaints were about the recycled gameplay in Ultimate Team and the heavy reliance on microtransactions.
So, while FIFA 21 was still popular amongst football fans, it didn’t receive as warm a reception from the wider gaming community.
What Platforms Support FIFA 21?
FIFA 21 could be played on almost every major console of its time plus PC. But here’s the catch: no matter which device you played on, you were restricted to that platform only.
This meant:
- PC players could only play with other PC users.
- PlayStation players could only match with other PlayStation users.
- Xbox players were locked into the Xbox ecosystem.
- Nintendo Switch players were limited to their own version (which was a “Legacy Edition” with far fewer features).
So while FIFA 21 was available on nearly every platform, it did not support cross-platform play.
Is FIFA 21 Cross-Platform?
Let’s clear up the confusion across different platform combinations:
PC and Xbox One
No, FIFA 21 does not support cross-platform between PC and Xbox One. Both platforms run on separate servers, so you can’t play together.
PC and PlayStation 4/5
Again, no. PC and PlayStation players cannot connect in FIFA 21. This restriction applies to both PS4 and PS5.
PC and Nintendo Switch
No cross-play is available between PC and Nintendo Switch. On top of that, the Switch version was a stripped-down Legacy Edition, meaning it didn’t even include all the features of the other platforms.
PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
This was the most requested feature, but FIFA 21 still didn’t allow PS4 and Xbox players to play together. The reason was mainly technical — Sony and Microsoft used different server infrastructures, and EA did not bridge the gap for FIFA 21.
PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5
No true cross-play. However, EA offered a “Dual Entitlement” upgrade, which meant if you owned FIFA 21 on PS4, you could upgrade to the PS5 version for free. The same applied to Xbox One and Series X/S. But this was not real cross-play — it was just a way to transfer your copy across generations.
Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Just like PlayStation, no cross-play. You could upgrade your version through Dual Entitlement, but Xbox One players could not compete online with Series X/S players.
Why Was FIFA 21 Not Cross-Platform?
There were several reasons EA never added cross-play to FIFA 21:
- Server Separation – PlayStation, Xbox, and PC all ran on different servers. Combining them required major infrastructure changes.
- Licensing and Ecosystem Restrictions – Sony and Microsoft had their own rules about connecting with rival platforms.
- Focus on Monetization – Ultimate Team was the main revenue driver. EA may have felt no strong financial incentive to merge the player bases.
- Future Planning – EA likely chose to hold cross-play back until a future release, which eventually arrived with FIFA 23.
Does FIFA 21 Support Cross-Progression?
No. FIFA 21 does not support cross-progression. This means if you played on PC, you couldn’t transfer your progress to PlayStation or Xbox. Even within the same family (PS4 → PS5 or Xbox One → Series X/S), your FUT progress and items didn’t fully carry over — only your copy of the game could be upgraded.
How FIFA Changed After FIFA 21
If you’re curious about newer FIFA titles:
- FIFA 22 – No cross-play at launch, though EA tested limited cross-play later between PlayStation and Xbox Series X/S.
- FIFA 23 – The first FIFA to introduce full cross-play between PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, and PC.
- EA Sports FC 24 – Continued full cross-play across next-gen consoles and PC, making it standard for the franchise moving forward.
So while FIFA 21 never had cross-platform play, its successors finally embraced it.
Quick Comparison: FIFA 21 Cross-Platform Support
| Platform Combination | Cross-Play Supported? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PC – Xbox One | ❌ No | Separate servers |
| PC – PS4/PS5 | ❌ No | Different ecosystems |
| PC – Nintendo Switch | ❌ No | Switch was Legacy Edition |
| PS4 – Xbox One | ❌ No | Sony & Microsoft servers didn’t connect |
| PS4 – PS5 | ❌ No (upgrade only) | Dual Entitlement, not true cross-play |
| Xbox One – Series X/S | ❌ No (upgrade only) | Dual Entitlement, not true cross-play |
FAQs
No, EA has stopped updating FIFA 21. Cross-play was only introduced later in FIFA 23.
Not directly. The only option was to upgrade your game via Dual Entitlement, but PS4 and PS5 players could not compete online together.
FIFA 23. It supported cross-play between PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, and PC.
No, your saved progress could not move between platforms.
Final Words
FIFA 21 was available on almost every major gaming platform, but it never included cross-platform or cross-progression support. Each system had its own separate player base, which frustrated many fans at the time.
The good news is that EA finally listened to them. Both FIFA 23 and EA Sports FC 24 introduced cross-play, allowing PlayStation, Xbox, and PC players to compete together.
So, FIFA 21 will always be a part of football gaming history, but if you want cross-platform action today, you’ll have to turn to newer games.
