The five-versus-five play will put five players on each team with six AI teammates. The move is the first step toward having full 11-on-11 online play as a downloadable update to FIFA Soccer 08 or future FIFA installments, according to the announcement.

How likely will full online team play be for further EA sports franchises such as Madden Football? "I guess it comes down to how well this feature is received by consumers," an EA spokesperson told Shacknews. "I know at EA once one of the franchises comes up with a pretty good idea, we share that kind of information with how we do it, and generally the other games will follow."