FIFA 22 expected release date and time for all regions

FIFA 22 is set to hit shelves, digital downloads and more on October 1, but that's a pretty vague date. With football being the largest worldwide sport, it can reasonably be expected that there will be a global audience awaiting the release of the game.

FIFA is always a popular game, but this year is poised to be one of the biggest for the popular franchise. With new features, including the highly anticipated HyperMotion, players are anxiously awaiting the first time they can pick up the sticks and hit the virtual pitch. Here's when that will happen in different regions and territories.

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When can players first play FIFA 22?

The official release date for the FIFA 22 is October 1, keeping with the release windows of previous games. However, pre-orders and other stipulations can have players downloading the game early, at these dates:

• Xbox players with a Game Pass subscription can download the game now
• PlayStation players who pre-ordered the Ultimate Edition can download it on September 25
• PlayStation players who pre-ordered the Standard Edition can download it on September 27
• PC users can follow the same dates as PlayStation players

However, after preloading, the game won't go live instantly and will be unplayable until October 1. According to EA, the game will become playable at midnight EST. Here are all the known unlock timings for FIFA 22 across territories.

• USA - 12 am EST
• China - 12 am GMT+8
• India - 12 am IST
• Europe - 12 am GMT+1, GMT+2, GMT+3
• Brazil - 12 am GMT-3
• Australia - 12 am GMT+10

This means that some players will get a slight headstart over others, depending on where their region is. The game will go live for players at midnight in their respective time zones.

FIFA 22 is going to be one of the biggest games of the year. Image via EA

If players haven't pre-ordered or aren't buying digital copies, they'll have to wait until a store is open to buy a copy of the game. Pre-orders are still available, so players can avoid the lines and potential server delays when FIFA 22 goes live.