Brazilian pro soccer teams return to FIFA 16, but not its career modes

After a strange — and total — absence from FIFA 15, Brazilian professional football returns in FIFA 16, though they league they play in does not.

Sixteen Brazilian sides will be available in the game using their authentic crests and club names, but they will be available for play from the "Rest of the World" team menu, which is where the FIFA series houses its licensed but league-unaffiliated clubs. The teams "will be playable in most game modes," EA Sports said in an announcement yesterday. The career suite is not one of them. Players on these teams will be available in the transfer database if managers wish to acquire them for their clubs in that mode.

The teams included are Atlético-MG, Atlético-PR, Avaí, Coritiba, Chapecoense, Cruzeiro, Figueirense, Fluminense, Grêmio, Internacional, Joinville, Ponte Preta, Palmeiras, Santos, São Paulo, and Vasco da Gama Notably, Corinthians, currently leading Brazil's 20-club top division, are not in the game, along with Flamengo, Sport Recife and Goiás.

A full list of leagues and teams appearing in FIFA 16 will be announced soon, EA Sports said.

No Brazilian pro team featured in last year's FIFA 15, which EA Sports attributed to a change in how players were licensed by Brazil's domestic leagues. Brazil had a league in FIFA 14 (as well as Corinthians). South American teams and leagues have long been part of the competing Pro Evolution Soccer series, which has rights to the continent's Copa Sudamericana club tournament. Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 features all of Brazil's Série A and four teams from its Série B.

FIFA 16 launches Sept. 22 on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. It is the first edition of FIFA to have no presence on any Nintendo platform since 2000.