FIFA 98: Road to World Cup

A Canadian video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts in 1997 for PlayStation, Windows, Sega Saturn, SNES, Nintendo 64, and other platforms, FIFA 98: Road to World Cup is the fifth installment in the FIFA series. It is the first game in the franchise to feature a full World Cup qualification mode, allowing players to guide their national teams through the qualifiers and into the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. The game includes 172 national teams, licensed players, and club teams, as well as multiple game modes such as friendly matches and tournaments. For the first time in the series, an officially licensed soundtrack was introduced, featuring "Song 2" by Blur, alongside improved graphics with detailed player models, dynamic lighting, and smoother animations. The game also introduced the "Golden Goal" rule and a more realistic ball physics system with enhanced tactical options. FIFA 98: Road to World Cup is widely regarded as one of the most iconic entries in the franchise and remains a landmark football simulation of its era.