Copa City is the first football game that's all about managing the crowds and event itself, rather than the on-pitch action

In some ways it's surprising that a football game like Copa City has taken this long to happen. The on-pitch action and the managerial side of the world's most popular sport are already well-served by the EA Sports FC and Football Manager series', but the business and logistical side of the game—especially when it gets to undertakings like the World Cup—has never really had a moment in the sun. Copa City is not a game about playing football; It's a game about making sure football gets played.

The game's subtitle calls it "the first football tycoon", by which I reckon it's trying to channel a little of the love for things like Rollercoaster Tycoon. Because that is really what this game is about, except instead of a theme park scale you're dealing in urban landscapes that are soon going to be overwhelmed by footie-mad punters and world-famous clubs.

As the trailer at the PC Gaming Show Most Wanted shows, Copa City is all about preparing one of three major cities for that massive influx of people and, once they've arrived, making sure they're taken care of, entertained, and stay safe. You're in charge of everything from route-planning to fan zones, with each club's fans having different demands and expectations.

The "elite and diverse selection" of six clubs will probably underwhelm, but they are at least big names, which includes Arsenal FC, FC Bayern Munchen and CR Flamengo. They come along with unique colors, chants, features, and fan behaviors for an authentic atmosphere. But nothing comes easy. You need to ensure both safety and fun for "thousands" of spectators, taking into account the challenges that come with each club, and then the secret sauce is whether you can harness "the emotions that happen during the match" to "make it fun for everyone."

Copa City features a singleplayer campaign, a challenge mode with various scenarios, and a "ranked" mode with one-off events. Developer Triple Espresso says the game will release in 2025, so get ready to swap the pitchside tracksuit for an immaculate suit, and pray Millwall don't get added down the line.

Rich is a games journalist with 15 years' experience, beginning his career on Edge magazine before working for a wide range of outlets, including Ars Technica, Eurogamer, GamesRadar+, Gamespot, the Guardian, IGN, the New Statesman, Polygon, and Vice. He was the editor of Kotaku UK, the UK arm of Kotaku, for three years before joining PC Gamer. He is the author of a Brief History of Video Games, a full history of the medium, which the Midwest Book Review described as "[a] must-read for serious minded game historians and curious video game connoisseurs alike."