Gameplay changes on FIFA 19 include the new "Active Touch System"— an overhaul of player control, "timed finishing"— where the kick button may be pressed a second time to determine the exact moment the ball is actually kicked,[5] "50/50 battles"— a system for determining how likely a player will win loose balls, and "Dynamic Tactics"— which allows players to configure strategies, and switch between them in real-time during a match.

FIFA 19 introduces the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup competitions to the game, after their licenses with Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer expired. The game will have support for promotion and relegation between the Champions League and Europa League.[6] Martin Tyler and Alan Smith return as regular commentators with Derek Rae and Lee Dixon as Champions League commentators. Geoff Shreeves also returns as the touchline reporter as well as Alan McInally providing updates from around the league. New graphics and stadiums have been implemented.[3]

Composer Hans Zimmer and rapper Vince Staples recorded a new remix of the UEFA Champions League anthem specifically for FIFA 19. It can also be heard in the game’s reveal trailer.[4]

The Nintendo Switch port will receive upgrades over FIFA 18. On 9 June 2018, EA Sports uploaded an official reveal trailer on their YouTube channel. Cristiano Ronaldo returned as the global cover star for a second consecutive time. He and Neymar appear on the Champions and Ultimate Edition packs for the game. However, he was taken off of the cover in the middle of February. Now, it just features Neymar as the main cover star. Men’s football stars Kevin De Bruyne and Paulo Dybala also feature, as well as USWNT star Alex Morgan. [3] It reported that it will include 55 national teams with 35 licensed leagues.[6]

It was confirmed that the game would have a licensed Serie A after being called "Calcio A" (due to licensing issues) in FIFA 17 and FIFA 18.[7] The game will include the Chinese Super League, the first FIFA title to do so.[8][9][10] However, it was confirmed that the game will not include the Russian Premier League, as it did in FIFA 18 and previous FIFAs.[11] Russian Premier League teams CSKA Moscow, Spartak Moscow, and Lokomotiv Moscow were kept, while Dinamo Zagreb, Dynamo Kyiv, Slavia Praha, and Viktoria Plzen were added to the game. Boca Juniors appears as Buenos Aires FC in the game since the club signed a deal with Konami[12]; for the same reasons, Colo-Colo appears as CD Viñazur. Once again, due to Konami securing deals with certain Brazilian clubs, the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A is featured in an incomplete form, this time with only 15 clubs, with the notable omissions of São Paulo, Palmeiras, Corinthians, Flamengo and Vasco da Gama, all of which are Konami partners. The remaining Brazilian clubs, while appearing with licensed branding, do not have any of their players licensed due to an ongoing judicial dispute over image rights, which are negotiated individually with each player, unlike other countries.

As with every FIFA game, there are new skills included, with Andrés Iniesta’s signature move, La Croqueta, featuring in FIFA 19.[7] 25 new icons have been added to the Ultimate Team in FIFA 19, including Rivaldo, Roberto Baggio, Johan Cruyff, George Best, Luís Figo, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs, Bobby Moore, Franco Baresi, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Eusébio, Hidetoshi Nakata, Fabio Cannavaro, Michael Ballack, Miroslav Klose, Jens Lehmann, Claude Makelele, and Frank Lampard.[13] New goal celebrations featured include Kylian Mbappé’s ‘Little Brother’, Roberto Firmino’s ‘Matador’, Mohamed Salah performing a sujud, Neymar’s ‘Hang Loose’, while Cristiano Ronaldo and his nearest teammate both perform Ronaldo’s trademark ‘Siii’ jump together.[14]

New stadiums confirmed for FIFA 19 include the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Molineux Stadium, home of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Craven Cottage, home of Fulham, and the Cardiff City Stadium, home of Cardiff City and Wales national football team, ensuring all 20 English Premier League grounds are featured.[15] There will also be 16 new stadiums from the Spanish La Liga, with 3 more from the Spanish Segunda Division.[16] The only absent stadium from La Liga will be the Camp Nou, due to Barcelona's exclusive deal with rival game Pro Evolution Soccer 2019.[17] The only new Major League Soccer stadium featured is the Mercedes-Benz Stadium of Atlanta United, joining LA Galaxy's StubHub Center and Seattle Sounders' CenturyLink Field.[18]

The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, known as FIFA 19: Legacy Edition, do not contain any new gameplay features aside from updated kits and squads.[19]

Downloadable content

On 29 May 2019, EA announced a free update featuring content from the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup tournament. The DLC updates the women's teams already featured on the game and adds the remaining 10 teams that are participating in the tournament. 20 of the teams in the tournament feature licensed kits and players (Italy has unlicensed kits but correct player names, Chile and Brazil have licensed kits but generic player names, South Africa is completely unlicensed). These teams can be played in both Kick Off and International Women's Cup mode, additionally the Kick Off mode features a new scenario in which the player can compete in the final at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais. [20] It is the first time that the FIFA Women's World Cup has been utilised in a video game of some form.

The Journey: Champions

The story-based mode that was introduced in FIFA 17 returns in this installment and continues for the last installment under the title "The Journey: Champions". In this installment, Alex Hunter signs for Real Madrid and tries to become their star player after Cristiano Ronaldo leaves for Italian giants Juventus.[21] As FIFA 19 has the full Champions League licence, Hunter also competes for Champions League glory. Danny Williams returns trying to carve out a name for himself and compete for the Champions League hardware. Alex Hunter's half-sister, Kim Hunter, tries to compete for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. The game mode features guest stars such as Kevin De Bruyne, Neymar Jr, Paulo Dybala, and Alex Morgan.[22] Gareth Walker and Dino, who previously appeared in FIFA 17 and FIFA 18, don't appear in the storyline for unknown reasons, though Walker does send the characters a few abusive tweets during the story. The game also introduces other fictional new characters whose names include Beatriz "Bea" Villanova, who is Alex Hunter's new agent, Danny Williams' estranged brother and Paris Saint-Germain F.C. defender Terry, USWNT coach Marriane de Silva, Real Madrid C.F. coach Bartholomew Cazares, Danny Williams friend Ringo, and Melanie Trembley, a player of the Canada women's national soccer team who serves as Kim Hunter's rival in her story .