USA Soccer Among Women's Teams Included In EA Sports' 'FIFA 16' (Video)

EA Sports and the United States women’s national soccer team are advancing for gender equality in the digital realm.

The U.S. and 11 other women’s national teams will be included in “FIFA 16”, the next installment of the smash-hit video game series, The Associated Press reported Thursday. U.S. national team stars Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach, Sydney Leroux and other heroines of the women’s game will feature in the game, which will come out in September.

EA Sports released a “FIFA 16” trailer this week.

“When I started playing soccer, I never thought that I’d be on the national team, let alone to be asked and have the opportunity to be in a video game,” Abby Wambach told The AP. “I think that for me what this shows is not only is the game making progress, but in the bigger picture, women are covering ground and they are making strides in terms of equality. That’s so massive.”

Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain and Sweden also will be in the game.

Gamers won’t be able to pit the women’s teams against the mens,’ but EA Sports is using motion capture and mobile head-scanning technology to ensure the women’s games have a similar look and feel to those involving their male counterparts.

“I think it’s important for people to understand the women’s version is not going to be a dumbed-down version, it’s going to be legit and the way we play,” Wambach said. “That’s what I’m most excited about.”

The news will boost women’s soccer ahead of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada. The tournament kicks off June 6, and Team USA begins play June 8.