EA has unveiled plans for 10 players to connect online in a single game of footie in FIFA 08 when the game hits the shops next month.

The news means that you'll be able to sack the after-work five-a-side tournaments in the park and play online instead.

The new feature called Be A Pro: Online Team Play will enable 10 people anywhere in the world to connect online to play a single match of FIFA 08 and be available for the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game.

However gamers hoping to get stuck into the action straight away following the game's launch in the UK on the 28 September will be disappointed.

EA has said the new feature won't be available for a further 6 to 8 weeks after the game's launch meaning footie fans will have to wait until the middle of November at the earliest.

“At EA SPORTS our dream is to create a full 11 versus 11 online gameplay experience in which each user will have a set position during the match and train specifically for that position”, said Joe Booth, producer of FIFA 08. “Be A Pro is the first step in this direction, and now, with the ability to deliver five versus five online gameplay as free downloadable content, we are moving even closer towards the realisation of this dream.”