Konami's 10-year partnership with the UEFA Champions League will come to a close this year.

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Club football's most prestigious cup has been a part of Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer However, following the Champions League final in Kyiv this May, Konami will no longer hold exclusive rights to feature the competition in-game.Based on the UEFA statement , it's unclear if the decision stems from UEFA, Konami, or is a mutual choice.PES has traditionally struggled to hold onto exclusive licenses, while franchise rival FIFA has snapped up the majority of football's major leagues and tournaments. The Champions League has been one of Konami's main licensing advantages over EA over the years.Konami's Senior Brand Director Jonas Lygaard spoke of the "unique experiences" made available by the partnership and how Konami will now "shift focus into other areas"."We will continue to explore alternative ways UEFA and Konami can continue to work together, as our relationship remains strong."UEFA's Marketing Director Guy-Laurent Epstein thanked Konami for its support during the "mutually beneficial partnership" and expressed interest in continued work with the publisher regarding "UEFA national team football".For our thoughts on the latest entry in the series check out IGN's review of Pro Evolution Soccer 2018.

Jordan Oloman is a Freelance Writer for IGN and a supporter of uh... 'Tyneside'. Follow him on Twitter.