FIFA 2001 was the first FIFA game in the series to support online multiplayer.
The feature was associated particularly with the PC version, allowing players to compete over the internet rather than only against local opponents or computer-controlled teams. This marked an important change as online console and PC gaming became more common around the turn of the millennium.
FIFA 2001 was released in 2000 despite its title referring to the 2001 football season. That naming pattern was common in the series: the year in a FIFA title often indicated the upcoming season rather than the calendar year of release.
Online functionality should not be confused with later FIFA features such as FIFA Ultimate Team, online seasons, or cross-play. Those systems arrived much later and expanded the structure of online competition.