EA Sports FC 26 overhauls the annual football sim’s gameplay experience via a suite of community-led updates. So, without further ado let’s get right to it: here’re 15 things you need to know before you buy FC 26.
Two New Gameplay Presets
FC 26 separates gameplay into two new presets: Competitive and Authentic, each based on how and where players take to the pitch. Competitive gameplay tunes towards high player control and responsiveness, with a focus on online modes such as Clubs and Ultimate Team. Authentic gameplay presents the action in higher realism, with a truer-to-life match tempo designed for offline play and Career Mode. EA Sports believe these two modes align the experience more closely with player expectations.
Refined Gameplay Fundamentals
For this year’s iteration, EA Sports adopted a simple ethos: ‘make gameplay better.’ They’ve absorbed a wealth of community feedback and addressed long-standing concerns. As a result, core gameplay fundamentals have been reworked and updated, from dribbling, passing, and shooting, to tackling and goalkeeper reliability. Physicality and match tempo have also been refined, with EA confident these updates will fix issues that’ve hindered earlier titles.
Dribbling Reworks
Dribbling sees the most comprehensive overhaul in FC 26, improving agility and responsiveness both on and off the ball. Dynamic Dribbling provides better control and increased consistency alongside re-tuned Touch Intervals, adjusted Foot Preference logic, and refreshed animations, including faster jog dribbles and sharper turns Animation consistency in relation to player height balances performance between short and tall players. Altogether, these reworks bring new levels of authenticity and fluidity to one of football’s core skills.
Re-evaluated Movement
Responding to community feedback that players feel too sluggish and heavy, FC 26 introduces explosive acceleration and razor-sharp turns, with running animations reworked to appear more natural. The fastest players now feel appropriately quick, with attacker-defender speed differentials improved to achieve more realistic balance. Acceleration types have been reduced to three, allowing for more predictable patterns of play.
Smarter Goalkeepers
A bugbear for FC’s community is the feeblemindedness of the game’s goalkeepers, with complaints ranging from poor positioning and shot deflecting, to unrealistic animations. In response, EA Sports are drumming up a suite of improvements to make goalkeepers more reliable. Changes include improved deflection control and shot stopping ability, which incorporates the ability to better read shot trajectory. Positioning now utilises machine-learning AI, enabling goalkeepers to intelligently position themselves in the box and between the posts.
New PlayStyles
Fixing reports of FC 25’s PlayStyles being unbalanced, EA Sports FC 26 adds, consolidates, and reworks existing PlayStyles whilst introducing a suite of new ones. These additions include the ability to dominate aerial battles with Aerial Fortress, deliver headers with pin-point accuracy with Precision Header, specialise in creative play via the Inventive PlayStyle, become a physical force with Enforcer, or become a player known for extravagant finishes via Game Changer. The latter exemplifies FC 26’s consolidation of pre-existing PlayStyles in that it retools the capability of the former Flair PlayStyle.
More Community-Led New Features
Leading with feedback-inspired accessibility features, FC 26 aims to set a new standard on accessibility in annual sports titles. Working with the Accessibility Design Council, EA have developed a High Contrast mode which enhances the visual separation between players, pitch, and events, making the action clearer for visually impaired gamers. Options within High Contrast mode include pitch saturation sliders, customisable colours for home and away kits, referees, and the ball, plus player and stadium shadow toggles, and improved subtitles. High Contrast mode will be available in PvP play.
New Player Roles
Four new Player Roles are being introduced in FC 26 to provide opportunities to customise tactical approaches beyond regular formations. These new Player Roles include Ball-Playing Keeper, Wide Back, Inverted Wingback, and Box Crasher. The new Roles join the existing roles, and on the whole the system has become more flexible meaning, for example, attacking players can express themselves with more freedom to join in other areas of play. Accompanying Roles is Versatile, a brand new Focus, which encompasses just-mentioned freedom into a Focus which can be added to Fullback, Classic 10, Winger, Poacher, and Advanced Forward roles. Furthermore, ten new Focuses for existing Roles are incoming, each seemingly with versatility in mind, from freeroaming wingbacks, to ball-winning box-to-box midfielders and false 9s who’ll run into the box from deep.
Redefined Manager Career
In response to demand for more variety, different, or unique challenges in Career Mode, FC 26 is introducing the Manager Live Career experience, a dynamic hub with evolving challenges and scenarios that’ll change on a weekly and monthly basis throughout the season. Some of these challenges will align with real-world events, from tense Champions League knockout tournaments to navigating the chaos of transfer deadline day.
New Archetypes
Aiming to deliver a more meaningful progression system in FC 26 are Player Archetypes. Inspired by thirteen real-life icons of the sport, players will be able to unlock, develop, and progress their Player Career unlike any previous football sim. The Archetypes are intended to offer a more personalised and strategic form of player development, encouraging progression which mirrors an individual’s style.
Signature Perks
EA Sports FC 26’s Signature Perks are new abilities which are tied to player Archetypes and their unique Specialisations. With Specialisations being unique to specific Archetypes, players already have potential to hone in on their areas of expertise, an example being a physical enforcer archetype who specialises with strength and positioning attributes. Signature Perks provide temporary attribute boosts to fulfil a chosen playstyle further, and come in three varieties: action-based, mechanic-based, and team-focused.
Changes to FUT
Sweeping changes are coming to Football Ultimate Team, with a raft of updates which again are the result of player feedback. Changes include competitive gameplay reworks which place renewed focus on control and consistency, revamped Rivals and Champs, match outcome improvements which should alleviate any frustration if an opponent leaves during a draw, and Live Events, a brand new form of matchmaking touting various match settings and entry requirements alongside new Tournaments and Gauntlets formats.
Rivals Revamp
Details on FC 26’s revamped Rivals mode aren’t complete yet, but from what we know it’s clear EA feel players of all skill levels want Rivals to feel exciting and more rewarding, even if their team doesn’t win. A newly introduced system is Bounties, which can trigger during a Rivals match. Examples include scoring the last goal or keeping a clean sheet, with rewards coming for completed Bounties there’s always something to play for. Likewise, ante-upping Duels pool the Bounty between each player, ensuring only one player can reap the reward. New Limited Checkpoints track losses and will relegate a player back to a more appropriate skill level faster than waiting for a season to end.
Quality of Life Improvements
Numerous quality of life improvements pepper FC 26: revamped match importance ensures formations echo a match’s significance whilst form logic improvements ensure players can break out of a poor run of form more naturally. UI tweaks in the shape of out-of-position indicators, with-and-without ball views, and active tactic shortcuts smoothen in-game friction whilst a tactical spider-chart breaks down tactics into an easy-to-understand format. There’s a whole host of QoL improvements throughout gameplay and career mode in FC 26.
Ultimate Edition Pre-Order Bonuses
EA Sports FC 26 Ultimate Edition comes with a suite of extras: 4500 FC Points for Switch players, 6000 for everyone else; an additional FUT EVO slot; the Season 1 Premium Pass, and up to seven days of early access beginning 19th September. Those who pre-order will earn a trio of ‘early bird’ bonuses: a +99 shot boosting EVO, an ICON player item, and a 1-in-5 OVR ICON 93+ player pick.
