We tested EA Sports FC 26: everything that changes in the FIFA successor, price and release date

The virtual soccer ball has as its protagonist EA Sports FC 26 , the new installment of the classic soccer simulation that replaces the old FIFA , which has already revealed its new gameplay and the official release date for the 2025 season, both on consoles and PC , following the claims of the thousands of players that make up its community around the planet.

With a long-standing rival ( eFootball or PES/Winning Eleven ) lacking a clear direction , and other free-to-play projects like UFL failing to convince despite Cristiano Ronaldo's backing; EA Sports FC 26 is back, as it does every year, with a vital addition to its time-tested formula: combining the latest technological advances with the best of real-life football at the request of its fans .

Its addictive online Ultimate Team mode, weekly challenges, and constant updates make it a game that is renewed month after month, managing to stay current and competitive against other genres.

The EA Sports FC 25 gaming community - both professionals and enthusiasts - expressed their dissatisfaction on Reddit forums regarding the gameplay .

Among the main requests were game balance adjustments, improvements to Ultimate Team and Career mode , and addressing issues in various defensive aspects, such as tackling and blocking, and most importantly, goalkeeper movement.

Thanks to player feedback, the American company decided to redesign several controversial and unrealistic aspects of EA Sports FC 25's gameplay.

Specifically, they've improved player movement and dribbling , improved goalkeeper AI , improved blocking and tackling (balls recovered don't bounce off defenders), improved physical response in collisions, improved passing and shooting accuracy, and improved positioning on the court.

There are also new accessibility options like high contrast mode, the ability to disable shadows, simplified commands, and balanced PlayStyles settings to make the experience easier.

Additionally, they included two pre-configured play styles to satisfy all game fans. A "Competitive" mode focused on speed, ideal for online matches and Ultimate Team; and an "Authentic" mode, designed for those seeking a more realistic experience, ideal for Career mode .

EA Sports FC 26 will arrive, as always, on a wide variety of platforms. Initially, the PlayStation 4 / 5, Xbox One / Series X | S consoles and the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 portable consoles . As always, the football game also has its version on PC (Windows) and mobile phones , both Android and iOS.

The game will have two official editions that include various additional content and, logically, different prices.

The Standard Edition will cost $69.99 , while the Ultimate Edition includes up to 6,000 FC Points for Ultimate Team, Career Mode Icons, player progression, and more rewards if pre-ordered before August 26. It's the most expensive version, costing $99.99 .

The standard edition features Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) and Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), two of the great young stars of European football. The Ultimate Edition, on the other hand, features an iconic image: Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a relaxed and defiant pose, true to his style.

Based on what could be seen in the first gameplay, the result is an experience that allows millions of players to build teams full of current and former stars, compete with friends, or live a professional career as a soccer player or manager.

The official global release date for EA Sports FC 26 is set for September 26, 2025 , though those who purchase the Ultimate Edition will be able to play a week early starting on September 19.