EA Sports FC 26 is the best the series has been in years, thanks to a host of gameplay changes that deliver Ballon d’Or-worthy football. Like Arteta’s Arsenal, you could accuse it of lacking ambition with some modes in need of an overhaul, but it proves that stability off the pitch brings success on it.
One of the most common insults thrown at sports games, and the fans who eat them up every 12 months, is that each annual instalment is a carbon copy of the last. At first glance, it’s easy to lump FC 26 into that group and say it’s the same as EA FC 25, since this season’s entry focuses on tweaking the system rather than flashy new signings.
But countless improvements to the already strong formula, paired with the genius decision to let players choose between dogged realism and arcadey action, make this a whole lot more than just a squad update.
EA FC 26 screenshots
What’s new in EA FC 26?
The biggest evolution this year is the introduction of two different gameplay styles, which vary based on mode. Ultimate Team and Pro Clubs use Competitive, the refined football we’ve seen in the series over the last few years, which sand off any rough edges and lets you ping the ball around with Pirlo-like precision.
Players turn on a dime, take perfect first touches, and always place the shot exactly where you aimed, ensuring that matches are almost never decided by something that feels out of your control.
It doesn’t resemble any actual real match, but it’s beautifully responsive and great to play. The long-awaited return of the low-driven shot, which is triggered with a double-tap of the shoot button, is also immensely satisfying, allowing players to smash the ball low into the bottom corner with accuracy that Haaland would be proud of.
Admittedly, it does occasionally grow boring given just how much it’s geared towards attacking. These matches are ridiculously fast-paced, going from end to end like a basketball match, and defenders feel like they’re running through cement while wingers and strikers glide over the grass.
The result is goals galore. Most of my matches in Ultimate Team ended with me scoring and shipping at least four, which quickly sucks the excitement out of finding the net. If every game is an eight-goal thriller, is it really thrilling anymore?
EA SPORTS / DexertoHowever, as someone who loves the ugly side of the beautiful game, Career Mode’s Authentic option is where the most joy is found.
Here, everything is slowed down and there’s an extra layer of unpredictability. Players are more likely to misplace passes if they’re not in the right position, first touches are fumbled in tight situations, and the ball pings around in the box as defenders scramble to clear it.
Most importantly, teams also defend more realistically, forcing players to think about each pass and move the ball to create space. This makes it far more challenging but infinitely more rewarding when you finally play that killer ball that unlocks the defense to create the winning chance.
Weather effects also have a much bigger impact on how the match plays out, with the ball skipping quickly across the surface during the frozen winter months or holding up if the pitch is soaked with rain. These matches felt more like playing in the local park than at Old Trafford, and it’s the most fun EA FC has ever been.
There’s been a growing divide between players who want perfect, polished football and those who prefer a scrappier, more realistic game, and Authentic and Competitive brings the best of both. They should have done this years ago.
Career Mode is fun but familiar
Off the pitch, Career Mode is largely the same as it was in EA FC 25, but with a few new additions to make it more like being the manager of a real club.
The most significant update is the introduction of Unexpected Events, which trigger randomly throughout the season to test your management abilities. These could range from an illness sweeping through the squad and leaving multiple players on the sidelines, to problems with the board that reduce your available funds.
They add some much-needed life to the long and grueling seasons, which used to get a little dull once the transfer window closed.
EA SPORTS / DexertoThere is a smattering of other improvements as well, such as the Deeper Simulation option that tracks other leagues and players with more in-depth stats, or the ability for managers to move clubs just like a player. It’s still a long way from the detail we see in Football Manager, but that’s to be expected.
The actual football is so much fun that I’ve already lost an ungodly number of hours in Career Mode, but there’s still a worry that the same old fatigue will set in once the novelty wears off.
Ultimate Team respects your time (hopefully)
Again, Ultimate Team tinkers with the setup rather than taking big swings. The return of Tournaments is a welcome distraction that offers a break from the usual Rivals and Champions grind, but they’re short-lived and unlikely to become anyone’s favorite mode.
Other than that, this year’s FUT focuses on smaller changes to make it less of a stressful time and money sink. Rivals is more forgiving by making it easier to drop a division if you hit a wall, rewards are slightly stingier to make top-tier cards harder to get, and there’s a new Challengers Weekend League for lower-skill players.
EA Sports has also assured players that they intend to slow down the power curve this year by not smashing the meta to pieces with every weekly promo. This approach can already be seen in the more modest Evolutions and SBCs seen so far.
In theory, this should reduce the number of hours and money you need to invest to stay competitive, which is a relief after previous games threatened to put players into administration.
Of course, in a perfect world, microtransactions would be removed from Ultimate Team altogether, and it remains to be seen if this new ethos sticks around in the long run. But so far, it’s made FUT far less pushy than in previous years.
EA SPORTS / DexertoVerdict
On paper, EA FC 26 doesn’t seem like a giant leap forward. But as legendary Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough once said, football is played on grass, not paper, and that’s where the game truly shines.
The decision to create two completely distinct gameplay styles for different modes is inspired, making it the most enjoyable football game since FIFA 17.
It’s a shame that the modes themselves feel like carbon copies of last year, but the minor tweaks and additions that are here make it well worth dusting off your boots for another run out.
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