The dawn of a new season means the EA Sports 26 release date looms ever closer – and the first details of EA’s third FIFA successor are now in the wild. GR has ventured to its Vancouver studio to play it, and you can read those hands-on impressions in our extensive EA Sports FC 26 preview. Even more scouting intel is loaded up for you below. We’ve got the first FC 26 trailer, full details of FC 26 preorders and special editions, FC 26 Rush and Ultimate Team teases, and plenty more besides.
Ultimate Team is the annual focus for most fans, but intriguingly, EA is giving equal priority to offline gamers this season. That means two distinct gameplay styles: fast, skills-focused action in ‘competitive’, and slower, more tactical action in ‘authentic’. It’s going to be an intriguing season for FC 26.
EA Sports FC 26 release date
Staying with tradition, the EA Sports FC 26 release date falls a month into the new domestic football season. The latest instalment of the mega-publisher’s sports juggernaut is out worldwide on Friday, September 26, 2025.
We’ll run down all its pre-order bonuses shortly, but the one fans salivate over annually is back yet again: being able to play it a week early. Those who shell out for the FC 26 Ultimate Edition get their own bespoke FC 26 release date of Friday, September 19, 2025.
EA Sports FC 26 platforms
The EA Sports FC 26 platforms list expands this year. As ever, it’s available on PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Switch, and PC. But you can now add Nintendo Switch 2 to that extensive array of purchase options.
The version attempts to mirror current-gen gameplay, so it isn’t too far off the PS5 and Xbox Series X editions, with the additional bonus of on-the-move football.
EA Sports FC 26 trailer
The first EA Sports FC 26 trailer dropped in mid-July. It hammers home EA Vancouver’s mantra for this year’s game, which is “powered by you”.
Essentially, all the series’ major changes and improvements have been directly influenced by fan feedback to FC 25. These include reduced tacklebacks, dynamic dribbling, controlled goalkeeper deflections, proper first-time passing, and those two distinct gameplay styles for online and offline play. Tap the window above to watch it yourself.
EA Sports FC 26 cover star
There are two EA Sports FC 26 cover athletes, and the pair made their names together during their teenage years as England Under-21 teammates. FC 25 frontman Jude Bellingham returns, but he now shares top billing with Jamal Musiala. Bellingham is a talismanic figure for both Real Madrid and England, while Musiala has switched allegiances to Germany – and become a key player for FC Bayern, and his national side.
An even more illustrious name gets the FC 26 Ultimate Edition cover star honor. It’s Sweden legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who also earns an Icon card in FUT. Zlatan hasn’t featured in the series since FIFA 23, after bringing the curtain down on his playing career.
EA Sports FC 26 pre-order bonuses
EA Sports FC 26 pre-order bonuses depend on which of its two editions you buy. The standard edition, with Bellingham and Musiala on the cover, costs £59.99/$69.99, while that Zlatan-fronted Ultimate Edition is £99.99/$99.99. Below is the additional content you score for committing to the game before its September 26 release date.
Certain items are only available if you pre-order before August 26. These are marked with an asterisk. The Premium Pass was a feature added to the series recently – you can read more about it in GR’s FC 25 Premium Pass guide.
FC 26 standard edition extras
- One Archetype unlock
- Two Double AXP for ten matches
- Three Icon career players
- 5-star coach in manager career
- 5-star youth coach in manager career
- 5-star youth scout in manager career
- Manager Live Challenge content
- 92+ FUT OVR Icon for FC 25
FC 26 Ultimate Edition extras
- 7 days early access
- 6000 FC Points spread over two months (4500 on Switch 2)
- Additional FUT Evolution slot
- Season 1 Premium Pass
- One Archetype unlock
- Two Double AXP for ten matches
- Three Icon career players
- 5-star coach in manager career
- 5-star youth coach in manager career
- 5-star youth scout in manager career
- Manager Live challenge content
- 92+ OVR Icon for FC 25
- 99-shooting FUT Evolution*
- FUT Icon player item*
- 93+ FUT Icon player pick for FC 25*
EA Sports FC 26 Rush details
Yep, the five-a-side fun of FC 26 Rush is back, with some essential quality of life tweaks. Fed up with teammates rubber-banding their controller, or quitting matches early? They’ll be made to serve a cooldown period during which the mode is temporarily inaccessible. Good.
Additionally, Derek Rae is included as an alternate commentary option, just in case you need a break from the limitless energy offered by Fernando Palomo. In the Clubs version of Rush, meanwhile, you’ll be able to play as a goalkeeper, bringing FC 26 in line with upstart rival Rematch.
EA Sports FC 26 Ultimate Team details
While our preview covers gameplay and presentation in detail, Ultimate Team specifics are embargoed until a later date – but a number have already emerged. For instance, those 6,000 FC Points packaged with the Ultimate Edition are spread over the game’s first two months post-release, in an attempt to slow down the inevitable power curve that accompanies early season promos such as FC 25 RTTK.
Additionally, Ultimate Edition players will always have one Evo slot more than standard ones. “So, if we go to two active Evo slots for non-Ultimate Edition owners, Ultimate Edition owners will have their limit increased to three,” says senior lead product manager Jamey Cane. We’ll add more FC 26 Ultimate Team details here in mid-August.
For more exciting titles, head over to our list of the best sports games of all time.
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