EA FC 26 Review – From Relegation Form to Champions League Glory

EA FC 25 was one of the most disappointing “FIFA” games I’ve had the misfortune of experiencing. The game was downright abysmal at launch, plagued by a myriad of issues that remained unaddressed until the Winter Update arrived a full three months post-release.

The time in between saw relentless backlash from the community, coupled with the steepest drop in EA’s stocks since 1999. Any schadenfreude I could derive from this decline was overshadowed by the adoration I have for this franchise. Some of my fondest gaming memories are courtesy of EA’s football simulator, and seeing it in dire straits had me worried for the future.

Then came the run-up to EA FC 26’s release — the pre-launch hype cycle, if you will. I stared at the reveal trailer’s countdown with jaded curiosity, expecting 180 seconds of intense closeups and sweaty foreheads, none of which are indicative of the in-game experience.

To my surprise, I was greeted with actual gameplay instead, spliced into neat segments with EA highlighting every major tweak. This, for better or worse, screamed desperation. The extensive Deep Dives published in the following weeks only reaffirmed that the devs knew FC 26 was make or break for the long-running series.

And after pouring over 20 hours into the title, boy, am I glad to say that we are back — we are so very back. EA FC 26, in its current state, is the best ‘EA FC’ yet, and evidence that sometimes, bullying works.

Gameplay So Smooth Even Mourinho Wouldn’t Park The Bus

Marketing an annualized franchise isn’t as simple as it may seem — how else do you convince players to splash $70 on essentially the same game, barring a few arbitrary bells and whistles? EA’s answer to this question has always centered around a new spiel. FC 24 was all about the rebrand, FC 25’s buzzword was ‘FC IQ,’ and for EA FC 26, the devs have relentlessly touted transformative changes to the gameplay.

This singular focus really shines in action. You’re more than likely to be wowed by how instantly smooth the gameplay feels. Regardless of the selected preset, animations come off without a hitch, the ball glides gloriously along the turf, and player AI delivers marked improvements.

Its predecessor’s biggest issues have also been ironed out, starting with tacklebacks. EA has added animation-based penalties to quell FC 25’s infuriating bounceback problems. You can’t just spam the circle button with your 6’5 powerhouse of a CDM and expect to retain possession unreasonably. The ball is far less likely to go straight back to the opponent on being tackled or parried away by the goalkeeper.

Speaking of which, keepers have received a facelift in almost every department. They’re smarter positionally and adjust more naturally to an oncoming shot’s trajectory. They no longer have wooden paddles stuffed into their gloves either, as parries now sail out of play instead of deflecting back into the opponent’s stride. The smarter positioning is courtesy of what EA has dubbed ‘Reinforcement-Learning,’ which makes the AI more reactive to goalmouth action. This ties up in a neat little bow with some impressive new animations that add weight to every leaping deflection and fluidity to full-stretch dives.

Dribbling is also significantly better. Twiddling around with FC 25’s left stick (at launch) had a noticeable heft to it; like my technically gifted midfielder took to the pitch in Timberlands and strapped weights to his ankles for good measure. In stark contrast, left-stick dribbling in EA FC 26 is simply joyous. Players turn on a sixpence with the grace of a gazelle, reducing the need for right-stick skill moves.

Passing has received similar attention, which makes stitching together sweeping attacks much easier. At a general level, every pass type feels more responsive, be it diagonal switches that cover the breadth of the pitch or close-range bounce passes, which are then chucked over to the third man. The game also feels smarter in terms of sifting through its animation library and picking the right option. On countless occasions, I saw flashy backheels that didn’t require the Flair Pass input and driven lobs when the game state called for it.

For EA FC 26, the devs have relentlessly touted transformative changes to the gameplay.

I’ve noticed plenty of other improvements across the board, resulting in an experience that feels oddly intelligent. Matches rarely devolve into animation vs. animation showdowns where my roulette beats your lunging tackle. We’re still dealing with animations (it is a video game, after all), but it doesn’t feel like an algorithmic affair.

For the first time in years, the gameplay is intuitive, and most importantly, fun. It no longer punishes you for abiding by the playbook of the real-life sport. In fact, EA FC 26 finally facilitates beautiful football.

Career Mode Is Bumpy, But Matchdays Steal the Show

Despite EA’s attempts to rejuvenate it, Career Mode has grown stale over the years. Every new addition feels iterative, and any notion of excitement is drained by the feature’s half-baked implementation. In this regard, EA FC 26 is no different. It introduces a selection of interesting mechanics that deliver mixed results, but before delving into the negatives, I have to credit the gameplay, for it is consistently engaging.

To appease Career Mode enthusiasts, the game now presents a choice between two gameplay presets. The first is Competitive, synced to the breakneck pace of Ultimate Team, and the second is Authentic, tailored to match the tempo and nuance of real-life football. This distinction is the saving grace of EA FC 26 Career Mode. In theory, it guarantees that the measured nature of the realistic preset remains unaffected by its competitive sibling’s meta or how it evolves in future updates.

Needless to say, I highly recommend using the Authentic preset for any of your Career Mode saves. The setting feels as true-to-football as EA FC can get. The game’s pace is methodical, thanks to reduced ball speed and the AI being less susceptible to Ultimate Team hijinks. Teams squeeze, press, and retreat just like their real-life counterparts. Barcelona’s high press will suffocate you into mistakes, Newcastle will torch you on the counter, and Arsenal’s deep corners will have you glaring at the sky like Willem Dafoe in At Eternity’s Gate.

The Authentic setting feels as true-to-football as EA FC can get. The game’s pace is methodical, thanks to reduced ball speed and the AI being less susceptible to Ultimate Team hijinks.

The accuracy in tactical approach extends to many other teams. Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella will drive into midfield when Enzo Fernandez pushes up. Inter Mil—ahem, Lombardia FC’s Alessandro Bastoni will maraud forward when space opens up, or drop into fullback when Dimarco ventures into attack. PSG’s midfield rotates frequently while Ousmane Dembele oscillates between a false nine in build-up and a runner in-behind during transitions.

Most of these tactical setups were present in FC 25, but with the Authentic preset, they feel more significant. Side-to-side passing to disrupt the opposition’s rugged shape immediately becomes more important when the ball isn’t flying at a thousand kilometers per hour and the defensive AI is keen to stomp out any trickery in the middle. These tweaks lead to encounters of all kinds, including slugfests against less ambitious teams that are happy to stick back and let you prance around.

If you’re a Career Mode diehard, then EA FC 26 is worth picking up for the preset alone. Thankfully, there are a couple of new additions that caught my eye, messy as their execution might be. The first is a long-overdue Manager Market, which lets AI managers move to other clubs throughout the course of a season. Based on their performances, AI gaffers can switch jobs, get the sack, or even be poached by competitors.

There’s some sanity to this madness, as technically, the club and potential manager need to be on a similar wavelength on the Tactical Vision front. Notice the emphasis on “technically,” because when EA’s sim engine is involved, realism is often shown the door. My save was filled with audacious departures for both players and managers, such as Arne Slot going Saudi while Enzo Maresca takes the helm at Liverpool. As a sidenote, Mikel Arteta succeeded Diego Simeone at Atleti, and I think we can all agree that the glove fits perfectly.

If you’re a Career Mode diehard, then EA FC 26 is worth picking up for the preset alone.

With some tightening up, Manager Market is a really neat addition to Career Mode, just like the second new feature I’d like to highlight: Unexpected Events. In a nutshell, Unexpected Events throw Football Manager-esque curveballs in your direction. It’s an idea that EA has already explored in Madden, so it was bound to land in EA FC at some point. The scenarios it presents range from diarrhea-inducing culinary cock-ups to your transfer budget being halved because someone doesn’t know how banks work.

On the more realistic side, the board can step in and stop you from selling a wonderkid, or said wonderkid getting cold feet on the day of his debut. You can manually set the frequency of Unexpected Events or turn them off entirely, which many players will appreciate. With all that being said, I think this is another good mechanic that needs fixing via patches because I had my fair share of bugged events (Antonee Robinson feeling homesick after moving to Chelsea from Fulham was a shocker).

At the very least, these additions show EA’s willingness to tinker with the formula, even if the execution remains uneven. EA FC 26 offers a competent rendition of Career Mode: far from perfect, occasionally frustrating, but still engaging, bugs and all.

Ultimate Team Serves Pure Box Office Football

No EA FC 26 review is complete without touching on their golden goose, and I am honestly brimming with praise for Ultimate Team. Just like Career Mode, all of my positivity is rooted in how good the gameplay feels. I have a firm understanding (and lingering PTSD) of the gameplay fundamentals of the last five entries in the franchise. And this one is on par with FIFA 23 for being the tightest and most responsive of the lot.

Aside from all the goalkeeping improvements, the best thing EA has implemented is nerfs to AI defending. The “rat” population can no longer survive by stacking their defense with physical players and adjusting their line to an optimal figure, because the AI will not defend for you. Want to track the runner off a one-two? Switch to a defender and do it manually. Looking to block a close-range strike? Jockey carefully in your box and anticipate the timing. Wondering how to avoid getting cut open through the middle? Don’t rush out like a headless chicken.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that defending feels good. I can count on one hand the number of those unmistakably Ultimate Team moments where you concede a janky goal, shut your eyes to drown out the anger, acquiesce, and then do it all over again. For comparison, I’d need Doctor Octopus to lend a hand while counting the same in EA FC 25.

If the gameplay continues to be this good, I can safely say that we’re in for an exciting season.

It’s not perfect, of course. Agile players can still twirl around like a ballerina in the box until the defender switches off, leaving an open path to the goal. Centerbacks are also prone to running wide illogically while tracking runs through the middle. And you can still find all manner of kick-off glitches and OP set-pieces crafted by the aforementioned “rats.” These shortcomings need immediate fixing, but overall, I’ve really enjoyed my time with FC 26 Ultimate Team.

As for the live-service elements of the game mode, EA has promised to slow down the power curve. This doesn’t mean fewer promos, as, instead, you’ll see a noticeable decline in the release of highly rated cards throughout the annual cycle. I do think this is the right approach since the frequency of game-changing promos cheapens their impact, but ditching the weekly schedule is sure to create friction with a playerbase conditioned to constant content.

The simple fact is that reviewing Ultimate Team before we’re at least a month in is a precarious task. There will always be a section of players who are displeased by the state of the game, and EA could easily cave into their demands, rubbishing all the praise I’ve afforded them via a transformative update. I sincerely hope that they stick to their guns, especially on the skill gap in defense. If the gameplay continues to be this good, I can safely say that we’re in for an exciting season.

Verdict: The Beautiful Game is Alive and Well

EA FC 26 isn’t perfect — few entries in this long-running franchise are. But for the first time in years, the on-pitch experience feels responsive, expressive, and genuinely rewarding. Whether you’re stringing together passing moves in Career Mode or grinding through Division Rivals, the gameplay finally supports the kind of football you want to play.

If FC 24 was a cut-back riddled mess and FC 25 was a full-blown crisis, then FC 26 is the comeback. Bugs remain, and EA’s live service model will always court controversy, but FC 26 is the revival this franchise desperately needed. It’s an extremely fun video game out of the box, a well-tuned football sim beneath the surface, and easily the best of the EA FC trio.