EA Sports FC 26 is live, here’s what’s different from past editions as Jude Bellingham returns to cover

A new soccer season also means a new edition of EA FC. With the game now live, it’s a good time to see what the updates are in the latest edition of the game. The game’s online modes are all returning, as is it’s career mode but there are a whole bunch of new bells and whistles. It’s always been fun for players to see if they can achieve various goals like maintaining a perfect start to the season like Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid or channeling Wrexham to climb the ranks of the English pyramid, and now career mode offers those kinds of challenges to players with an eye toward make that experience more rewarding. 

Gameplay has been overhauled in several ways. Goalkeeper reactions are more natural, addressing what’s long been a weak spot in the game. Player archetypes are also getting an overhaul. In the Club mode there’s also a new archetype system for player development. Thirteen different archetypes each with their own associated traits are designed to give players more control over how their character develops. have also been increased in clubs and the player creators to give players more individuality.  Each position has specializations such as finisher, maestro, and by investing points from completing goals, those can be grown to create specialized players that suit how you play the game.

Perhaps the biggest change though is the “authentic” play option which creates a whole different feel for gameplay. For players who want their career mode to seem closer to the real thing than the arcade style that dominates the online play, authentic mode creates a game with tougher defending, fewer goals and a more realistic feel. Ultimate Team and Pro Clubs still include precision passing, but career mode will see natural defending and rougher passing that makes it harder, but also more enjoyable to find the back of the net. Prior, it was easy to progress due to scoring being easier, but this will level the playing field. The weather will also have a bigger impact on gameplay.

Who is the cover athlete?

It’s a joint cover for EAFC this season, with Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham appearing on the cover for the second consecutive season. He’s joined by Bayern Munich attacker Jamal Musiala to make up the standard game cover. For the Ultimate Edition, a legend of the game has been added with Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic reading a magazine with Ronaldo Nazario on the cover.

Soundtrack

EA FC has long had iconic soundtracks featuring global artists and with Skepta, Ed Sheeran, and HAIM all among the artists included. The entire playlist of more than 100 songs can be found on Spotify. 

What consoles is EA FC available on?

All the major consoles will have access to the new game, including PC, the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.

EA FC introduces manager live challenges

Manager live challenges are a way to earn season points in career mode. With rotating objectives each week, they allow manager to earn Season Pass points for upgrades that will make progressing much quicker. The points are based on difficulty with some challenges taking multiple seasons to complete, while others are simple ones, such as raising $10 million via the transfer market and then investing in your side.  The challenges not only offer guides to things that you can do with your team, but also offer rewards that can be gained from competition.

Top rated players

Looking at some of the top rated players in the world, the current Ballon d’Or holder, Ousmane Dembele, doesn’t come in at number one, with Mohamed Salah taking the crown. Barcelona Femeni are also well represented with four of the top 10 spaces going to representatives from their team. No other club has more than two top 10 players, and the Barcelona men’s team doesn’t have anyone in the top 10 as their highest rated player, Raphinha, misses out, coming in at 11th alongside Lamine Yamal and Pedri with an 89 rating.