FC 26: 74 Changes That Actually Make a Difference

Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala whitethorn good person inherited the dreaded Madden curse arsenic this year’s EA FC coverstars, having some made their mode to operating theaters successful caller weeks, but they tin astatine slightest remainder up by playing each different connected FC 26. EA Sports FC 26 volition beryllium released connected September 26th, 2025, oregon a week aboriginal connected September 19th if you acquisition aboriginal access. But what’s caller this clip around?

Well, cardinal tweaks person been made to gameplay, arsenic good arsenic the inevitable suite of caller activities to get stuck into successful Ultimate Team, Career Mode, and Clubs. So, without further ado, present are 74 changes that really marque a quality successful EA FC 26.

Ultimate Team

1. Live events are a large caller inclusion for Ultimate Team. These see the instrumentality of tournaments. These knockout competitions are comprised of up to 4 rounds, each the mode up to a high-stakes final. Win it each and you’ll person exclusive rewards. Once you triumph a tournament, however, you won’t beryllium capable to participate it again. Each tourney volition person circumstantial requirements and rules, specified arsenic each players being from a definite league oregon the archetypal subordinate to people 2 goals winning the match.

2. Another signifier of unrecorded lawsuit is gauntlets. Gauntlets volition trial the extent of your club, are antithetic squads are required successful each round, meaning the aforesaid players can’t play doubly connected 1 run. Unlike tournaments, these aren’t knockout competitions, but the much wins you get, the amended your rewards volition be.

3. And past we person Linked Events. These are peculiar locked competitions that go disposable aft completing circumstantial objectives. For example, winning a qualifier tourney oregon reaching a definite part successful Rivals mightiness unfastened these up for you to participate and gain much rewards.

4. Changes are coming to Rivals successful FC 26. The archetypal of those is bounties. Bounties are aiming to marque each lucifer consciousness little “win-centric”, meaning adjacent if you’re 3-0 down, you person thing to play for, specified arsenic scoring the past extremity of a lucifer and getting rivals points for doing so. Other bounties could see winning by a definite fig of goals, scoring first, oregon keeping a cleanable sheet. Rewards scope from paper packs, coins, and advancement points.

5. Rivals triumph streaks are being tweaked. When connected a streak, you volition present person treble reward points to get your play rewards faster. Plus, you’ll present spot if the subordinate you’re facing is connected a triumph streak earlier playing them, putting a people connected their back.

6. Rivals checkpointing is besides changing. To forestall players from getting to a constituent wherever they’ve reached their accomplishment ceiling and are mostly losing matches, but can’t beryllium relegated to look opponents of much adjacent standing. New “breakable checkpoints” volition beryllium introduced to support way of your losses and let for relegation wherever appropriate.

7. Champions is besides being tweaked. More reward tiers are being added, further expanding the value of each lucifer played and triumph gained.

8. Changes are being made to the qualifying for Champions. Playoffs are being removed and replaced by a strategy based connected which part of Rivals you’re in. The level hasn’t been decided connected yet by EA, but it could mean having to beryllium astatine astir part 5 earlier being capable to participate Champions.

9. But if you’re successful a little division, you’ll inactive get your ain play league to play in. This volition beryllium called Challengers (think of it arsenic the Europa League to Champions’ Champions League) and is simply a second-tier contention that runs successful parallel. It volition travel the aforesaid format, conscionable with little prestigious rewards awaiting you. You tin lone play successful 1 of either Champions oregon Challengers connected the aforesaid weekend, though, to forestall smurfing.

10. A caller competitory camera space is being introduced purely for Ultimate Team stadiums that combines a tactical presumption of the pitch, portion besides letting players spot much of the details of their chosen customisations.

11. You volition present beryllium capable to germinate each subordinate paper successful Ultimate Team, arsenic good arsenic repetition evolutions that volition let you to instrumentality antithetic members of your squad done the aforesaid acceptable of objectives. In addition, you volition besides present beryllium capable to stack paper cosmetics.

12. Big changes are connected the mode to however Ultimate Team handles subordinate disconnections. In FC 26, you’ll present get the triumph if your hostile quits successful the 2nd half, aft a reddish paper has been issued, oregon a punishment has been fixed astatine immoderate point. Players who repeatedly discontinue Rush matches volition present besides get a matchmaking timeout.

Gameplay

13. Gameplay fundamentals are getting a steadfast magnitude of attraction this year. Dribbling is promised to beryllium much accordant and responsive, with much predominant touches of the shot giving accrued subordinate control.

14. Changes to the locomotion and moving quality of players volition besides beryllium seen. They’ll consciousness much explosive acknowledgment to faster acceleration and deceleration.

15. As good arsenic speed, spot volition besides beryllium a absorption successful FC 26. Shielding volition present beryllium accordant some connected and disconnected the ball, allowing players to jockey for possession with an accrued physicality. This will, successful theory, mean less defenders conscionable being capable to measurement successful beforehand of an attacker and stealing the shot erstwhile a agelong walk is sent to a people man.

16. This newfound absorption of spot volition besides use to dribbling, with beefier players being capable to clasp disconnected defenders coming successful for a challenge.

17. “Tackle backs” emerged arsenic a immense constituent of vexation for FC 25 players — the all-too-often condition wherever you spell successful for a challenge, triumph the ball, but past it bounces consecutive backmost into your opponent’s way — but successful 26, enactment has been done to halt this from happening regularly.

18. Similar changes are besides being made to interceptions, meaning erstwhile darting successful the way of an opponent’s pass, the shot is much apt to present instrumentality to your footwear arsenic opposed to cannoning disconnected to the different team. Both of these tweaks purpose to make a cleaner game.

19. Goalkeepers person ever been a tricky puzzle for EA to solve, but successful FC 26, the developer is promising large improvements. Saves and deflections from keepers volition present nutrient much varied results, meaning, successful theory, the shot volition autumn into the way of a waiting attacker little often.

20. Keepers volition besides present instrumentality up smarter positions erstwhile faced one-on-one with an attacker, meaning less casual chances for forwards.

21. Fresh goalkeeper animations volition supply a greater scope of types of saves we’ll spot from them, successful mentation expanding the fig of ways they tin beryllium effectual stop-stoppers.

22. Two antithetic types of cardinal gameplay experiences volition present beryllium available: Competitive and Authentic. The erstwhile is designed for online players and is high-speed and ace responsive. The second is for offline and vocation mode players who whitethorn favour a velocity much grounded successful reality.

23. Competitive mode is not lone faster, but besides comes with its ain mechanics, specified arsenic a revamped fatigue system, meaning that whenever your subordinate gains possession of the shot online, they’ll consciousness arsenic caller to power successful the last infinitesimal of a lucifer arsenic the first. This means fatigue present lone affects AI-controlled players.

24. Authentic volition absorption much connected the unpredictability of existent sport, with players much apt to miscontrol oregon fto the upwind impact the game, with matches turning connected the bounce of a ball.

25. Accessibility is simply a large absorption for the improvement squad this year. Among the biggest improvements being made truthful everyone tin bask FC 26 are a simplified skills strategy that allows players to execute accomplishment moves with the flick of the close stick, arsenic good arsenic a assortment of precocious opposition modes to assistance those with ocular impairments. Everything from the colour of the kits and shot to the transportation and stadium shadows is customisable successful bid to conscionable arsenic galore needs arsenic possible.

26. Input hold has been an contented plaguing online play and Ultimate Team successful peculiar successful EA FC. Improvements person been promised successful FC 26, however, with in-depth probe done into what causes these issues, ranging from subordinate setups to subordinate animations causing delays. For much accusation connected this subject, cheque retired our afloat dedicated nonfiction connected however the workplace is addressing input delay.

27. With the purpose of further improving responsiveness is the instauration of one-frame passes and shots — touches of the shot truthful speedy they hap the infinitesimal your thumb presses the button.

28. Playstyles person been rebalanced, with immoderate caller ones being introduced. These see Precision Header, which has a absorption connected heading accuracy and winning aerial battles, and Fortress, its antiaircraft counterpart that aims to predominate successful the aerial astatine the back. Another caller playstyle is Enforcer, which emphasises the carnal hold-up play of attackers arsenic mentioned earlier.

29. Trivelas (hitting the shot with the extracurricular of the boot) are present locked being the caller Game Changer playstyle.

30. Low-driven shots are besides making their comeback. A speedy treble pat of the sprout fastener volition occurrence a debased onslaught towards the net, and volition present besides use to each types of effort, including headers and volleys.

31. The reintroduction of low-driven shots means that the timed finishing mechanic has been removed from FC 26. The developers felt that it “didn’t adhd meaningful accomplishment extent and proved precise hard to balance”.

32. Positions are little constrained by roles now, so, for example, a winger tin chopped in-field and temporarily enactment similar an wrong guardant would if they spot a large opening look successful the punishment area.

33. New roles are being added to the tactics screen. These see ball-playing keepers, the modern inverted fullback, and box-crashing CDMs that onslaught from deep.

34. The antagonistic interaction of players being retired of presumption has been reduced too, with motorboat players having much positions and roles disposable to debar situations specified arsenic a close midfielder not being capable to execute good successful the close winger spot, arsenic they don’t person it listed successful their bio.

35. New set-piece duty slots person been added, arsenic good arsenic caller ones added to some attacking and defending corners.

36. You tin present prevention tactics and transcript and paste codes betwixt modes, truthful if you person a setup you’re truly blessed with, which you’ve been messing astir with successful vocation mode, you tin past transportation it to Ultimate Team.

37. AI attackers volition present execute runs into abstraction with greater regularity, with a little reliance connected trigger runs desired.

38. Playing arsenic a goalkeeper has been overhauled acknowledgment to a wholly caller power scheme.

39. Of course, caller accomplishment moves are making their mode into FC 26. These see the explosive measurement over, among galore others.

Career Mode

40. The caller Manager Live Hub acts arsenic your portal to everything Career Mode. Challenges, some agelong and abbreviated term, volition look here, arsenic good arsenic contented tailored to your chosen preferred clubs.

41. A immense fig of varied vocation challenges volition beryllium disposable with a immense fig of variables. These scope from transportation restrictions, not being capable to simulate fixtures, and playing connected definite trouble levels.

42. Rewards for completing objectives see implicit 30 retro jerseys. Some revealed see classical Real Madrid, Germany, and Napoli shirts.

43. You’ll present beryllium capable to adhd some icons and heroes to your Career Mode squads by unlocking them passim the play pass.

44. The pre-order icons that are disposable successful FC 26 are Alex Morgan, Toni Kroos, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

45. The Manager Market is simply a caller strategy wherever coaches from different clubs successful your Career Mode prevention volition instrumentality jobs astatine different teams, some home and international. Managers tin beryllium poached, fired, oregon adjacent retire.

46. The Manager Market paper besides lets you spot which coaches’ positions are nether menace and what jobs are presently unfastened to use for if you fancy a caller challenge.

47. Manager stories volition besides weave successful and retired of your careers, with commentators adjacent mentioning erstwhile 1 manager mightiness beryllium coming nether occurrence and connected the verge of the sack if they suffer the match.

48. Live events volition besides instrumentality spot successful Career Mode, which tin inflict unexpected consequences connected your squad with the purpose of encouraging originative problem-solving. These tin beryllium positive, specified arsenic a abrupt fiscal takeover granting you a steadfast caller transportation budget, oregon negative, specified arsenic a subordinate getting injured connected planetary work oregon a rogue bout of nutrient poisoning leaving you with galore players unavailable for your adjacent fixture.

49. For the stats heads, you tin present prime up to 5 different leagues and get a afloat statistical breakdown of which players are performing successful that division, which tin assistance with knowing who to scout.

50. Youth tournaments volition present really person stadiums, and the size of those arenas volition beryllium connected the stature of the club.

51. You tin present substitute younker players successful younker tournaments.

52. Rival teams volition rotate their squads much regularly, meaning a apical Premier League nine won’t spell afloat spot successful aboriginal Carabao Cup rounds, for example.

53. You tin present indebtedness retired a subordinate instantly aft buying them

Clubs

54. Archetypes are a caller mode to physique your subordinate successful Clubs, efficaciously acting arsenic classes. There are 13 successful total, with each representing a unsocial playing benignant and modeled connected real-life professionals.

55. Within each archetype are 3 antithetic specialisations — efficaciously subclasses successful RPG terms. As you progress, branching paths volition look arsenic you prime the specalisation for you. For example, the Finisher archetype leads to the Finisher Plus, Presser, and Hunter specialisations, each containing their ain traits and perks.

56. Picking a definite archetype doesn’t fastener you into lone playing that presumption connected the pitch.

57. You tin re-spec your clubs subordinate astatine immoderate clip utilizing in-game currency, but can’t prevention builds to easy power between.

58. The aged accomplishment histrion upgrade strategy is gone and has been replaced with a much accepted paper wherever you tin enactment points into idiosyncratic attributes, granting you much nonstop power implicit your pro’s progression.

59. Your archetype paper is displayed astatine the opening of each match, Ultimate Team style, and tin beryllium customised arsenic much cosmetics are unlocked.

60. New playstyle slots volition beryllium added implicit the people of FC 26’s lifetime, and the level caps for pros volition summation play connected season, meaning players volition beryllium capable to scope wide ratings not antecedently seen earlier successful Clubs.

61. Live events and tournaments volition promote players to experimentation with a assortment of antithetic archetypes and playstyles.

62. Limited-time multi-round knockout tournaments are coming to Clubs, but lone successful Rush.

63. Players tin present articulation aggregate clubs simultaneously, truthful you tin play with up to 3 antithetic person groups easily.

64. Long-term fatigue is being removed successful clubs, but short-term fatigue inactive remains.

65. AI facilities tin beryllium unlocked to people and bid circumstantial positional groups of CPU-controlled players successful your Clubs squads.

66. Your lucifer standing is present measured against what’s expected from your chosen role, alternatively than a wide metric of however good you played.

67. Quick chat has been expanded from 4 to sixteen antithetic messages.

Presentation

68. Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena makes its instrumentality successful FC 26.

69. 13 caller real-life mascots are joining this twelvemonth aft their instauration successful FC 25.

70. New Premier League broadcast intros harness the powerfulness of Google Earth arsenic the camera zooms successful connected stadiums from precocious up successful the sky.

71. Mix and lucifer commentary is being introduced for the English broadcast teams, meaning you tin brace up commentators Derek Rae and Guy Mowbray with immoderate pairing of analysts Stewart Robson and Sue Smith you desire.

72. Derek Rae has besides been added arsenic a imaginable Rush commentator to further adhd to the variety.

73. To effort and execute a much realistic colour palette during matches, the saturation has been dialed back, with other fog and aerial density added.

74. You tin present customize what accusation is shown connected the subordinate sanction cards astatine the bottommost of the screen, specified arsenic what their strongest ft is oregon however galore stars successful regards to skills moves they have.

And those are the 74 biggest things coming to EA FC 26. What are you astir excited about? Let america cognize successful the comments below.

Simon Cardy is simply a Senior Editor astatine IGN who tin chiefly beryllium recovered skulking astir unfastened satellite games, indulging successful Korean cinema, oregon despairing astatine the authorities of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him connected Bluesky astatine @cardy.bsky.social.