EA Sports FC 26 review: Schrödinger’s football game
A game of two halves
Football’s back. Again. But this time it’s split in two, like Oasis were before the summer. EA Sports FC 26 wants to please everyone: the sweaty Ultimate Team die-hards who think defending is optional, and the offline purists who still believe youth academies matter.
The solution? Two presets, two personalities, one slightly confused game, hoping to serve everyone that looks great in the process.
EA FC 26: In short...
- Two speeds, two vibes: Competitive mode is fast, flashy, and online-ready; Authentic is slower, tactical, and offline-focused, finally catering to both types of football fans
- Career Mode glow-up: Manager Live, unexpected events, and a global carousel of clubs make offline play feel more dynamic, unpredictable, and surprisingly personal
- Ultimate Team tweaks: Live Events, Evolutions, and a gentler power curve reward strategy over grind, though the Season Pass monetisation may grind your patience
- Gameplay improvements: Smoother dribbling, cleaner tackles, and headers finally working make matches feel sharper, fairer, and more satisfying
- Quality-of-life love: New camera views, UI enhancements, accessibility options, and fan-requested features across Rush, Clubs, and Manager Mode polish the overall experience
Competitive vs Authentic: Pep vs Pulis
Pick Competitive and you’re in Red Bull mode fast, fizzy, all about vibes and vibes only, much like the game has become over recent years. Every player moves like they’ve had a double espresso; trick-stick skills and five-star dribblers truly excel. It’s pure chaos in the best possible way. Goals come in flurries, wingers scream down the flanks, and clean sheets are a myth that historians will argue about for centuries. It’s the perfect playground for Ultimate Team warriors who enjoy swearing at screens and blaming latency.
Switch to Authentic and suddenly you’re in a Channel 4 documentary. Wind slows long balls, wet pitches kill dribbles, and fatigue actually matters. You’ll find yourself thinking tactically, adjusting formations, and actually appreciating the nuances of passing angles. The AI defenders feel smarter, rebounds are less predictable, and headers require timing rather than brute force.
It’s slower, smarter, and whisper it, actually feels like real football. The one downside? You can’t take it online. Imagine Rivals, where people had to actually think for a change. Terrifying. But also, oddly satisfying. This mode is purely for offline play, elevating Career Mode.
Pitchnotes
On the pitch, FC 26 feels like it’s finally learned some manners. Gone are the days of bizarre pinball rebounds and keepers handing opponents easy goals like party favours. Dribbling is more responsive, headers work, and your pace merchants like Mbappé or Vinícius Jr. can terrorise defenders without breaking the physics engine. Where the dribbling feels so tight, dribbley boys and girls like Dembele and Bonmati feel even better, but are a pain to defend against.
Let’s be honest, defending still feels like trying to herd cats. Your AI teammates wander off like they’ve just spotted an ice cream van, leaving gaps big enough to drive a double-decker through. Tackle-backs and rebounds are gone, and keepers are supposedly improved, but the game still favours attackers to the point that keeping a clean sheet is a miracle, and honestly, the keepers still seem to be made of Quavers.
Offline, though, things calm down a touch; authentic matches breathe more slowly, letting tactical setups and substitutions actually matter. Wet pitches can slow the ball mid-dribble or make a clearance skid in the wrong direction, little touches that make you feel like you’re genuinely controlling a football match, not a video game.
Career Mode improves
Career Mode has had a rough few years, but FC 26 might have finally breathed life into it. Manager Live challenges are a standout addition. These aren’t your usual “win the league” objectives; they offer unique scenarios that will make you tackle the game mode differently, adding some longevity and creeping gently closer to what Football Manager has always done better.
Unexpected Events spice things up further. Players retiring mid-season, urgent family leaves, or budget mismanagement can all throw your carefully planned campaigns into chaos. Meanwhile, the Manager Market gives the feeling of a living, breathing football world: you can track job openings, see which coaches are under pressure, and react like a proper manager rather than just clicking through menus.
- Unsure who to do a Career Mode with? Check out our favourite kits this season for some inspiration
The Big Short
The Premium Season Pass. It looms over FC 26 like a bad smell that won’t leave the dressing room. Many of the Icons and Heroes in Career Mode are locked behind it, meaning unless you spend money or grind through Ultimate Team, your dream lineup might stay just that: a dream.
It’s a clever and cheeky nudge from EA to get offline players interacting with the monetised side of the game, and it’s hard not to feel a little frustrated. Ultimate Team players are used to it, and whether it’s right or wrong, that’s what you sign up to, but Career Mode was supposed to be a safe place. On the bright side, though, the menus aren't as slow as they have been in previous years, so at least you can back out of the microtransaction screens nice and quickly.
Game modes galore
Ultimate Team sees meaningful updates, too. Live Events and Gauntlets encourage squad rotation and creativity, while disconnects now award wins if the score is tied, a small but satisfying touch that will do plenty of players' favours. Rivals qualifiers are streamlined, Weekend League has an extra tier, although it is still very much Ultimate Team, the moreish mode you love to hate.
Clubs introduces Archetypes for your Pro: pick Magician, Engine, or whatever suits your style and level up gradually. Previously, switching styles mid-game was simple; now it takes commitment, which could frustrate some, but also gives progression some teeth. Plus, you can finally join multiple clubs. Long overdue, and worth cheering for.
Rush mode has also smoothed out rubber-banding issues and added alternative commentary, making it far more enjoyable for five-a-side fun because the commentary from last year’s game was enough to make anyone question their sanity.
Final verdict
EA Sports FC 26 is a game of two halves. On the field, it’s sharper, smarter, and more fun than FC 25. Career Mode has been given real attention, Ultimate Team feels largely the same but slightly kinder, and the introduction of separate presets shows EA is finally listening to the community. Off the field, the Premium Season Pass casts a long shadow, nudging even offline players into spending cash.
Despite the monetisation, there’s still plenty to love here. FC 26 proves that small, thoughtful changes can add up to a genuinely enjoyable football experience.
Even if you were expecting a reinvention, you won’t get it here, but this version of FC feels great at this stage of the game, and Career Mode is the closest it's been to an intricate, fully fledged mode in years.
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