We analyze for Xbox Series the new installment of this year of the king soccer game, EA Sports FC 26.
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The football season kicks off this year with a highly anticipated novelty for the community: the arrival of EA Sports FC 26. As of today, September 19, players with the Ultimate edition can already enjoy early access, while the general release will take place next Friday, September 26. A seven-day difference that allows the most impatient to start building their team and trying out the new features earlier. Remember, if you have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you have a 10-hour free trial to play starting today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnL0Vg10y5s
I’ve played throughout the week on both Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, and the experience has been virtually identical on both consoles. Beyond minor visual differences in resolution, the truth is that in terms of gameplay, it feels the same, which is great news for those with the smaller Xbox console. EA has listened to players this year and, although we’re not facing a complete revolution from top to bottom, we do find enough new features and adjustments to perceive a leap compared to the previous title. As an extra, I’ll mention that I also tried the Xbox One version; while there are significant graphical cuts, the game still plays very well on this console, offering everything the superior versions do, but with some different mechanics and a few other adjustments. But overall, I found it to be a very worthy and perfectly playable version.
Technical Section
In terms of graphics, EA Sports FC 26 bets on continuity but introduces subtle improvements that are noticeable on the field. The new animations add an extra layer of realism: runs look more fluid, turns are more natural, and the players’ movements seem more intelligent, especially the more recognized ones. It’s not a generational leap, but rather a refinement that makes matches more organic and visually appealing.
The first impression when you start playing can be that you’re playing the previous installment; I can assure you, it happened to me. But as you play more matches, you notice those improvements and small changes that enhance the experience and are appreciated. As always, we’re at the beginning, and there will be updates and changes, but this first version is quite convincing overall. In this sense, EA continues to pave the way: currently, it’s hard to imagine another title that can surpass what this saga offers in terms of football atmosphere.
In Spain, the commentary is once again handled by DJ Mario and Miguel Ángel Román, a duo that has become customary in recent years. Their direct and casual style has divided opinions among the community, and although not everyone is convinced (I’m not a big fan of the duo), the truth is that it has become a hallmark of the franchise in the new installments following the name change from FIFA to FC. The game’s interface remains a weak point; it can get stuck or be slow, and you might have to restart the game because it freezes. This was already an issue in the previous game, and it seems EA hasn’t quite found the solution yet. It’s not something terrible, but after several years, they should have solved it by now and made the interface faster and more intuitive.
Gameplay
In terms of gameplay, EA has chosen to evolve based on the already known foundation. At first, it may seem like there aren’t drastic changes, but as you play more matches, you discover small adjustments and changes that make a difference. For example, goalkeepers now have new reactions: they can make spectacular saves at times, although in other instances, they still make rookie mistakes that lead to unexpected goals. This contrast, although frustrating at times, gives a sense of realism. I know it may sound strange, but balancing goalkeepers to everyone’s liking is impossible; for me, they’re fine, but I’m sure other players have different opinions. What I do know is that it’s one of the most random positions in the game, and you won’t need the best goalkeeper to make more saves; randomness is what makes the difference in matches.
The new realistic and competitive gameplay options are a success and one of the things we’ve been asking EA for years. The first focuses on offering a more faithful experience to real football, mainly designed for Career mode, while the second is optimized for online and Ultimate Team, with more agility in passes and more balanced duels. This division allows each player to adjust the experience to what they’re really looking for.
Ultimate Team, the star mode of the saga, continues to grow with more content and new ways to compete. Live events, tournaments, and the return of elimination modes add variety. Additionally, the introduction of new rewards within modes like Rivals presents new challenges that give us a reason to complete that match or checkpoint to get extra rewards.
There are also improvements in Rivals and Champ, now with clearer progression and no need for playoffs to qualify. This is another point that urgently needed a change; making a qualifier for FutChamp was a mistake that they’ve finally fixed, and now all players can have their place without having to go through eliminatory matches and unbalanced matchmakings that made many give up on trying. In the days I’ve played and over 25 hours, I’ve seen that the matchmakings work well using crossplay; evidently, during the tests, there were few people, but the experience has been good. We’ll see how it behaves once everyone starts playing in the coming days.
Beyond UT, the renovation of the Career mode stands out. With live manager challenges, each season feels different, with scenarios inspired by real or even fictional alternative situations. This gives more life to the mode, which has historically been one of the most demanded in terms of new features. On the other hand, archetypes inspired by sports legends introduce more varied progression in both Player Career and Clubs, making your footballer have their own identity.
Duration
Talking about the duration in EA Sports FC 26 is complicated because it’s a title that has no end. The number of hours will depend on what each player wants to invest in their favorite game modes. From my experience, I’ve spent the entire week playing and have barely scratched the surface of what the game offers.
The Career mode is also virtually endless, as you can manage multiple seasons, sign, train, and experiment with different teams and archetypes. Clubs gain more depth with the new progression systems and live events, which encourage regular play to unlock improvements.
It’s evident that the biggest challenge for EA will be keeping the community active over the next few months. The foundation is solid, but everything will depend on how updates, events, and seasonal rewards are managed. In this sense, the Canadian studio has an important challenge ahead.
Conclusion
EA Sports FC 26 is a step forward in the saga, although not a revolutionary leap. The new animations, the division between realistic and competitive gameplay, and the improvements in Ultimate Team and Career are enough to make the game feel more complete and renewed. At the same time, it retains that essence that makes it so recognizable, which will please the franchise’s veterans.
There are aspects to improve, such as the goalkeepers’ artificial intelligence or certain repetitive behaviors in matches, but overall, we’re facing a notable release that will please fans.
EA has listened to fans and integrated many of their requests, which is noticeable from the start. It may not surprise in the first hours, but the more you play, the more you value the changes, and the harder it is to put the controller down.
We thank Electronic Arts for the material provided to carry out this analysis.
Founder and editor of SoloXboxOne and Generación Xbox. He is also one of the owners of the GX Group, Samsung Universe and the Reflotes forum. Adrian has reviewed over 200 games on the web and has an average score of 85 according to Opencritic. Among his expertise as a writer and analyst, he has interviewed Microsoft personalities and participated in private gaming events.
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