Review of EA Sports FC 26 for Xbox – On the right path

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.

I’ve played throughout the week on both Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, and the experience has been practically identical on both consoles. Beyond punctual 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 wanted to listen 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 adjustments in mechanics and a few other things. But overall, I found it to be a very worthy and perfectly playable version.

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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. 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, believe me, 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 set the path: 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 in charge of DJ Mario and Miguel Ángel Román, a duo that has become habitual 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 after the name change from FIFA to FC. The game’s interface remains a weak point, sometimes getting stuck or being slow, and you’ll also find yourself having to restart the game because it freezes; this was already an issue in the previous game, and it seems EA hasn’t fully solved it yet. It’s not something terribly bad, but after several years, they could have completely solved it and made the interface faster and more intuitive.

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Gameplay

In terms of gameplay, EA has opted 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. Goalkeepers, for example, now have new reactions: they can make spectacular saves in some moments, although in others, they still make schoolyard errors that result in unexpected goals. This contrast, although frustrating at times, gives a certain 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 will have different opinions. What I do have clear 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 for from 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; putting 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 during more than 25 hours, I’ve seen that the matchmakings work well using crossplay; evidently, during these test days, 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 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.

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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.

Career mode is also practically infinite, 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 playing regularly 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.

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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 installment that will please.

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.