Soccer, or football as most of the world calls it, hasn’t fundamentally changed much in decades. The core idea remains simple: get the ball into the opponent’s net more often than they do yours. So, how does an annual series like EA Sports FC manage to evolve when the sport itself isn’t drastically reinventing its rulebook? For me, it all comes down to those subtle but impactful quality-of-life improvements. And on that front, FC 26 delivers. This installment is packed with thoughtful adjustments that make it one of the most enjoyable soccer games in recent memory, boasting tighter dribbling, sharper passing, and noticeably smarter goalkeeper AI. However, this goodwill is unfortunately overshadowed by some of the most aggressive microtransactions EA has ever dared to introduce. While FC 26 genuinely takes a step forward in core gameplay, this progress feels largely confined to the virtual pitch.
A phenomenal example of these strides is the introduction of new gameplay presets. Historically, everyone played with a singular style, whether battling rivals in Ultimate Team or conquering leagues in Manager Mode against AI. This year, EA has smartly diversified with two distinct options: Competitive and Authentic. The Competitive preset delivers the rapid-fire action and intelligent AI teammates veteran FC/FIFA players are accustomed to. Meanwhile, the Authentic mode aims for a more realistic simulation of weekend matches, featuring slower player movement that demands greater tactical prowess for scoring opportunities.
Crucially, these two options operate independently. This separation allows EA to fine-tune Competitive mode for balance without inadvertently affecting the Authentic experience, a limitation in previous FC iterations. Players engage with FC 26 for different reasons: Career Mode enthusiasts seek realism, while Ultimate Team and Clubs players prioritize fair online competition. Offering two distinct gameplay styles effectively caters to both communities, preventing their ideals from clashing.
One peculiar restriction, however, is that the Authentic preset is exclusively available for offline modes. This means it’s unavailable even for single-player content within Ultimate Team, such as Squad Battles matches. It’s a puzzling omission that I hope is addressed, especially considering how other new features, like the Season Pass, are universally applied.
This might be the worst version of a Season Pass in a sports game yet.
Before delving into other positive developments, we must address the Season Pass, a significant source of frustration. Although EA foreshadowed its arrival by introducing a paid Season Pass late in FC 25’s cycle, its day-one inclusion in FC 26 still stings. While players can theoretically opt for the free version or even earn enough in-game currency to purchase it without real-world money, this particular Season Pass might be the most aggressively monetized one seen in a sports game to date.
The core problem with FC 26’s Season Pass is its pervasive reach. It’s not just about earning rewards for Ultimate Team, where players are (regrettably) already conditioned to open their wallets. It also doles out numerous rewards for Clubs, Player Career, and Manager Career. This becomes particularly problematic in Manager Mode, a key selling point for FC 26: the long-awaited inclusion of Icons and Heroes. For the first time, you can add legends like Luis Figo, Toni Kroos, and Julie Foudy to your Manager Mode saves. This should be a groundbreaking feature, but EA made the baffling decision to lock many of these iconic players behind the Season Pass.
This decision is frustrating for several reasons. Firstly, you’re unlikely to accumulate enough XP for these players by solely playing Manager or Player Career Mode. While EA might introduce more XP-earning opportunities for non-Ultimate Team players, the current setup practically necessitates diving into the lootbox-ridden Ultimate Team or spending real money to complete enough of the pass to unlock Career Mode legends like Gianfranco Zola, Miroslav Klose, and Park Ji-Sung. Even as a primary Ultimate Team player, this change feels genuinely awful.
Furthermore, this is just the first Season Pass. If FC 26 continues this trend of locking Icons and Heroes behind subsequent passes, we can expect fan favorites like Ronaldinho, Toni Kroos, and Johan Cruyff to become exclusive paywalled content. This unfortunate situation clearly highlights EA’s relentless pursuit of extracting more money from its player base. It’s already disheartening for Ultimate Team players, but now even offline Career Mode enthusiasts are pressured to spend. Forcing this Season Pass onto everyone feels like a step too far, even for EA.
Most of the modes feature fun updates to their tried and true formulas.
What makes this monetization push even more galling is that many of FC 26’s modes actually feature refreshing updates to their established formulas. For instance, the new Manager Live Hub offers engaging challenges and opportunities to earn new club jerseys. This feels like a natural evolution towards a more historical mode, akin to the Negro Leagues option in MLB The Show. You’ll be tasked with recreating iconic moments, like Jamal Musiala’s double for Bayern Munich, or leading an underdog club such as SK Rapid or Strasbourg to European glory. While the classic Career Mode remains, Manager Live introduces a dynamic roster of challenges to test your skills both on and off the field.
Even Ultimate Team, despite its monetization woes, introduces several small but meaningful changes. From the return of tournaments to the ability to customize cosmetics on your Evolutions, these features appear thoughtfully implemented to address long-standing fan requests. EA has also diligently worked on improving online play stability, and so far, major server issues have been minimal. While occasional slowdowns during peak hours are still present, the experience has never felt unplayable.
Regrettably, EA’s promise of a slower power curve in Ultimate Team has, in its early stages, paradoxically made the mode even more pay-to-win. Rewards across all modes have been significantly reduced. While slowing down progression sounds reasonable in theory, allowing cards to remain viable for longer, these intentions appear far less noble when contrasted with the availability of $30 “lottery tickets” offering immediate access to top-tier players. Previously, players could either pay with money or invest considerable time and effort. While working the Transfer Market for Coins is still an option, average players will find themselves significantly outmatched unless they’re willing to open their wallets.
Clubs mode has arguably seen the fewest dramatic changes, though the new Archetype system provides a clever progression mechanic. While I’m not a dedicated Clubs player, the ability to choose and emulate a famous player from soccer’s history simplifies role adherence and offers a clearer sense of progression. While a definitive meta will undoubtedly emerge soon, this change has intrigued me enough to wish I had a consistent group of ten friends to play with.
Thankfully, the on-pitch gameplay in FC 26 might just be the best of the current console generation. This isn’t solely due to the split between Authentic and Competitive modes; FC 26 generally feels more responsive than ever. This manifests in numerous ways, but the most immediately noticeable improvement is left-stick dribbling. The ball feels incredibly “sticky” to your player’s feet, allowing for precise micro-adjustments while maneuvering down the pitch. This enhanced control empowers players to set up passes more effectively and exploit defensive gaps.
Passing, too, feels notably crisper this year. While you won’t be pinging impossible no-look passes across the field, intelligent positioning allows for effective tiki-taka play to dismantle opponents while searching for an opening. Speed remains crucial on the wings, but in midfield, the emphasis shifts to controlling the tempo and delivering that one incisive pass for a clear shot on goal. If this makes FC 26 sound like it could devolve into a high-scoring frenzy, especially online in the faster Competitive mode, you’d be partially correct. Defending can be challenging. Misjudged tackles leave you even more exposed due to the improved dribbling, and your AI teammates already have a tendency to drift out of position.
To mitigate these defensive challenges, EA has significantly boosted goalkeeper AI. While your shot-stopper isn’t infallible, they demonstrate much greater intelligence in their positioning. You’ll still encounter the occasional bizarre bounce – that’s just soccer, after all – but goalkeepers are far less frustrating in FC 26. Not only do they position themselves better to narrow shooting angles, but they’re also more adept at punching and redirecting the ball away from danger. Instead of parrying a shot directly back into the path of an attacker, they’ll typically push it wide, buying your defense precious seconds to regroup. Although FC 26, particularly in online play, leans more offensive than real-life soccer, improved goalkeepers will at least ensure a more honest challenge this year.
Verdict
EA Sports FC 26 delivers some of the best on-pitch gameplay the series has seen in a long time. Dribbling is tight and responsive, passing is sharp, and goalkeepers finally feel like intelligent forces between the posts. However, despite these positive improvements to both match mechanics and various game modes, the increased focus on monetization is more intrusive than ever. Ultimate Team players have endured aggressive monetization for years, but now, even Career Mode players aren’t safe from the Season Pass’s heavy hand. If you can navigate the microtransaction madness, there’s a noticeably superior soccer game here, and that’s worth celebrating. Yet, FC 26 also reveals EA at its most money-hungry, making it hard not to worry about the future direction of the franchise.