EA Sports FC 26 is here! There’s comfort in routine; a cup of tea in the morning, a heatwave when the Leaving Cert starts, and EA releasing another football game that looks suspiciously like the last one. EA Sports FC 26 (FC26 for anyone who values their time) arrives with all the ceremony of a club unveiling yet another new kit; an improvement, but not exactly anything you weren’t really expecting
Still, credit where it’s due: there are improvements this year. Genuine ones. And while FC26 won’t have you calling it the second coming of football games, it might at least make you nod politely and say, “Alright, fair play.”
Olé Olé Olé Olé
The biggest difference you’ll notice this year is responsiveness. Last year, your players’ reactions to your button presses had a noticeable lag. This year, they actually do what you ask; mostly. It feels tighter, quicker, and just that bit less like you’re fighting with them to do what you actually tried to make them do
It’s undoubtedly the same underlying engine behind it all. It’s the gaming equivalent of someone getting a very nice haircut but still being recognisably themselves. You won’t walk into the room and say, “Who’s that?” but you might say, “Oh, you look a little nicer today”
It’s become fun again to take on defenders with a dribble rather than the AI players making actual intelligent and meaningful runs to give you options. Defending, meanwhile, remains an exercise in zen meditation rather than a contact sport, although the new “pressure shading” mechanic does add some tactical spice. It rewards brains over brute force, which is unfortunate news for people who defend by mashing the tackle button.
Taking a shot actually feels intuitive and makes sense. Much less of an “if I shoot from this angle, I’ll definitely score” experience. It just feels more realistic.
Match Your Expectations?
Ultimate Team remains as dangerously addictive as ever for those who are that way inclined. I have never been a fan, but I know people who spend a ridiculous amount of time and money on it.
FC26 doesn’t radically reinvent the mode, but there are some genuinely welcome tweaks. The progression track is clearer and more generous. The improved chemistry system also means you can build a team without feeling like you’re trying to solve a maths puzzle written by someone who hates you personally. As with everything the yearly updates provide, it is an improvement, but it isn’t going to pull you in if you aren’t already invested.
I’d Love It If We Beat Them
Career Mode players often feel like they’re writing letters to Santa that EA skims but never fully reads. FC26 delivers a few presents, though. The new development system is actually intuitive for once, and the matchday presentation has more bite. The crowds feel louder, stadiums more alive, and commentary slightly less robotic (but sadly still as repetitive).
You will notice the same phrases being repeated the more you play. That is unavoidable, but at least they are said in some relative contextual accuracy. There is an opportunity to play through Match Highlights rather than the whole game, which is a godsend for people who find the whole season a bit of a grind. There is the usual Manager mode and Player Mode. Again, it’s better. Not groundbreaking, but better.
Striker!!!
FC26 looks great. It always has, really. The players have slightly more natural movement this year, but it’s honestly almost TV realistic. But the improvements are incremental rather than transformative. Commentary, despite new lines, still loops quicker than a busker with only one song. Stadiums are prettier, yes, but you’ll still notice the occasional fan doing an enthusiastic clap that is so out of sync with the way they should be reacting. Also, the character models repeat sometimes, giving a Stepford Wives eerie vibe.
Final Score!
EA Sports FC 26 is exactly what many expected. It is familiar, reliable, and sprinkled with enough improvements to justify its existence without quite justifying the hype. It’s like a team grinding out a 2–1 win. You would be hard-pressed to say it was the match of the season, but it is solid, respectable, and worth watching if you’re invested.
If you’ve played the last few years and were hoping for a leap forward, you might be mildly disappointed. FC26 is the best football game in the market, but it’s not a huge upgrade from FC25. But if you’re after the best-feeling, most responsive version of EA’s football formula to date, FC26 delivers. It won’t blow your socks off. But it will at least make you laugh, shout, and occasionally punch the air when you score that last-minute winner.
And really, isn’t that what these games are all about?
Stay tuned to GamEir. Come talk with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir).
I promise we’re nice! Keep up with our streams over on Twitch (GamEir) and our videos on YouTube (GamEir), and we’ll give you all the latest content.