Lewis Barton

NUTMEG! adds a free update featuring five historic and fantasy World Cup match scenarios, a new in‑game League Cup, and an expanded Gaffer Mode with stricter financial management and tougher matches. The update, released to coincide with the 2026 World Cup, also introduces improvements such as delegated XI selection and various bug fixes and quality‑of‑life enhancements by developer Sumo Digital and publisher Secret Mode.

WWE 2K26 strengthens the series through refinement rather than a major gameplay overhaul. Its biggest additions are four match types, a roster of more than 400 wrestlers, CM Punk’s standout Showcase Mode, usable thumbtacks, expanded MyGM seasons and budgets, and significantly greater My Universe customization. Presentation and responsiveness remain strong, while weapon physics, visual quality and some new modes—particularly Dumpster Match and the inaccessible online Island content—are less impressive. The game earns a 4/5 rating as the most complete WWE 2K package so far, though not a perfect reinvention.

WWE 2K26 builds on the series’ recent recovery with more than 400 wrestlers, four new match types, a CM Punk-focused Showcase Mode, additional weapons and expanded My Universe features. An early four-hour hands-on session found Inferno and I Quit matches enjoyable, while Dumpster Match felt derivative and the shopping cart weapon was largely gimmicky. Improved transitions, presentation and customization make the game appealing to existing fans, but its familiar controls and limited gameplay overhaul mean it is an incremental improvement rather than a revolutionary sequel.

Blizzard President Johanna Faries outlines the company's plans for its 35th anniversary, including the return of BlizzCon in 2026 and major updates and expansions across its game portfolio. She says Blizzard is exploring film and television adaptations of multiple intellectual properties but will proceed cautiously with suitable partners. Faries highlights Diablo's 30-year legacy, upcoming Diablo 4 content including Lord of Hatred and the Warlock class, and the importance of community feedback in shaping development. She describes AI as a developer-led tool for accelerating creative work, subject to security, values and workforce safeguards, and says Blizzard will consider releases across platforms such as Nintendo Switch 2 when quality standards can be met.

Football Manager 26 introduces a Unity-based graphics overhaul, a redesigned interface, women’s football, a fully licensed Premier League and a new dual in-possession/out-of-possession tactics system. The tactics options and visual presentation are significant improvements, but the interface is initially confusing and the match engine does not always execute intended attacking instructions. Several familiar features, including touchline shouts, heatmaps, player and staff comparisons, and international management at launch, have been removed or postponed. Overall, the game is judged a worthwhile but frustrating update that improves on FM24 without delivering a groundbreaking transformation.

EA Sports FC 26 is presented as a major improvement over FC 25, particularly through faster, smoother and more responsive competitive gameplay, better dribbling, passing, tackling and goalkeeping, and a slower Ultimate Team progression curve. Career Mode benefits from Manager Live challenges, deeper simulation, a Manager Market and unexpected events, although its authentic gameplay is criticized as slow and sluggish. Clubs has also been substantially redesigned around Archetypes, while customization remains strong. Despite weaker elements such as pack weight, AI defending and dull press conferences, the review awards the game 5/5 and calls it EA's best football title in years.

The EA FC 26 Companion App is expected to launch around 6pm BST, 1pm EDT, and 10am PDT on September 18, 2025, ahead of the game's early-access release. It will update the existing EA FC 25 Companion App on iOS and Android and provide selected Ultimate Team features, including the store, objectives, Squad Building Challenges, Evolutions, and quick-sell recovery. Access may initially be limited to returning EA FC 25 players who logged into Ultimate Team before August 1 and still have an existing club. The app will not support full gameplay, and FC Points from the Ultimate Edition will not appear until the full game launches on September 19.

The EA FC 26 Ultimate Team Web App is scheduled to launch around 6 p.m. BST, 1 p.m. EDT, and 10 a.m. PDT on September 17, 2025, two days before the full game release. Access is expected to be limited to returning EA FC 25 players who used Ultimate Team before August 1 and still have an existing club. The Web App will provide features including the FUT Store, Objectives, Squad Building Challenges, Evolutions, club management, Welcome Back packs, and the first Team of the Week squad, but EA FC 26 gameplay and pre-ordered FC Points will remain unavailable until the full launch.

EA Sports has confirmed the 26 highest-rated male players in EA FC 26 Ultimate Team. Mohamed Salah joins Kylian Mbappe as the joint-highest-rated player at 91 overall after a two-point upgrade, while Ousmane Dembele rises four points to 90. Manchester City players Erling Haaland and Rodri drop from 91 to 90, and several players—including Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Achraf Hakimi—make significant gains. Fifteen players from last year’s top group remain, while Kevin De Bruyne, Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and others fall out.

EA Sports is overhauling the Rivals mode in EA Sports FC 26 with randomly triggered Bounties that can award Rivals Points, Champions Qualification Points, coins, packs, Season XP and stage skips. Bounty Duels will match players pursuing the same objective, while Limited Checkpoints will track losses and allow relegation after a variable number of defeats. Rivals will also introduce win-streak bonuses, letting players climb up to two stages and earn double points. The changes are intended to provide more rewards, challenges and movement for players ahead of the game's September 26, 2025 release.

EA FC 26 introduces five new PlayStyles: Enforcer, Gamechanger, Inventive, Aerial Fortress and Precision Header. The new system replaces Trivela, Flair, Power Header and Aerial, refining their effects into more specialized attacking and defensive abilities. Gamechanger players can perform trivela shots, Inventive players can perform trivela passes, Aerial Fortress strengthens defensive aerial play, Precision Header improves controlled attacking headers, and Enforcer helps attackers protect the ball during contact and dribbling. EA FC 26 launches worldwide on September 26, 2025, with early access beginning September 19.

EA Sports FC 26 will include more than 130 authentic stadiums, with 11 new grounds and several redesigned venues. Notable additions and returns include Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena, Napoli’s Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Beşiktaş’ Tüpraş Stadyumu, Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium and Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium. Mallorca’s Son Moix, Portsmouth’s Fratton Park and Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge have also been rebuilt. The game will feature stadiums across numerous domestic leagues and international competitions, although Barcelona’s Camp Nou and Milan’s San Siro remain absent.

EA Sports FC 26 will support crossplay between Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC, with a separate crossplay pool for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 are excluded. Crossplay is enabled by default and appears in multiple online modes, though PC and console players will not share an Ultimate Team transfer market. Dual Entitlement lets buyers upgrade from Xbox One to Xbox Series X|S or from PS4 to PS5 at no extra cost, with progress transferring on the same account; cross-platform upgrades are not supported.

EA Sports FC 26 will include more than 35 playable leagues, over 20,000 players, more than 750 clubs and national teams, and over 120 authentic stadiums. Confirmed competitions span major European leagues, domestic women’s leagues, and divisions in countries including Argentina, Australia, China, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the United States. EA has also announced new partnerships with the English Football Association, Bayern Munich and Chelsea Women. Brazil’s domestic league remains absent, while Liga MX is not listed despite ending its partnership with Konami’s eFootball.

Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One players can reportedly gain up to 11 hours of additional EA Sports FC 26 access by changing their console location to New Zealand. Players with early access can begin on September 18, 2025, while standard-edition players can begin on September 25, ahead of the worldwide release on September 26. The method does not work on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, or PC, and players are advised to restore their actual location afterward to avoid matchmaking region-lock issues.

EA Sports is asking the public to choose a new EA FC 26 Ultimate Team Hero from three Bayern Munich legends: Stefan Effenberg, Claudio Pizarro, and Giovane Elber. The vote is hosted on the EA Sports website, following Bayern Munich’s new partnership with EA Sports, which also brings back the Allianz Arena and features Jamal Musiala on the game’s cover. EA FC 26 launches on September 26, 2025, with early access beginning September 19.

Lewis Barton predicts the 100 highest-rated players in EA Sports FC 26 ahead of its September 26, 2025 release, emphasizing that none of the ratings are official. Mohamed Salah and Alexia Putellas are forecast to rise to 91 overall and join Kylian Mbappe and Aitana Bonmati at the top, while Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Rodri are predicted to drop to 90. Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Barcelona Women and Arsenal are each forecast to have seven players in the top 100, making them the most represented clubs.

EA Sports is removing the Griddy celebration from normal use and the transfer market in EA Sports FC 26 Ultimate Team. Players can retain access by completing the Griddy to Glory Daily Play Completionist Objective in EA FC 25 five times before September 10, requiring at least 30 matches under the stated conditions. The reward also includes a 99-rated Futties Icon Ronaldinho and additional player picks.

EA FC 26’s Web App is expected to launch on September 17, 2025, two days before early access, while the Companion App is expected on September 18. Based on previous releases, the Web App may include the first Team of the Week squad, and a free Training Camp Evolution could also be available. Both apps will let players manage Ultimate Team, purchase packs, access the transfer market, complete Squad Building Challenges, recover quick-sold players and build a squad before the full game launches.

Leaked EA FC 26 ratings reportedly place Mohamed Salah at the top with a 91 overall rating after a two-point upgrade. Kylian Mbappe, Aitana Bonmati, Alexia Putellas, Rodri and several other players are also listed at 91, while Vinicius Jr and Erling Haaland are said to have fallen from 91 to 90. The extensive list, attributed primarily to FutSheriff and DonkTrading, remains unofficial and could change before EA FC 26 launches on September 26, 2025, with early access beginning September 19.

EA FC 26 is scheduled for worldwide release on September 26, 2025, but players can access it earlier in several ways. The Ultimate Edition and EA Play Pro provide unlimited access from September 19, while the standard EA Play tier offers a 10-hour trial from that date. The Web App and Companion App are expected to give Ultimate Team players an advance start, although their release dates were not confirmed. Xbox players with early access may also be able to use the New Zealand region-setting trick to play ahead of other time zones, depending on the final release schedule.

EA Sports has officially announced 12 new Icons for EA FC 26 Ultimate Team, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alex Morgan, Andrés Iniesta, Toni Kroos and Marcelo. The players receive Debut Icon ratings ranging from 85 to 86, which will upgrade to Champion Icon ratings of 88 to 92 in November. Pre-ordering the EA FC 26 Ultimate Edition by August 26 provides one of 15 available Debut Icon items: the 12 new Icons plus Ronaldo Nazário, Thierry Henry and Steven Gerrard.

Sports Interactive has confirmed Football Manager 26 and released a 30-second teaser featuring improved graphics, official Premier League assets and commentary from Peter Drury. The announcement follows the cancellation of Football Manager 25 after development problems linked to the planned Unity engine transition, which resulted in refunds for pre-orders. Football Manager 26 is expected to include women's football, a feature originally intended for FM25, while further details and a release date are due in the coming weeks.

EA FC 25’s final Futties squad, Team 5, has entered Ultimate Team packs through August 15, featuring six 99-rated players—Mohamed Salah, Cole Palmer, Désiré Doué, Franz Beckenbauer, Andrea Pirlo and Gareth Bale. The squad also includes highly rated Icons, Heroes and regular players, while further Futties content, including anticipated Erling Haaland and Diego Maradona SBCs, themed Evolutions and a pre-season campaign, is expected before EA FC 26.