EA FC 26 latest info: Release Date, New Features, Icons

With the recent premiere of the trailer for EA FC 26, we received more details regarding the game, confirmed by EA Sports. If you don’t know what is happening, we are here to fill you in on the details about the new game. FC 26 is the next game in EA’s football franchise. Each game of the series comes with changes and features that make the series fun to play and interesting.

Through the premier, we also saw the shiny new icon of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. For EA FC 26, we got new info regarding the release date, features and icons. Let’s follow LDShop, as we will cover all the information regarding FC 26. Let’s get started!

The Release Date of EA FC 26

FC 26 will follow the franchise of the game in having a standard and an Ultimate Edition. Both editions will be available starting September 26 of this year. The Ultimate Edition owners will get early access to the game on September 19. There are certain differences between the two versions, mainly with the bonuses that you can get at the start of the game. One key difference between the editions is the price.

• The Standard Edition of EA FC 26 will set you back $69.99 or £69.99. FC 25 also had the same pricing for the Standard Version.
• The Ultimate Edition of EA FC 26 is a bit pricier, setting you back $99.99 or £99.99 for all the supported platforms except for the Switch. If you are planning on playing FC 26 Ultimate Edition on the Switch 2, it will cost you $89.99 or £79.99.

The addition of the Nintendo Switch might be a breakthrough for EA Sports. We will have to see how the game will perform on that platform, with its certain limitations. But, as with how EA acts, they still support the older consoles. EA FC 26 can be played on the following platforms:

• PS4
• PS5
• Xbox One
• Xbox Series X/S
• Nintendo Switch
• Nintendo Switch 2
• PC

The Cover Players of EA FC 26

With any football or any sports games, in fact, the players that you can play with are the main source of fun. It especially holds true with the cover player. Like the previous versions of the game, there will be different cover players for the Standard and the Ultimate Edition of the game. EA Sports has confirmed that we will get Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala as the cover players for the Standard Edition of EA FC 26.

As for the Ultimate Edition, we will see a peculiar case, where Zlatan Ibrahimovic will make a return. It is a peculiar case, as Zlatan was vehemently against using his likeness in the previous games. Fans are happy to get Zlatan on the cover of FC 26 Ultimate Edition.

The Icons in EA FC 26

If you are new to the game and its franchise, the icons are the best players in the game. The Icons refer to the players who have retired, but you can still play as them in their prime in the game. Within the game, they have some of the highest stats and skill sets. Currently, with the info on hand from leakers, there are suggestions that there will be 12 legends. These icons include fan favourites and long-awaited players. From what we know till now, here are the icons who will make their stint in FC 26:

• Zlatan Ibrahimovic
• Toni Kroos
• Marcelo
• Andres Iniesta
• Alex Morgan
• Oliver Kahn
• Giorgio Chiellini
• Francesco Totti
• Sara Thunebro
• Cha Bum-kun
• Sissi
• Steffi Jones

While the list of icons is not confirmed by EA Sports, if they introduce these players, fans will rejoice. With Zlatan Ibrahimovic, it is likely confirmed that he will come in FC 26 as an icon, with his appearance on the cover of the game. We might see more of Zlatan in the game, now that he and EA have figured out terms for his inclusion in the game. Of course, to get these players, you will need to buy FC 26 coins. The best platform to make the top-up is LDShop, it lets players top up for less and it is a great way to save money.

Apart from Zlatan, there are many icons who will make fans go crazy. With the addition of the El Clásico greats, Andres Iniesta, Toni Kroos, and Marcelo, things will get spicy. We also have Giorgio Chiellini making an appearance in the game as an icon. Another long-awaited player is Francesco Totti, who makes his appearance in FC 26 after a long stint of staying away from the franchise. The same case applies to Oliver Kahn, who made his last game appearance in FIFA 08.

The New Upcoming Features in EA FC 26

With a new game of the franchise, you will find new features and some of the old features carried over, but better. In the case of EA FC 26, it still holds true. There are some changes to the gameplay. Even in the trailer for the game, the main highlight was for the changes in the gameplay and a nod to the community feedback, which paved the way for these changes. The main changes we know about are as follows:

• Game Presets
• The Gameplay
• Competition Modes
• Manager Live Challenges
• A Possible World Cup Mode

Game Presets

Listening to the feedback from players, we get to see both sides playing the game. While one side of the fanbase wants an authentic gaming experience, the other side wants a highly competitive game. Both these needs are addressed in EA FC 26. In the new version of the game, you will get to see two different approaches.

The first approach is Competitive. This approach is mainly directed at the people who want to have and see the game as a means to play with their favourite players. The other approach is the Authentic one, focusing more on the career mode. This approach focuses more on the real-life aspect of football and incorporates it in FC 26.

The Gameplay

While the main gameplay style for the matches hasn’t changed a lot, there have been updates with each iteration of the game. The same mentality of EA Sports holds true for FC 26. Whereby for FC 26, EA has confirmed that the game will have more responsive dribbling, smarter AI positioning, with sharper and explosive movement. These adjustments were made based on the feedback from the gamers. The game will also feature new Playstyles.

Competition Modes

FC 26 will include a new competition mode in the form of Challengers. The new mode, Challengers, will be a second-tier league that runs through the weekend. It is mainly intended for the players in the lower divisions of the game. In a similar way, Rivals and the Champions have been refreshed in FC 26.

Manager Live Challenges

Usually, with all football games, gamers will focus on the players, not on the managers who manage and ensure that the team works well. In EA FC 26, there will be more of a focus on the managers with a new Manager Live Challenge. EA thinks that the new event will help gamers get a taste of real-world scenarios. From the Manager Live Challenges, you can get Season points, vanity, icons, and heroes.

Similar to how players have a market, the managers will also have a market with the Manager Career. The manager market might lead to more game dynamics that we haven’t seen or experienced with the prior versions of the game.

A Possible World Cup Mode

The World Cup is a part of football that defines the greats and brings out the gamers to support their countries. But, since 2023, ever since the fallout between EA and FIFA, we haven’t seen a partnership between them. That event also caused the rebranding of FIFA to EA FC. But rumours have been circulating that there will be a new World Cup mode in FC 26. While we don’t know for sure, we can speculate that it might come.

Conclusion

EA Sports FC 26 will be a banger, simply put. The game looks promising, and the graphics seem to be similar to the FC 25, but still an upgrade regardless. At the end of the day, ensure that you have fun. May your battles be victorious and fruitful.