EA Sports FC 26 Review - Gameplay Is Everything!

Another year, another EA football game but is FC26 really the fresh start we’ve been waiting for?

Last year’s FC25 promised big things but fell apart almost immediately. Ultimate Team patches wrecked the balance, headers were pointless, and defending absolutely appalling and by the end, many including myself just walked away.

This time around though, it looks as though EA has listened to player feedback. They’ve introduced two distinct gameplay styles, revamped Career Mode, and rebuilt Clubs from the ground up. These are some big promises, but does FC26 actually deliver, or is it just hype all over again?

Gameplay – Authentic vs. Competitive

The headline change this year is the split between Authentic and Competitive gameplay, and it really does alter how the game feels.

Authentic mode slows everything down and aims for realism. Midfielders track back properly, headers are once again a viable weapon, and tackles finally stick instead of bouncing straight back to attackers. Playing this way felt more tactical — I had to think about build-up play and use width, and scoring from a cross or a set piece actually felt rewarding again. The flip side is that the pace can sometimes feel sluggish, and the heavier animations won’t suit players who prefer quick, end-to-end football.

Competitive mode, by contrast, is faster and sharper, and it’s where I had the most fun. Dribbling is smoother, passing has more snap thanks to the new one-frame mechanic, and shooting feels balanced, with low-drivens toned down and finesse shots more rewarding. Goalkeepers are a clear upgrade too — not perfect, but far more consistent than last year. The only major disappointment is defending. EA insists manual defending is the future, but too often the AI still does too much of the work, which holds the system back.

Overall, though, the gameplay feels like a genuine step forward. Authentic is thoughtful and rewarding, Competitive is quick and exciting, and for the first time in years, I wanted to keep playing match after match.

Match Atmosphere – Football, Not Pinball

One of the most refreshing things about FC26 is how Authentic mode changes the feel of matches. Games are no longer chaotic end-to-end shootouts. Instead, you’ll often grind out 1–0 or 2–1 scorelines where every clearance and every interception feels meaningful. Corners and crosses once again carry weight, physical battles between wingers and fullbacks feel authentic, and even scrappy goals feel dramatic.

The atmosphere during gameplay is fantastic — but the problem is everything around it. Commentary is recycled to the point where I started tuning it out, crowd reactions are generic, and broadcast-style presentation has barely evolved. On the pitch, the tension and flow are better than they’ve been in years. Off the pitch, the atmosphere feels stuck in time.

Ultimate Team – Slower Progression, Same Old Grind

Ultimate Team is still EA’s money-spinner, and FC26 hasn’t reinvented it. But it has slowed things down in a way that makes the early weeks much more enjoyable. The power curve has been flattened, meaning you don’t run into fully stacked squads on day one. That makes early Rivals games feel fairer, and squad-building feels like an actual journey instead of an immediate arms race.

The progression system in Rivals has been given more teeth, too, with hot streaks and relegation threats making every game feel like it matters. Gone are the days where I would be stuck in division 3 and never being able to get relegated and instead be stuck with overpowered teams and losing on a constant basis. Menus are cleaner, objectives are better organized, and the new pack animations are a slick touch.

The downside is obvious: it’s still Ultimate Team. If you don’t spend money, you’ll eventually fall behind, no matter how well you play. Packs remain the dominant way to progress, and the grind is as present as ever. The slower curve is an improvement, but the fundamental structure hasn’t changed.

Career Mode – A Genuine Refresh

Career Mode finally feels alive again, even if the changes aren’t as sweeping as EA wants you to think.

The biggest addition is Manager Life, which throws in scenarios like points deductions, transfer bans, or squad morale problems. These force you to adapt and make long saves more interesting. Unexpected Events add a bit more personality too, with players becoming homesick or injuries throwing plans into chaos.

I also liked the ability to simulate up to five leagues in full. Loan players finally feel connected to the world, developing in ways you can actually track. Scouting is improved as well, with scouts now offering potential ranges rather than leaving you to rely on outside sources. Tactically, roles and formations matter more than before — enough that a small tweak can noticeably change how your team plays.

But Career Mode still has limits. Press conferences are repetitive, the squad hub looks the same, and Authentic gameplay can feel slow over long sessions. Still, compared to last year, it’s the most fun I’ve had in Career Mode in a long time.

Clubs – Archetypes and the Grind

Clubs has undergone a major rebuild. The old skill tree has been scrapped, replaced with archetypes modeled after football legends. Instead of pouring points into random stats, you now earn archetype points and use them to slowly mold your pro into the type of player you want. The system is slower, but more structured, and I found it more rewarding to see my pro develop deliberately instead of through scattershot upgrades.

Customization remains strong, with plenty of options for kits, badges, and your player’s appearance. On the pitch, stamina has been tweaked so you never completely run out, which keeps matches competitive right to the final whistle. Even small touches, like expanding in-game chat messages from four to sixteen, add more flavor to the experience.

The tradeoff is that progression is slow. Painfully slow. After a dozen games, I barely felt like I’d advanced, and I can see a lot of casual players giving up long before their pro reaches their peak. For hardcore players, the grind makes sense. For anyone dipping in occasionally, it risks being off-putting.

Licensing – Still Embarrassing

For me, licensing is where FC26 really stumbles yet again and I guess that's the inevitable these days after they dropped the FIFA moniker a few years back. Argentina’s return is nice, but Brazil’s top league and Liga MX are missing yet again and this is just such a big missed opportunity. For a company with EA’s resources, that’s inexcusable and it just dampens the experience.

Presentation & Performance – Polished, but Familiar

I have to say the presentation is a real mixed bag this year. Menus are sharper though can get laggy from time to time, squad-building challenges have better layouts, and some player faces have been rescanned. When you combine that with smoother gameplay, matches definitely look more authentic in motion.  But for me, the commentary is being recycled yet again, crowds feel ultra generic, and small annoyances like white text on white interview screens are still around. EA have certainly polished the edges but it still has a ton of blemishes especially around navigation. I did come across a few crashes here and there within menus and I swear it feels like some issues are still prevalent from EA FC 25.

In terms of performance on Xbox though across both the Series consoles it's a really good affair like we see every single year. You do again get a Performance and Fidelity mode on both consoles with one aiming for better visual quality and the other solely for a more stable frame rate. They both hit 60fps so to me, you might as well keep it on Fidelity as there are little to no changes outside of specific cutscenes. 

Verdict – The Best in Years, but Not Perfect

So, is FC26 worth buying? I think it is — with caveats.

Gameplay is the best it’s been in years. Authentic gives players who want realism a slower, more thoughtful game, while Competitive offers sharp, exciting matches that feel great to play. Career Mode has been given proper attention, Clubs feels deeper, and Ultimate Team’s slower progression makes the grind less overwhelming.

But the flaws are impossible to ignore. Defending is still too AI-dependent, Authentic can feel sluggish, presentation is stale, and licensing is embarrassing for a game of this scale. And of course, Ultimate Team is still built on microtransactions, even if it feels fairer at the start.

Compared to FC25, though, this is a huge step forward. For Career Mode and Clubs players, it’s worth buying now. For Ultimate Team fans, it’s a healthier grind but the same treadmill underneath.

It’s not a revolution, but it’s a genuine step in the right direction.