

EA Sports FC 26
Released 26 September 2025 Developer EA Canada (EA Vancouver), EA Romania Publisher Electronic Arts
FC 26 is the 2025 edition of EA's annual football game, with licensed leagues, clubs and players. You can play single matches, manage or play through a career, join online club teams, or build a squad in Ultimate Team, where players are collected from packs and challenges and used in online matches. It is made for football fans of all ages, though its card-pack side is the part parents should know about.
How it makes money
Harmful: chance, compulsion or exploitation
FC 26 is a paid game that also sells a virtual currency, FC Points, in packs from 100 points (A$1.85) up to 18,500 points (A$239.95). In the Ultimate Team mode, points buy packs of randomly chosen players, and there is a Season Pass with a paid Premium ladder. The game costs A$109.95 on Xbox, while the Steam store lists it at A$39.00 now that FC 27 has come out (late September 2026), so prices differ by store. EA's own opt-in Playtime tool lets players track and set weekly limits for matches, FC Points purchases and packs opened. Australia rates the game M because of its chance-based purchases.
How you pay
- Pay once
The game itself is a paid purchase: A$109.95 on the Xbox store, and A$39.00 on Steam as of 22 October 2026 after FC 27 launched.
- Editions
A new numbered game arrives each year (FC 27 followed in late September 2026), and the Ultimate Edition offered seven days of early access plus extras. Only limited carryover rewards go forward from FC 26 to FC 27.
- Loot boxes
Ultimate Team Packs bought with FC Points or earned Coins contain randomly chosen players and items. The Xbox store states that purchases include 'a random selection of virtual in-game items' and the ACB rates the game M for 'chance-based in-game purchases'. EA's Playtime tool tracks the packs a player opens; Pack Previews also exist and are not counted in those limits.
- Battle pass
FC 26 has a game-wide Season Pass with a Standard (free) ladder and a Premium ladder that needs real money; GameSpot noted this replaced the series' earlier free season pass.
minor part of the game - Game library
The game is also offered through EA Play, shown on its Steam page as 'unlimited access with EA Play', as an alternative to buying it.
minor part of the game
Techniques it uses to keep you paying or playing
- Game currency
FC Points are sold for A$1.85 (100) to A$239.95 (18,500); Ultimate Team Coins are earned in play and also open packs.
- Pay to win
In Ultimate Team, better players come from packs, so spending can build a stronger team. GameSpot noted people willing to spend can buy numerous packs and earn more from the Premium pass, and Tom's Guide said FUT rewards extra spending more than ever.
- FOMO timers
EA runs weekly Ultimate Team promotions with limited-time player cards, such as Summer Stars, Phenoms and FUTTIES in July 2026, and Season 10 Pre-Season from 13 August 2026.
- Collect all
Ultimate Team is built around collecting player cards, and completing groups of objectives earns extra 'Completionist' rewards.
minor part of the game
Fairer alternatives
Similar games with a healthier money model

Stardew Valley
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
What it costs
Price: A$74.48
| What | Where | Price | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Edition FC 27 Standard Edition is also A$109.95. |
Microsoft Store (AU) · Xbox Series ↗ | A$109.95 | Oct 2026 |
| Standard Edition Current Steam list price after FC 27's release; not shown as a sale discount. |
Steam (AU) · PC ↗ | A$39 | Oct 2026 |
| 100 FC Points (smallest pack) | Steam (AU) · PC ↗ | A$1.85 | Oct 2026 |
| 1,050 FC Points 500 points is A$8.45; 2,800 points is A$41.95; 5,900 points is A$79.95. |
Steam (AU) · PC ↗ | A$16.95 | Oct 2026 |
| 18,500 FC Points (largest pack) 12,000 points is A$159.95. The Xbox store lists the same pack prices. |
Steam (AU) · PC ↗ | A$239.95 | Oct 2026 |
Store prices change often and sales are common; we record the regular price on the date shown.
Reviews from across the web
What the critics said
-
7/ 10
IGN ↗
Rated the on-pitch play as the best in a long time but criticised the Season Pass as very aggressive monetisation.
-
8/ 10
GameSpot ↗
Saw a positive step forward from the two playstyles and many improvements, while disliking the new paid pass.
-
77/ 100
PC Gamer ↗
Liked the gameplay a lot but felt it was let down by an awkward menu design and extra clutter.
-
4/ 5
GamesRadar+ ↗
Said the gameplay changes aimed at pace and goals would divide Ultimate Team players more than pack opening does.
-
8/ 10
Nintendo Life ↗
Called the Switch 2 version a big step up from the earlier Switch editions, although it runs at 30fps and has a restricted Ultimate Team.
Scores belong to the outlets that published them; follow the links to read the full reviews. Summaries are ours.
Age ratings
Classification
Age ratings judge content (violence, language, gambling themes). They say little about how hard a game pushes spending — that's what the badges above are for. About rating boards
Safety & parental controls
Who can talk to your child, and what can they buy?
- Chat: not recorded
- Players can interact with strangers
- No user-made content
- Needs an online account
- Terms of service minimum age: 13
An EA account is needed and EA's terms set a minimum age of 13 (or the minimum age where the player lives), with a parent reviewing the terms if under 18. Online matches and Clubs put players in contact with others, and the ACB lists 'online interactivity and chat'. EA's child accounts cannot make purchases, and in some countries EA asks for an age check before premium currency for games with random-content mechanics can be bought. EA's FC Playtime is opt-in (it is not on by default) and lets a player set weekly limits on matches, FC Points purchases and Ultimate Team packs opened. Overseas boards rate it E (ESRB) and PEGI 3, but in Australia it is M because of the chance-based purchases.
Platforms & release
Where you can play it
| Platform | Released | Store |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch 2 Ultimate Team on Switch is gated off from the wider crossplay community, per Nintendo Life |
26 September 2025 | — |
| Nintendo Switch | 26 September 2025 | — |
| PlayStation 5 | 26 September 2025 | — |
| PlayStation 4 | 26 September 2025 | — |
| Xbox Series X|S | 26 September 2025 | Store page ↗ |
| Xbox One | 26 September 2025 | — |
| Windows PC Steam and the EA app |
26 September 2025 | Store page ↗ |
Further reading
- Official website ↗
- EA: how to set up and use FC Playtime (limits on matches, FC Points and packs) ↗
- EA player and parental tools ↗
- EA: how parental controls affect child accounts ↗
- FC 26 Season 10 Pre-Season and carryover rewards for FC 27 (Aug 2026) ↗
- EA SPORTS FC 27 Lite, a free preview version (Xbox, Australia) ↗
- Wikipedia: EA Sports FC 26 ↗
- Wikipedia ↗
Facts last checked 22 October 2026. Sources: www.xbox.com, www.xbox.com, www.xbox.com, store.steampowered.com, store.steampowered.com, store.steampowered.com, www.ea.com, www.ea.com, help.ea.com, help.ea.com, www.ea.com, www.ea.com, www.gamespot.com, en.wikipedia.org, www.metacritic.com, opencritic.com. Spotted something wrong? Send a correction.