At Gamescom 2025, we sat down once again with the EA Sports FC team to discuss their upcoming release, FC 26. With just a month to go before launch, the developers opened up about gameplay changes, player feedback, and the challenges of delivering a football game that serves both the hardcore competitive crowd and fans of authentic career simulations.
One of the most notable additions this year is the introduction of two gameplay presets: Authentic and Competitive. According to the developers, this decision came directly from years of community feedback. Career mode players are really enjoying that they now have something specifically tailored for them, one of the team explained. In the past, changes made for FUT would sometimes frustrate offline players, and vice versa. This means players can expect Career Mode to lean into realism, while FUT and online modes will emphasize faster, more skill-based play. FC 26 also makes key changes to finishing. Low-driven shots now use a double-tap system, replacing time finishing.
If anything, this gives more variety, the team said. You can apply low trajectory to finesse shots, headers, even power shots. It opens up finishing options in new ways. First touch and dribbling responsiveness have also been improved, alongside winger movement. Players can now make smarter, more flexible runs into space, giving more attacking options.
Goalkeeping has been a major focus this year. Using machine learning, positioning is now more reliable, while new animations allow for deflections that feel natural and less dangerous. And now defense has been overhauled as well. We wanted to reward players who time their tackles well, the developers explained that in FC 25 you could win the ball cleanly but still lose possession. That’s been dramatically improved.
With the game around 75% polished, the last month is about fine-tuning. Tackling, through passes, and positioning are being tweaked daily. Importantly, EA now has a feedback portal to prioritize fixes and even patch specific modes separately. On the platform side, Switch 2 players will finally get the full FC experience. It’s basically the same gameplay as PS5 and Xbox, just a slightly lower framerate, the developers confirmed.
With launch around the corner, FC 26 is shaping up as one of the most refined entries in the series. By listening to the community and splitting its focus between authentic simulation and competitive gameplay, EA hopes this year’s release can finally balance the expectations of its diverse audience. Be sure to watch the entire interview below.