EA Sports has published the first Pitch Notes for EA FC 26 even before the launch, bringing a total of 22 new features. We summarize the most important changes for you and explain what they mean for your launch.
What are Pitch Notes? The Pitch Notes for the launch update on September 12, 2025 detail how various aspects will change at the start in FC 26. In total, there are 22 points distributed as follows:
- 1 point on release and early access
- 1 point about clubs
- 1 point on career mode
- 1 point on the path to FC Pro
- 1 point on gameplay
- 1 point on connection quality
- 16 points about Ultimate Team
We give you an overview of which changes are really important and what they mean for FC 26.
Launch Update – The most important Pitch Notes in detail
Ultimate Team
- Powercurve is becoming more balanced: Upgrades are smaller, cards remain playable longer.
- Rewards are weaker – to support the Powercurve.
- Weekly knockout tournaments return: Competitions with rewards.
- Gauntlets are newly introduced: Tournament mode with increasing rewards, but must use a different team each time.
- Friendly game leagues: Special rules, team building requirements, and limited attempts for rewards.
- Silver Stars return: Affordable cards with strong values become relevant again.
- Evolution overhauled: more focus on weaker players, repeatable EVOs for multiple pros.
- Changes in Division Rivals
- New Bountie quests: Packs and points via special match tasks.
- Fewer checkpoints – no more getting stuck in a division.
- Fewer points, more bonus for winning streaks → faster progression.
- Changes in Champions
- No qualification: Anyone can participate.
- Rewards for every victory.
- New Challengers format: For players up to Division 7 with easier rewards.
- Changes in other Ultimate Team modes
- Squad Battles: More matches (18 instead of 14).
- Draft: Better rewards for 4 out of 4 wins, adjustments throughout the year.
What do the changes in Ultimate Team mean? After the weak launch of EA FC 25 and the financial declines a few months later, the Powercurve is to be stabilized. Moderate rewards and measured EVO upgrades are intended to help achieve this.
Especially exciting:
- Champions will be split – Weekend League and Challengers offer challenges for all skill levels.
- Old fan favorites return – such as Silver Stars or weekly tournaments.
- New modes like Gauntlet provide variety and more reward diversity.
- Rivals will be loosened – with fewer requirements, Bountie quests, and winning streak bonuses.
Career Mode
- New challenges for managers: Engage in real football scenarios and master them for exclusive rewards
- Examples: Be at the top of the table by the winter break or win the Champions League within 3 seasons.
- Player career with more variety: Seasonal icons as well as permanently unlockable icons through the Season Pass.
What do the changes in Career Mode mean? EA focuses more on variety and dynamics in Career Mode. The challenges bring short-term and long-term goals into play, which change every season and create more excitement.
Especially exciting:
- EA FC 26 brings a new feature in Career Mode that makes each season unpredictable
- In EA FC 26, coaches can finally change clubs – keeping Career Mode exciting for years
Clubs
- 13 new archetypes: Determine the development of your pro. Through level-ups, you unlock additional playstyles, stat upgrades, and perks.
- Seasonal level limits: Prevent excessively leveling players from gaining too much of an advantage.
- Catch-up opportunities: Consumables from the Season Pass or for club coins/FC points help you level up faster.
- New live events: Matches with special rules, e.g. goals from a specific player count double.
- Rush with goalkeeper: Finally, you can also place the keeper with a player in the small field mode.
What do the changes mean for Clubs? With the archetype system, EA attempts the biggest change in the history of Clubs after years without major updates. The archetypes are meant to better highlight roles on the pitch and ensure greater specialization. Initial fans express concerns that the new archetypes could restrict the freedom when playing and leveling too much.
The live events bring fun to the mode and provide variety to the league routine. The possibility to control a goalkeeper in Rush mode is also likely to offer completely new gameplay options on the small field.
Gameplay
- Improved connection: After the closed beta, the client and server were optimized. Inputs in online matches should be implemented even faster.
- Errors from the open beta corrected: clipped shot outside the penalty area with significantly lower success rate.
- Fairness in cancellations: If opponents cancel after a penalty, red card, or in the 2nd half during a tie, you will be awarded the victory.
- Rush with penalties: Frequent cancellations in small field mode lead to timeouts of up to an hour
What do the changes mean for gameplay? EA places special emphasis this year on a fluid and responsive gaming experience. With the improved connection and initial adjustments in gameplay, they are directly addressing feedback from the closed beta.
At the same time, the online experience is to become fairer: Match cancellations will be penalized more strictly, reducing frustration for one side.
For all detailed explanations, further details, and visuals on the launch update, visit the official EA page for the Pitch Notes.
Now you have the most important changes you can expect for the launch of FC 26 at a glance. We are interested in your opinion. What do you think of the announced changes? Feel free to let us know in the comments. You can find the most important info about the release summarized on MeinMMO: When will EA FC 26 be released? All information on the release date, early access, and preload
