On Wednesday evening, July 16, the new trailer for EA FC 26 was presented. The approximately 2.5-minute video brings an unprecedented number of innovations. Many fans believe it is the best trailer in the last 8 years.
What can be seen in the trailer? Even before the trailer, EA had announced with a teaser that they listened to community feedback. The players wished for the first trailer not to have staged scenes like in a movie, but real gameplay from the new EA FC installment.
And the trailer delivers: You see innovations or improvements every second that relate to the community’s criticism of the predecessor FC 25.
You can watch the trailer here. After the video, we will introduce all the new features.
All New Features from the Trailer for EA FC 26
What new features are there? We have divided the innovations into 3 major categories: gameplay, game modes, and graphics/atmosphere.
Gameplay Innovations
The biggest innovation: There will be two different gameplay settings with different focuses. One gameplay setting focuses on providing a more authentic playing experience (for offline mode). The other gameplay setting is designed for a competitive playing experience (for online modes).
Other important gameplay changes include:
- more agile gameplay through faster directional changes
- fluid and dynamic dribbling with close ball control, allowing for quick responses to new commands
- increased passing speed enables faster combination play
- faster gameplay over the entire match duration, as professionals maintain their speed despite fatigue
- shielding and pushing off without the ball for more assertiveness in attacker vs. defender situations
- Tackling has been revised: greater chance of retaining the ball after winning duels and intercepting passes, rather than the ball bouncing back to the opponent
- revamped goalkeeper play: controlled shot deflections for fewer rebound goals, better positioning of goalkeepers
- balancing formations: improved AI behavior with different formations
- new shooting technique: Flat Full-Volley Power Shot
- easier execution of skill moves, improved animation
- new skill moves: Elastico variation or for Tricks PlayStyle: Trickster Rainbow
- new player roles: inverted wingback
- New PlayStyles: Precision Header, Finisher, Aerial Dominance
Moreover, one of the highlights is to provide a responsible gaming experience. This mainly relates to the criticism regarding delay (lag), which, according to EA, can occur due to connection quality and animation errors. EA announced in the first pitch notes for FC 26 that they have worked on these issues in various ways and intend to continue doing so.
The first improvement in this regard is the so-called 1-Frame Passing, which is intended to allow for the direct forwarding of passes without additional contact.
Game Modes Innovations
- Tournaments for Ultimate Team return
- new competitive camera for Ultimate Team
- Manager Market for Career Mode
Graphics and Atmosphere
- new match intros
- new stadiums: Allianz Arena returns
- new player display gives insight into how well the player can skill or shoot with their weaker foot
How are the fans reacting? For the first livestream of the new trailer, over 170,000 people watched live on YouTube. In the comments, a predominantly positive echo from the community can be seen:
- “Praise for EA, this is the best trailer in 8 years” (via YouTube)
- “I love the trailer, 95% was real gameplay. Thank you, EA Sports” (via YouTube)
- “More gameplay features than pretty animations. Fair play, EA.” (via YouTube)
The 3 top comments presented here have received over 30,000 likes in total.
EA has therefore set a strong precedent with the first trailer for further insights into FC 26. In the coming weeks, more deep-dive trailers will be released, providing even more information about gameplay and game modes in general or presenting some specific innovations in more detail. In FC 25, the Women’s Euro continues to create excitement: EA FC 25: All the paths to glory and the game’s legend upgrades for the Women’s Euro – Who will receive improvements?
