Following on from the success of last year’s return of the College Football series, EA Sports College Football 26 will bring refreshed rosters and new gameplay improvements to the gridiron for fans around the world. Ahead of its July release, chances are you may have some questions about what to expect from the latest entry in what looks like it’ll be an annualized series moving forward. To make sure fans are fully prepared, you can find the answers to all of your burning questions below.
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College Football 26 – Reveal Trailer
EA Sports College Football 26 reveals the hard-hitting action players can expect with the next installment of its exciting sports game series.
Improved Over Last Year
Yes, College Football 26 will feature crossplay, so those on Xbox Series X|S can play against those on PS5. It has also been confirmed that CFB 26 will also add support for cross-play dynasty, meaning those on Xbox Series X|S and PS5 can compete against one another in leagues.
If players want to turn this off, they will be able to do so via the system settings on Xbox consoles, and through an in-game option on PS5, as was the case in College Football 25.
How Many Players Can Play in Local and Online Multiplayer?
Get Your Teammate Locked In
Both local and online multiplayer modes will allow up to four players to play in the same game of College Football 26, with two players on the same team in a co-op mode, taking on up to two other players on the opposing side. The game will also allow a single player to have full control over their team against another player, both in local and online multiplayer, if that’s your preferred way of playing.
A Whole Host of Improvements
EA has announced that there are more than 2,700 additional plays, 300 college coaches, 10 new player archetypes and 84 different abilities that players can use on the field. Dynamic substitutions, custom zones, and blocking and coverage system improvements have also been confirmed for CFB 26. EA Sports has also focused on improving the atmosphere around the stadium for big game matches throughout a player’s season. Hype songs, stadium-specific music, and more dynamic commentary will add to the occasion.
The Star Boys for the Season
On the cover of the standard edition of College Football 26, wide receivers Ryan Williams from Alabama and Jeremiah Smith from Ohio State are front and center. The deluxe edition of the game also sees Smith and Williams, but they’re joined by a host of other high-profile college players, coaches, and mascots.
No Such Thing As a Free Ride… Yet
College Football 26 will not be launching on Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus on release date. However, as is the case with most of EA Sports’ other annualized series, the game will likely come to the service via EA Play (if you’re a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber) around March 2026. College Football 26 came to the service on March 31, 2025, and we’ve seen the EA FC (formerly known as FIFA) series also come to Game Pass a few months before the new entry in the series is released.
What Is the MVP Bundle?
The MVP Bundle is a pack containing the Deluxe Editions of both Madden NFL 26 and College Football 26. It will get players all the content included in both games’ Deluxe Editions, plus an additional Bundle Content Elite Player Item, which could give a big head start in the Ultimate Team mode in both titles. The MVP Bundle was also available for Madden NFL 25 and College Football 25 last year.
Get an Advantage on the Competition
Fans can get early access to EA Sports College Football 26 by pre-ordering the Deluxe or MVP editions of the game. This will give players a three-day early access period running from July 7-9. The Deluxe Edition will cost $99.99 (or $89.99 with EA Play), and the MVP Bundle will set players back $149.99 (or $134.99 with EA Play). Keep reading for the full details on what’s included in each edition of the game.
Get the Pre-Game Preparations Done
Preloading will be available 48 hours before the early access period of the game, which is scheduled to start on July 7. As such, fans should be able to begin preloading the game on July 5, provided they’ve pre-ordered the game.
Be Ready for Kick-Off
College Football 26 will be released at midnight EDT on July 10. Those with early access will be able to begin playing from midnight EDT on July 7.
Leaving Last-Gen Behind
EA has confirmed that College Football 26 will be coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The publisher has also confirmed that this year’s entry will skip PC again and will not be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2. However, Madden NFL 26 will still come to both PC and Nintendo Switch 2 when it launches later this year.
Two Main Editions to Choose From
Three editions of EA Sports College Football 26 can be purchased (and pre-ordered right now). The details of what’s included in each are listed below.
|
Edition |
Contents |
Price (USD) |
|
Standard |
|
$69.99 |
|
Deluxe |
|
$99.99 |
|
MVP Bundle |
|
$149.99 |
Making the Right Call For Your Preferred Game Modes
This depends on what you want from the experience. If you just want the game and aren’t too bothered about the Ultimate Team game mode, I’d recommend going for the standard edition of the game. This will save you money, and the additional extras in the Deluxe Edition aren’t going to be of interest to you anyway. If you’re a big Ultimate Team player, then I’d recommend going for the Deluxe Edition. For those who are big Ultimate Team players and will be buying both College Football 26 and Madden 26, I’d recommend getting the MVP Bundle to save a bit of money.
Can I Transfer My Custom Character Over to Madden 26?
Carry On Their Legacy
Yes. Just like last year, after your Road to Glory character has retired from college football, you’ll be able to transfer them over to Madden 26 to carry on their career in the big league. This does require you to have an online connection and be signed in to the EA servers for this to work.
A Full Roster
All 136 FBS teams are in College Football 26, so players will be able to play with their favorite team in the highest level of college football in the US.
Players Might Have Missed Their Beta Opportunity
At the time of writing, EA Sports has not yet confirmed that there will be an open beta. However, a closed beta ran over the weekend of June 6–June 8. This was an invite-only event where EA Sports sent emails to its most dedicated players based on playtime in College Football 25.