It’s another year, and another entry in Electronic Arts’ long-running footie sim is almost upon us. Rebranded a few years ago from FIFA to EA Sports FC, soccer fans wil be able to play the only premium choice for virtual games later this week with EA Sports FC26.
If you’re wondering just when you’ll be able to suit up and hit some goals, we’re here to help.
We’ve listed the Early Access release, since almost every game has this now as a pre-order bonus, as well as the worldwide launch.
EA Sports FC26 Global Launch Times And When You’ll Be Able To Play
While the global worldwide launch of EA Sports FC26 is on September 26 on consoles and September 25 on PC, Ultimate Edition owners will be able to play it early via early access this week! EA Play members can also access a 10-hour early access trial, with EA Play Pro members on PC getting unlimited access.
Early Access Launch Times
Console – September 19:
- UTC: 12:00 PM
- ET (Eastern Time): 8:00 AM
- PT (Pacific Time): 5:00 AM
- CEST: 2:00 PM
- IST (India): 5:30 PM
- JST (Japan): 9:00 PM
- AEST (Sydney): 10:00 PM
PC – September 18:
- UTC: 12:00 PM
- ET (Eastern Time): 8:00 AM
- PT (Pacific Time): 5:00 AM
- CEST: 2:00 PM
- IST (India): 5:30 PM
- JST (Japan): 9:00 PM
- AEST (Sydney): 10:00 PM
Global Launch Times
Console – September 26:
- UTC: 12:00 PM
- ET (Eastern Time): 8:00 AM
- PT (Pacific Time): 5:00 AM
- CEST: 2:00 PM
- IST (India): 5:30 PM
- JST (Japan): 9:00 PM
- AEST (Sydney): 10:00 PM
PC – September 25:
- UTC: 12:00 PM
- ET (Eastern Time): 8:00 AM
- PT (Pacific Time): 5:00 AM
- CEST: 2:00 PM
- IST (India): 5:30 PM
- JST (Japan): 9:00 PM
- AEST (Sydney): 10:00 PM
Turn on the notifications in your phone, since you’ll be able to load FC26 very early, especially if you’re on PC.
For those who plan to play the game on PC, here are the minimum and recommended requirements.
Minimum System Requirements
For playing at low to medium settings (30–60 FPS at 1080p):
- OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit, latest update)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 / Intel Core i5-6600K
- RAM: 8 GB
- GPU: AMD RX 570 / Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti
- DirectX: Version 12 (Feature Level 12_0)
- Network: Broadband Internet required
- Storage: 100 GB free space
- Sound: DirectX 12-compatible sound card
Recommended System Requirements
For smoother performance at higher settings (60+ FPS at 1080p or better):
- OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit, latest update)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X / Intel Core i7-6700
- RAM: 12 GB
- GPU: AMD RX 5600 XT / Nvidia GTX 1660
- DirectX: Version 12 (Feature Level 12_0)
- Network: Broadband Internet required
- Storage: 100 GB free space
- Sound: DirectX 12-compatible sound card
It’s a manageable requirement at the very least. Expect seasonal updates to be part of the equation as is with all EA Sports games.
If you’re curious who the highest-rated athlete is this year, check out our list. And thankfully, for this year’s iteration, EA is finally sparing career players from FUT.
EA Sports FC26 is still releasing on last-gen platforms, and will be available on September 26, 2025, on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2, and PC.

EA Sports FC 26
- Released
-
September 26, 2025
- ESRB
-
E For Everyone
- Developer(s)
-
EA Vancouver, EA Romania
- Engine
-
Frostbite
- Franchise
-
EA Sports FC
- PC Release Date
-
September 26, 2025