Breaking Down the Latest Entry in the Legendary Football Franchise
Introduction
Madden NFL 26 marks the newest entry in EA Sports' long-running football simulation series. After last year's seeming minimal changes, fans eagerly anticipated this year's release. The expectations are high for innovations both on and off the field in Madden 26, especially after the reveal of the new QB DNA system, coach archetypes and more. Does Madden 26 give the fans a return to the glory days or is it just another place holder until "We listened to the fans and this year's Madden is the best one yet” (referring to Madden NFL 27). We will explore the gameplay improvements, graphics, new modes, and if Madden lives up to the hope, we football fans deserve.
Gameplay and Controls
Through the years, the heart of any Madden game lies in its gameplay realism and control fluidity. Madden 26 does continue this tradition by refining player movement and introducing smarter AI on both sides of the ball. With Coach AI, you get real life coaches adapting to you and your play calling. So, if you are running the same plays repeatedly, you will experience different pressure and stunts for the CPU.
QB DNA added over five hundred animations and gives each quarterback unique ball holds, stances and throwing styles. The passing mechanics feel more intuitive in Madden 26, receivers run smoother crisp routes and defenders reacting more realistically. The addition of new skill-based moves for running backs and wide receivers adds much needed depth to the game. Block steering was also introduced to give players an advantage win running the ball.
One of the standout improvements is the revamped tackling system, which eliminates some of the legacy “magnet tackles” and in return offers more dynamic, physics-based interactions. We get more defensive changes introduced in the form of stunts and twists, custom zones, and route commitment. Route commit gives players an option to help jump specific routes and shutdown passing lanes.
Graphics and Presentation
Visually, Madden 26 looks significantly more amazing this year. Enhanced lighting, detailed stadium environments, and more lifelike player models set it apart from previous versions.
The updated commentary team adds fresh energy, discussing game situations in a way that feels authentic and responsive to on-field events. The prime-time games really feel like prime-time games, from the looks, sounds and feel Thursday, Sunday and Monday night games feel like they do on tv. Madden 26 features team-specific rituals, pregame and intros.
With revamped and polished animations, cutscenes and player celebrations contribute to an overall sense of realism. The newly redesigned weather effects (rain, snow, and fog) impact not only the look but also gameplay, as field conditions now play a role in ball handling and player movement.
Franchise Mode
Franchise mode has always been my go-to feature for the Madden series and in Madden 26 it was no different. Fans have been asking for EA Sports to put more love and time into franchise mode, and I think they may have listened. From what I have played the changes this year so far have been good. If you just like playing through the season or controlling and managing all the aspects of player development and front office, it is there.
During the summer EA released a huge developer diary detailing a lot of the changes and features about Franchise mode. EA stated that this year's mode would be progressively better than the past year's game. With new features this year including unique abilities and customization for coaches, a similar wear and tear system like that of College Football, a new coach approval rating and more.
The new coach customization options are much improved. Although you cannot really create your coach's face the other options are great. You have several different new heads to pick from, and they even have women. A feature I did love was you are able to change your coaches' shoes. Once you create your coach, you have three different archetypes to choose from, Offensive guru, defensive guru, and player developer.
Skill trees are back in Madden NFL 26 and it's a big upgrade over last year. You spend your skill points to unlock and upgrade abilities that you can use on gameday. Like College Football, your coordinators matter so much more this year. As you're not able to just hire the best coordinators in the league, the ones you do hire you have to be strategic in their development. If you develop them correctly, your coordinators will and should offset your weaknesses as a coach. While I chose to be an offensive guru, I made sure to invest a lot into getting my defensive coordinator's skill tree filled out.
The inclusion of play sheets this year is a pleasant upgrade. As you upgrade your coordinators, you will gain access to new plays that are not in your playbook. Certain formations can be unlocked from plays sheets from what I was able to figure out. Upgrading play sheet will also give certain players a boost when you use that play in the game.
Other franchise improvements I really enjoyed are the new weekly recaps and the halftime show, presented by Scott Hanson. They even pull your highlights from your games and other users or CPU games. When playing against certain QBs like Lamar or Kyler Murray, they will scramble to get the first down or extra yards. QB's who do not have the experience tend to panic or try to force passes into coverage. As I stated before, your coordinators matter a lot and if treated correctly your job can be made easy. Franchise mode in Madden NFL 26 is a significant improvement over what we have had over the past few years.
I will add that the relocation teams are still the same, even though they have added more relocation places. This is one thing fans have been asking for, for several years.
Ultimate Team
Ultimate team is one staple that we will never see go away. Although I'm not a big MUT player, I did enjoy the single player challenger mode. For those fresh players who want to get into MUT, they added a feature like Pack Helper. It tells you immediately if a player is better than someone in your lineup and adds them in their spot. Outside of that feature, Ultimate team is the same as it has been over the past few years.
Superstar Mode
Gone are the days of the Longshot story mode, Superstar mode allows you to create your own NFL player. If you have played "Road to Glory" in College Football 26, you will be able to use your player in Superstar Mode. You start at the NFL Combine, where you do mini games to complete certain drills. Players can force their favorite team to draft them or you can choose to let it play out.
Once drafted, you can play through the season. Each week you have opportunities to develop your skills and try to move up the depth chart. Few changes in Superstar mode but I feel its better than the Longshot story of previous games.
Conclusion
Madden NFL 26 has surprised me as a significant improvement over last year's version of the game. We have heard it before from EA about the improvements they made to the game only to see very minor or minimal improvements. Madden 26 feels different; I must give credit to EA for giving us a better game this year than we have had in a while. Even with the same franchise relocation teams, Franchise mode is the best we have had since Madden 2020.
While playing Madden, I encountered a few gameplay issues"”most notably, my quarterback often bumped into the fullback during certain running plays. This kind of glitch negatively impacts the overall gameplay experience. Another concern I have is the constant push toward Madden Ultimate Team (MUT) when loading into the game. I understand that MUT is a major revenue driver and that many players enjoy spending money on MUT packs and content. However, it shouldn't feel like MUT is being forced on all players. The mode's presence is overwhelming, and it detracts from other gameplay experiences like Franchise Mode or standard play.
Madden 26 is not perfect but is it a better game, absolutely! I like the place where EA is currently, and I am excited to see where the franchise heads in the next couple of years. I am giving Madden NFL 26 an 8, it's a strong entry that pushes the franchise forward.
Reviewed on Xbox Series X. We'd like to thank EA for the review code provided for purposes of this review.
Madden NFL 26 launched on 14 August 2025, with early access starting on 11 August for those who pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition or MVP Bundle. It's available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.
