Feel all-out control with the new Skill Stick ball-carrier system, dominate the edge with fresh pass rush moves, experience more open-field realism with tackle improvements, and have more fun with user-controlled celebrations.

Madden NFL 21 will bring players closer to the field than ever before with an unrivaled football experience and innovative gameplay including improved ball-carrier mechanics for all out control in the running back and receiver positions and enhanced D-Line mechanics that make the pass rush positions more responsive, and fun to play. Plus, Realistic Open-Field Tackling will allow for clutch defensive stops, and new player-controlled celebrations after each game changing play combine to make the gridiron experience even more true to life. Outside of all the new control players will have in-game, some of the biggest changes will arrive in the overall authenticity and presentation with new on field camera shots and improved player awareness of their positioning and surroundings on the field. 

Also new to Madden NFL 21 is Face of the Franchise: Rise to Fame, a playable documentary career campaign where players create themselves and play through their rise to fame from high school as a quarterback, to college where they can choose to pivot to running back or wide receiver, before experiencing the NFL Combine, NFL Draft, and cementing their legacy in the League. In addition, fans can expect more than 50 new Superstar X-Factor abilities, Live Playbooks 2.0, and a brand-new season of Ultimate Team content, along with other new features.

Electronic Arts unveiled NFL MVP and Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson on the cover of EA Sports Madden NFL 21 across all editions withfranchise-first artwork that reflects Jackson’s unique NFL journey.

Electronic Arts and the National Football League (NFL) announced a new format for the EA SPORTS Madden NFL 21 Championship Series (MCS21) complete with revamped tournament offerings, weekly sports entertainment programming and an exciting mix of celebrity, athlete and elite Madden NFL player involvement.

Following record-breaking months in engagement and viewership, including the most successful Madden NFL in history with a 30 percent year-over-year increase in unique players, the announcement supports the shift of EA Competitive Gaming Entertainment (CGE) from a world-class tournament provider to an entertainment powerhouse. 

The EA SPORTS Madden NFL 21 Championship Series news comes on the heels of EA SPORTS multi-year partnership renewal with the NFL and NFLPA and Madden NFL claiming the most-aired competitive gaming broadcast on ESPN and ESPN 2 in May. Additionally, official NFL partner Pizza Hut returns as a sponsor of the new MCS21 format with more sponsors to be announced soon. MCS21 will offer something for players and football fans alike, with competitive action and entertainment broadcasts every Tuesday evening throughout the year. 

"Our world has drastically changed over the last few months, yet the love of competition and sense of connection that comes through games is stronger than ever,” said Matt Marcou, Madden NFL Commissioner. “This year Madden NFL will add several new formats, beyond our traditional tournament series, to appeal to an even broader audience. We believe that this is the most accessible and engaging competitive gaming content ever for both players and fans alike and is just the beginning of a new era of competitive gaming.”

“The Madden brand continues to provide a tremendous way to connect with NFL fans around the world and especially the younger demographic who are often passionate gamers,” said Rachel Hoagland, Vice President, Head of Gaming & eSports for the NFL. “We are excited about the new format for the EA SPORTS Madden NFL 21 Championship Series which should raise the stakes for competitive play and offer a new level of engagement for players, fans and our partners.”

The programming lineup kicks off on Tuesday, September 15 on the EA SPORTS Madden NFL Twitch and Madden Competitive Gaming YouTube, headlined by Derwin James vs. The World. Over the course of 16 weeks, a different celebrity, musical artist or athlete will challenge Chargers’ Safety Derwin James, who also doubles as one of the best Madden NFL players in the NFL, in Madden NFL 21 each week. To cap the season, James will take on the winner of this year’s Madden Club Championship. 

“Fans got a taste of my skills when I won the Madden NFL 20 Celebrity Tournament back in April, and this time, I’m back to quiet any doubters that I’m the best Madden player in the League,” said Derwin James. “I’m a huge Madden fan and I look forward to showing up every Tuesday to take on new challengers and ultimately test my skills against the season’s best Madden player.” 

Also new to Tuesday evening, is King of The Hill. Each week in two respective single elimination tournaments, two NFL athletes will face-off in parallel with two elite Madden NFL competitive players with the winner from each matchup advancing to the next week to meet a new challenger. 

The Madden Championship Series has been newly formatted for players with a $1.4 million prize pool, the largest prize pool ever for Madden NFL. Starting with the Madden NFL 21 Club Championship (Nov 10 - Feb 5), competitive players will battle over the course of eight weeks to represent each of the 32 NFL teams. All matches will be played remotely with players joining from home, and the action will join the Tuesday evening broadcast lineup starting in October. Madden NFL will continue to announce additional tournament details throughout the year, revealing new formats and twists.

Any competitor can begin their MCS journey today, with open registration for the Club Championship live until September 28. All ages and skill levels are welcome to compete for a chance to represent their favorite NFL team. For registering, competitive hopefuls will receive a Madden Ultimate Team Elite Fantasy Pack. Online qualifications for the Club Championship run September 10-October 11 with the first week of early round play kicking off November 10. 

Competition across MCS21 programming will take place in a newly renovated home for competitive Madden NFL as Pizza Hut renews their landmark agreement for the first-ever virtual stadium naming rights in history. In its second season of existence, Pizza Hut Stadium returns with a brand-new look and feel that will also debut in Madden Ultimate Team. Now, the entire Madden NFL community will be able to play in the same setting as the elite players of the Madden NFL 21 Championship Series.

Official Madden NFL 21 Championship Series rules and how to register for the Madden NFL 21 Championship Series can be found here. 

Fans can pre-order the Madden NFL 21 MVP Editionand receive numerous benefits, including 3-Day Early Access, Lamar Jackson Elite Item with Power Up, 17 Madden Ultimate Team Gold Team Fantasy Packs, one Large Quicksell Training Pack, Madden Championship Series Ultimate Champion Pack, 1 of 32 Elite Players from Team Elite Pack and one “Your Choice” Uniform Pack. 

In addition, this year, EA Sports will deliver distinct Madden NFL 21 experiences across current and next generation platforms. Through partnerships with Sony and Microsoft, EA Sports will offer Dual Entitlement, creating ways for players who purchase either an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 to upgrade** their copy of Madden NFL 21 from prior generation Xbox One or PS4 platforms at no additional cost. This offer will be in place all the way through the Madden NFL 21 season, up to the release of Madden NFL 22, so players can upgrade whenever they first purchase their new console within that period. Offer exceptions apply. Physical discs cannot currently be used to upgrade to discless consoles.

Madden NFL 21 will be available for PS4, Xbox One and PC (Origin and Steam) on August 28, 2020, while Madden NFL 21 Mobile will available for download in the App Store and Google Play on August 6, 2020 with a brand-new app. Plus, Madden NFL will land on Stadia - Google’s cloud-based gaming platform this winter. PS5 and Xbox Series X versions will be available at a later time.