So real it’s unreal.

Madden 26 leverages a new AI-powered machine learning system trained on thousands of plays from nearly a decade of real NFL data to deliver more explosive gameplay - with new player-specific traits, authentic play-styles, and adaptive counters that match on-field tendencies and strategies of NFL quarterbacks and coaches.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley will grace the cover of EA Sports Madden NFL 26, the first Eagle to do so in 20 years. Barkley’s record-setting season earned him both the cover and induction as the first member of the coveted Madden NFL 26 ‘99 Club.’ Barkley appears on two unique covers with one memorializing his spectacular reverse hurdle from last season.

Football season is right around the corner. Training Camp is on the horizon and every team starts with the new hope of the season to come. We’re kicking it off with a deep dive into all the new gameplay features and improvements you can expect in Madden NFL 26.

Built from Sundays

Gameplay in Madden NFL 26 is all about bringing you closer to the NFL, while providing ultimate control and performance on the sticks. We're powering our playcall AI with years of NFL-coaching data that will make our gameplay smarter and more rewarding. We're expanding and replicating signature styles of NFL players and coaches that you can see and feel. Not only that, our team is continuing to focus on the fundamentals of the sport for more depth and gameplay balance.

No matter how you like to play, there’s something for everybody and it starts with this year’s three core gameplay principles:

1. Signature Identity - Dynamic gameplay experiences that pay off the unique, signature styles of the teams, players and coaches fans know and love, no matter what modes you play. Through Quarterback DNA, Coach DNA and Football Weather, each game will feel like its own rewarding challenge, authentic to the exclusive identities of the NFL.
2. Community Requests - Madden NFL 26 is built for all of our different types of players, and we want you to know that we are listening. Whether it be searching social media, watching players play and stream, or having direct conversations, we value the feedback and are leveraging it to improve the experience by delivering a number of your wishlist items.
3. Foundational Football - A never-ending pursuit of perfection in the fundamentals of the sport - Blocking and tackling, passing and catching - driven by our players’ desire for authentic, balanced gameplay mechanics and strategic depth.

Signature Identity

Our goal for Madden NFL 26 is to make each Sunday feel different, and each game feel rewarding. Each time you play a game, whether it be vs. the AI, vs. another user, online or offline, you should feel immersed in a rewarding challenge… a strategic chess match… an overall NFL experience where the unique identities of the teams, coaches and players have a meaningful impact on how the game is played and the wins and losses.  This is what makes the NFL so insanely popular and exactly the experience we are aiming to deliver. Madden NFL 26 is delivering this ‘signature’ experience through Quarterback DNA, Coach DNA, and Football Weather.

QB DNA

The NFL Quarterback is the most iconic position in all of sports. As we continue pushing the ball forward with signature styles in Madden, we saw an opportunity to completely re-imagine the performance of the position.  What we mean when we say ‘performance’ includes all of the following: visual quality, signature behaviors, improved AI, and new mechanics. Thus, we are delivering significant enhancements across each component that makes up a QB’s DNA in our game so that they play, look, and feel iconic.

In-Pocket Behaviors

The first component of QB DNA is the behavior inside the pocket. The first thing you’ll notice is the new signature ball holds. We’ll have nine unique ball holds at launch, including two-hand and one-hand variations of high and low holds, or ‘by chin’ and ‘back’ ball holds. For one-hand variations, the QB AI is dynamic enough to contextually switch to two-hand holds when under pressure or in traffic to increase ball security. For visual quality, a big benefit of having unique ball holds is that they align better with the way each QB’s throwing motion works, and puts much less stress on blending the animations together when trying to account for a variety of throwing motions from very few ball holds. This means that the complete throwing motion from hold to throw will look smooth and more athletic, while also being more responsive to the button press. Here’s a list of all the new ball holds:

• Gunslinger
• Gunslinger One Hand
• Gunslinger Mid
• Gunslinger One Hand Low
• Two Hand Middle
• Two Hand Middle Back
• Two Hand Middle Below Chin
• Two Hand Low

We’ve also added more active in-pocket idles so that QB’s will be bouncing on their feet more, and/or patting the ball and moving their head around to find open receivers while reading the field from the pocket; all set to each QB as individual parts of their DNA based on how they play the position on Sundays.

Scramble/On The Run

There’s a significant amount of improvements coming for the scramble game, both for passing and running. We’ve completely revamped all of our on-the-run passing animations and now have full animation coverage from every arm angle. We’ve also improved the footwork fundamentals to ensure that the QBs hips and shoulders get into the appropriate position relative to where the QB is trying to throw the ball when moving. 

To give players more control and responsiveness, we’ve smoothed out the animation transitions starting with the first transition that happens from the in-pocket idle to scramble locomotion and then from scramble loco to ‘set feet’ so that as soon as you provide an input on the sticks, you’ll see and feel the appropriate football work and movement by the quarterback you’re controlling. 

To further improve QB scrambling, we’ve added to our run-cycle sets. Last year, four superstar running backs including Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffery got signature run cycles; this year, we’re expanding that to scrambling QB’s. That means Kyler Murray and his unique style along with SB MVP Jalen Hurts and Chiefs All-World QB Patrick Mahomes will have signature locomotion sets. We’ve also added coverage to our traditional 1-hand and 2-hand scramble types, which will be assigned to each QB based on how they hold the ball when they scramble.

Passing

Nothing is more fundamental to the QB position than passing, and for Madden NFL 26, we’ve completely refreshed our in-pocket throws, back-foot and back-step passes, lob pass animations and signature throw styles. We’ve even added some new types of signature passes, what we’re calling Signature Off-Platform Throws. These are unique, situational passes that can only be triggered by specific players - jump passes on the run by Caleb Williams; no-look passes by Mahomes and Matt Stafford; explosive crossbody throws by Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. These special passes will automatically trigger for these specific players in similar situations that match what they did in real life.  Some QBs have to be moving in a specific direction, some have to be under pressure… trust me, when you see these you will know they are exclusive to that QB and look exactly like they did on Sunday. 

Madden 26 has all new animations for almost every type of throw that improves the visual quality and responsiveness of the passing game, and pays off the signature styles of superstar QB’s.

We didn’t stop there. We’re also introducing three unique base arm slots - Over-Top, 3 / 4 High and 3/ 4 Low that will be assigned to each QB based on what their default throw angle is in real life. QBs who frequently change their arm slot, like Matt Stafford, will be able to dynamically change from one arm-slot to another based in order to get the pass through an open lane. 

Re-imagining the quality bar of the QB means going into every detail of the positions, and that means even refining how the ball comes out of the hand on each throw, so that it spins out of the hand smoothly, leaving the pointer finger last and comes out with the correct trajectory, spin and power based on the selected throw so that the throws look and feel buttery smooth every time - whether you’re dropping a dime in real-time, or going into a slow-mo replay to create shareable content.

Across each component of QB DNA, In-Pocket, On the Run, and Passing, we’ve added over 500 new animations and have 40 unique quarterback recipes so that whether you’re playing against a CPU-controlled QB, or using one yourself, each one will look, behave and feel like their real-world counterpart.

QB Mechanics & Control

Speaking of user control, we have a few new QB mechanics coming to Madden 26 to compliment the animation improvements. 

First is Field Vision, a new technology that detects the sight line of a QB in the pocket based on his height. If a QB is not tall enough to see over the top of his line, his vision and accuracy will be impacted when not throwing in open lanes between blockers. You’ll be made aware of this as the receiver icons will fade out when crossing into segments obstructed from the QB’s view. The main purpose of this new functionality is to bring more value to traditional, tall, pocket QBs and more balance to shorter, more mobile QBs.

We’ve brought back the ability to do ball carrier special moves with your QB while behind the line, so you can evade pass rushers before throwing a dot just like Jayden Daniels. This time, these special moves, like spin and juke, can be done by simply using the RS, no need for a modifier.

Note, in order to use the Playmaker feature, you will have to hold down LT/L2 when flicking the right stick to activate.

Tuning has been done to pass trajectories to bring more lob and lead to non-bullet passes so you can feel like you have more fidelity to drop passes in the bucket down the field.

QB Traits

The QB revamp doesn’t end there, the team needed to make sure playing against an AI QB will feel just as fun and rewarding as a human. To accomplish this, we’ve completely redone player traits. Madden NFL 26 will have 50 new player traits at launch, which serve as the “mentals” or decision-making for CPU-controlled players. They have no impact on outcomes at all - they simply allow AI players to differentiate themselves from each other by how they uniquely make decisions on the field. These loadouts are backed by real-world NFL stats and data. For example, Josh Allen will have the ‘Run Over’ trait, which makes him more likely to run through contact when scrambling rather than sliding or running out of bounds. Allen was assigned this trait because over the last two NFL seasons, Allen leads the league with 54% of his scrambles resulting in at least 3 yards after contact. 

We have obviously focused heavily on traits for the QB this year, but we’re also introducing new traits all across the field, which will be expanded upon in the future. Here’s a list of all 50 traits and what they do:

1. Look For Stars - QBs with this trait will look to throw to their star receivers more.
2. Risk Taker - QBs with this trait will tend to force the ball downfield and throw it into tight windows.
3. Conservative - QBs with this trait will tend to throw shorter passes and avoid forcing passes into tight windows.
4. Cannon - QBs with this trait will have a higher tendency to throw bullet passes.
5. Up and Over - QBs with this trait will have a higher tendency to throw lob passes.
6. Snap Mischief - QBs with this trait often perform fake hikes, especially on late downs in short-yardage situations.
7. Seeing Ghosts - After a sack, QBs with this trait will tend to force a pass to their first read for the next three plays, resetting at the end of a drive.
8. Quick Trigger - QBs with this trait will quickly attempt throws to their check down, not waiting for the play to develop.
9. Throw Away - QBs with this trait will have a higher tendency to throw the ball away when facing pressure.
10. Panic Button - QBs with this trait will have a higher tendency to force passes when facing pressure.
11. Double Back - QBs with this trait can scramble away from the sideline to keep the play alive.
12. Eyes Up - QBs with this trait will keep their eyes up when moving towards the LOS, waiting longer for plays to develop before scrambling.
13. Set Up Time - QBs with this trait will tend to set their feet before attempting a pass.
14. Hero Ball - QBs with this trait will attempt to scramble for yards if they think they can get the first down.
15. Quick Clock - QBs with this trait will tend to escape the pocket after making their first read.
16. Happy Feet - QBs with this trait will almost always be moving.
17. Paranoid - QBs with this trait react more to nearby defenders, feeling pressured even in less intense situations.
18. Oblivious - QBs with this trait remain calm near defenders, feeling less pressure even in intense situations.
19. Highlight Reel - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt Spectacular catches.
20. Possession Receiver - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt Possession catches.
21. RAC Receiver - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt RAC catches.
22. Aggressive Receiver - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt Aggressive catches.
23. Red Zone Jammer - DBs with this trait will tend to attempt a jam press on press plays in the red zone.
24. Play Ball Defender - Players with this trait will be riskier and try for interceptions they may not be able to reach.
25. Play Receiver - Players with this trait will be safer and won't try for interceptions they may be not able to reach.
26. Steering Clear - Players with this trait will attempt to avoid hits by performing slides, give-ups, or running out of bounds.
27. Showboat - Players with this trait will be able to use Celebration Loco on breakaways.
28. Cannonball - Players with this trait will be able to do Celebration Dives into the endzone.
29. Run Over - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt a truck, and if they are a QB, they are less likely to slide.
30. Strong Arm - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt a stiff arm, and if they are a QB, they are less likely to slide.
31. Whirlwind - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt a spin move.
32. Elusive Instinct - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt a juke move.
33. Cover Ball - Players with this trait will attempt to cover the ball on all big hits.
34. Big Hitter - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt Hit Sticks.
35. Safe Tackler - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt Conservative tackles.
36. Punch It Out - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt Strip tackles.
37. Knee Biter - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt Cut Sticks.
38. Finesse Rusher - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt a Finesse Move.
39. Power Rusher - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt a Power Move.
40. Twister - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt a Spin Move.
41. Bullish - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt a Bull Rush.
42. Bouncer - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt a Club Move.
43. Fly Swatter - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to raise their hands to disrupt shallow passes.
44. Gas Guzzler - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to use Effort on pass rushes.
45. Freestyler - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to attempt a Swim Move.
46. Undisciplined - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to commit penalties.
47. Disciplined - Players with this trait will have a lower tendency to commit penalties.
48. Anchored - QBs with this trait will have a lower tendency to leave the pocket or scramble for yards.
49. Throw It Up - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to target outside receivers on deep or contested throws.
50. Fortifier - Players with this trait will have a higher tendency to audible into Max Protection against potential pressure.

QB AI Improvements

Beyond the scope of new player traits, we’ve also made some fundamental improvements to general QB AI to ensure that playing against the AI will generally be more rewarding and realistic.

Decision-making for when to scramble has been improved by adding new logic that takes the game situation into account (down, distance, score, clock). We’ve also added prediction logic so the QB has an idea of how many yards he can gain before contact. This will make QBs more aware of the first down line so they are better at deciding when is the right time to take off and run.

Pocket movement and behavior has been improved by making the QB more aware of the center of the pocket and desired launch point correlating with the dropback depth. This drives when the QB will step up into the pocket or run away from pressure. In some cases, they’ll run backwards, away from pressure to buy time. Overall, the pocket-center gives the QB an ‘anchor’ point to stay close to when avoiding pressure, maximizing the angles of the offensive line trying to protect that spot.

AI QBs will now have the ability to make hot reads based on their ratings. Higher rated QBs will now be able to throw quickly to receivers if they read quick pressure, whereas lower rated QBs will be more likely to hang on to the ball longer.

Read progression AI has been completely overhauled. We’ve used a machine learning model based on WR openness to train our AI in finding and throwing to open receivers while they go through the read progression. 

To better differentiate QB’s inside the pocket, the speed at which they are able to process their progressions  is driven by their Awareness rating (AWR). A higher-rated QB may be able to get to their 3rd or even 4th read on a longer play, but lower rated QBs may only make it to the first or second read most of the time. 

As plays extend, this new logic also will allow QBs to take more shots down the field when they have a receiver in a one-on-one situation. This new read progression AI will create a larger and more noticeable gap between the elite players at the position and everybody else, and should present a more rewarding challenge when defending the passing game.

Coach DNA

Another way we’re bringing to life the unique signature identities of the NFL that fans know and love is Coach DNA. This is a set of features that delivers on the real-life tendencies and styles of each NFL head coach. Running the same set of plays against similar CPU schemes to get easy Ws are in the past. To be successful, you’ll now need to gameplay and strategize differently depending on your opponent. 

Data-Driven Coaching is an example of how Madden 26 is truly being built straight from Sundays. We use decades of NFL playcall tendency data to train a predictive machine learning model. This new innovation allows you, the gamer, to ask: What would Andy Reid do? What would Dan Campbell do? The way our model answers those questions makes each game feel like the chess match of the NFL that we all love to watch unfold every week.

This new playcall model will make Coach Suggestions and AI playcalling more dynamic and true to each real-life team by finding the play the head coach (or his staff) would call given the game situation. Things like down, distance, score, clock time, timeouts, personnel, field position, and even the weather conditions are used as filters to sort through all the available plays in the playbook and narrow down to those that best match what each team would most likely call in the given situation. You’ll see AI-controlled teams make these dynamic playcalls when playing against them. The Dan Campbell-coached Lions will aggressively go for it on fourth down more than anybody else; the Nick Sirianni-coached Eagles will use RPOs and Zone reads to play the strengths of Jalen Hurts. For your own playcalling, Coach Suggestions will be powered by the data-driven model, so if you want to compare what you would dial up vs. what the real-world head coach would, you can see that play in the Coach Suggestions tab.

Adaptive Counters

To bring even more utility, Data-Driven coaching is also powering new Adaptive Counters, which can dynamically change the suggested plays based on your opponent’s tendencies in that game. Whether you’re playing against the AI or against another user, your opponent tendencies are tracked during the game and the concepts that counter those tendencies become more heavily weighted in the prediction model. For example, if you’re playing against a mobile QB, the model will start suggesting more QB Contain or zone coverage plays to combat the running QB. These counters will be shown in the Coach Suggestions menu with specific tags on them that read ‘Counter.’ 

For anywhere in the game that allows mix-and-match between the coach and playbook, or coach customization, we’ve created a ‘League Model’ that has been trained on global NFL playcall trends. This ensures that in any game played outside of team-specific context between the coach and playbook, playcalling will still reflect authentic leaguewide tendencies. Both the individual team and league models will be updated throughout the NFL season via Title Updates to stay current with evolving coaching trends, as our goal is to keep Madden coaching strategy moving at the speed of the NFL.

Coach Speak

Data-Driven Coaching will introduce a first-of-its-kind feature to sports games known as Coach Speak. It’s a coach lens that brings top playcall recommendations to life by explaining why they’re being suggested, and doing so in the unique style of the coach you’re playing as. This feature gives you a backstage pass to the thought process of the NFL’s masterminds.

When the Lions’ model recommends going for it on 4th and short, you’ll see a banner featuring Dan Campbell alongside a text insight providing context into the decision. It’s driven by a new language-learning AI model. You’ll see signature mentions about grit, grind and maybe even a mention of biting kneecaps. It will feel like you’re the offensive coordinator on the sideline while the head coach offers direction. You can let him call the play for you or as the official playcaller, you can change course and go with your gut instead. 

At its core, it's a step forward in realizing Coach Madden’s original vision: this experience is deeper than digital football simulation, it’s a teaching tool coaching up fans about the sport they love.

Realtime Coaching AI

Real-Time Coaching AI (RTC) significantly advances Madden 26’s schematic depth by providing players with an authentic NFL strategic experience that dynamically evolves throughout each game. Originally introduced in College Football 25 and praised by players, RTC now transitions into Madden 26, as our central adaptive AI system across all of American Football. 

Building on top of the College enhancements to the system for 26 (delayed shifts, improved formation intelligence, targeted run recognition and more) defenses can now disguise their intentions through delayed safety rotations, pre-play defensive front adjustments, and precisely timed blitz packages. This evolution forces players to carefully read and react post-snap.

Detailed NFL Coach Archetypes further amplify this realism, closely mirroring the strategic philosophies of actual NFL defensive coordinators. Teams like the Vikings and Chiefs aggressively pressure quarterbacks through blitz-heavy schemes and disruptive pass-rushing techniques. Other teams like to disguise coverages, like the Eagles that primarily play defense from a two-high coverage shell, or the Steelers that operate from a one-high look. AI-controlled teams will be utilizing diverse personnel groupings, blitz adjustments and disguises to create confusion at the line of scrimmage.

With the dynamic nature of the RTC system, every game you play should feel more rewarding and strategic, while displaying the signature identity of the team you’re playing against. 

Playbooks

The final component of Coach DNA is also one of the most important for our players, playbooks. Players have told us clearly that they loved what we brought to the table in Madden NFL 25, with more team-specific plays, a wider variety of new concepts and frequent updates after launch to continue pushing plays into the game that we see pop on Sundays and Mondays. We’re doubling down, literally. We’ll have nearly 1000 new plays for the launch of Madden NFL 26, which is twice the amount of new plays we introduced in Madden 25. 

Our focus for playbooks in Madden 26 is on the following:

• Motions and Shifts
• Stunts and Twists
• Exotic Defensive Pressure
• New Coach Adjustments

As you’ve seen in the NFL recently, the use of motions and shifts is one the rise. More teams are using ‘eye dressing’ to make similar concepts look different to the defense. We’re bringing more plays with auto- motion to our playbooks, along with new double-motion plays and auto shifts. To support these new motions,  we’ve captured all  new locomotion sets so that the player movement while in motion looks more natural and athletic, and has a variety of speeds based on the intent of the play. For proper balance, we’ve improved the motion-follow logic for defenders covering motions; and we’ve also added the capability for defense to continue making adjustments and hot routes after a motion has started, which is something brand new this year.

On the defensive side of the ball, players have been clamoring for stunts and twists for years and we’re finally able to deliver them in Madden 26. It’s time to bring even more strategy and play customization to our playbooks. You’ll be able to add any stunt to any defensive play as long as the formation alignment supports it by holding down on the playcall menu. When you enter the dropdown menu in a standard four-down look on defense, you may have as many 12 different stunts to choose from to apply to any play in that set. If you’re in a sub defense and have only three or two down linemen, you may have only a few or in some cases no stunts to choose from. The system is completely dynamic in that it allows the appropriate stunts in the appropriate fronts. 

To combat today’s pass-heavy NFL offenses, we’ve also seen a rise in exotic blitz pressures. The Vikings are exhibit A. Defensive Coordinators have gotten more creative in finding ways to pressure the QB and can bring pressure from all over the field. Recreating this, we’ve added a variety of new blitzes such as Simulated Pressures that can overload one side without rushing more than four players. This results in more looping, crossing and overall ways to get blitzers free off the edge. For our players who relish in making your opponent’s offense sweat, you’ll have more tools in your belt than ever.

Coach Adjustments

In addition to playbook trends, Coach Adjustments will revolutionize your level of control and customization of alignments and assignments.  

We’ve added a new coach adjustment that allows you to adjust the alignment of your safeties on defense. Your safeties can play Deep (25 yards off the line), Prevent (32), Tight (5) or Close (8) in addition to the default alignment from the called play. You can also adjust the safeties’ width to Spread, Wide, and Pinch. You can even adjust the midpoint, with the options being Left, Right, Strong (Passing Strength), Weak (away from passing strength), to the Field Hash or to the Boundary Hash.  You can align your safeties to get involved vs. the run, get deeper to not give up any big plays, and everything in between to keep your opponent guessing. 

Is your opponent trying to RPO you into the ground? Not so fast. New adjustments will allow you to dictate how your AI defenders play vs. Reads and Peek RPOs. You can decide when you want them to play the run first or the pass first.

With these new options, it was important to us to also improve the usability. When using Zone Drops you’ll now see the playart update and you’ll have the ability to reset your adjustments to ‘default’ by simply clicking LS/L3.

To add more balance and strategy around fumbles, we’ve removed the ability for a user to have a ‘Conservative’ ball carrier adjustment. This adjustment will now only be activated by AI-controlled ball carriers (player lock situations). This adjustment was used as an unfair advantage in Madden 25 to avoid fumbles without carrying any real risk. In Madden 26, to try to avoid fumbling in late-game situations, rely on the ‘Coverball’ mechanic by pressing RB/R1. When using coverball on Sim game-style, you’ll have a greatly reduced chance of fumbling; on Competitive, as long as coverball is active before a tackle starts, you’ll be totally immune to fumbles.

Football Weather

“THAT’S Football Weather!” is one of the many quotes from the great John Madden himself. He exuded pride in the historic and unique link between extreme weather conditions and NFL football. Madden NFL 26 is delivering a set of features under this name - Football Weather - that combines the visceral nature of the weather look and the significant impact it has on gameplay.

We’re bringing this experience right to your front door with an overhaul to weather visuals and intensity, coinciding with gameplay impacts to increase the realism of having to gameplan for the elements. We’ve made changes to all of our previously supported weather types, and have added heavy snow with fog and heavy rain with fog for Madden 26, all of which will be felt on the field as much as seen. 

When playing in the elements, you will have to adjust your gameplan based on how extreme they are. When playing in heavy fog you’ll be battling visibility in the passing game, just like an NFL QB. Players can slip when making drastic cuts, WRs can lose their footing when releasing off the line, linemen on both sides of the ball can lose their footing during their get-off and more. This is all dependent on a player’s Change of Direction (COD) rating and how much precipitation is in play. The way players run will feel different due to the penalties to their Speed (SPD), Acceleration (ACC) and Change of Direction (COD) ratings, as most athletes are not as explosive or smooth when running in heavy snow or rain. 

It will also be harder to kick and throw, with penalties to power and accuracy. You’ll see more broken tackles, tackles that slide on the wet field, dropped passes and fumbles, all driven by player ratings and their team’s home climate. The gameplay weather system is so detailed that players from cold-weather teams will not be as impacted when playing in the snow. Teams like Buffalo, Chicago, Green Bay, Cleveland, and Philadelphia, that play in the snow frequently, will perform better than teams from warm weather climates. Teams such as Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Jacksonville will experience heavier movement penalties. To simulate the balance of the NFL, cold weather teams also will experience faster rates of fatigue when playing in the heat. Teams used to playing in the heat will fatigue at a slower rate than the traditional cold weather teams.

All of this is driven by improvements to the simulation side of weather. Precipitation is variable, wind has a wider range, and all of this affects the in-game visuals as well as the impact to each player’s performance. All Football Weather is not created equal and each game will present a different challenge to overcome.

Foundational Football + Community Requests

As a transition into our Foundational Football innovation, we wanted to call out a few specific features that came straight from the community wishlist. Why? We want our community to know that when you give us feedback, we listen. Madden is a game made for football fans, by football fans and there are significant changes coming to Madden 26 directly thanks to your input. In this section we’ll break down the most-discussed gameplay elements on social media from Madden NFL 25.

Player Movement

Player movement encompasses both speed and responsiveness. Instead of having two very different sets of locomotion across Madden and College, we will have alignment between both games on a central tuning set that captures the best of both College and Madden. It’s built on giving players ultimate control and responsiveness in change of direction, acceleration and decelerations, while also still maintaining authenticity in top-end speed, which have been finely tuned to match the speeds of today’s real-world top athletes. 

So no matter where you play, a 4.2 is a 4.2. The differentiation between NFL athletes and College athletes will be driven by the differences in how players are rated in Speed (SPD), Acceleration (ACC) and Change of Direction (COD) for each game.

This is in direct response to player feedback that was very clear about expectations, citing the faster movement from College Football 25 felt more fun and responsive. In fact, in social media posts where College and Madden were compared, almost 40% mentioned player movement. To further test this out, we held a special playtest in Madden NFL 25 with our Madden Design Council community leaders who reinforced the community’s sentiment on faster movement speed. This change was overwhelmingly given a stamp of approval by the vast majority of players that tested it out. We are beyond excited to deliver this change to you in Madden NFL 26. 

Depth Chart Positions

In 2025, NFL players are more dynamic than ever. The positional designations of 20+ years ago are often outdated. Madden NFL 26 is modernizing position listings across depth charts. This has been a long-time community wishlist item and also been a longtime desire of NFL players across the league. Updating our depth charts means there’s one NFL position that will finally be represented accurately in our game: The Long Snapper! J.J. Jansen fans, rejoice! We have finally made the long snapper position a primary depth chart position with a long snap rating. That’s just the start.  

Our depth chart positions in Madden 26 will also include new primary positions for Edge (LEDG & REDG) and SAM, MIKE and WILL linebackers, and a secondary position for Nose Tackle (DT archetype as well) and a new Gadget player (Think Taysom Hill or Deebo Samuel).

These depth chart changes have been a long time coming, we’ve been working on this for more than two years. The reason it took time to get this done was all the logic that needed to be overhauled to support new positions. Draft logic, free agency, trades, development, progression, and much more will reflect these new position listings. This deep franchise logic is also why this feature adds depth and strategy to roster management in so many places. The Gadget player unlocks unique formations and plays in playbooks, and allows you to use just about any player you want in that position. Regardless of which player you want to use in special packages, there’s a matching ratings formula to go with it. 

Finding and developing edge players across 4-3 and 3-4 defensive fronts will be more authentic. You won’t have to frequently change positions between DE and OLB when you change your scheme. Mike and Will backers will be used in both schemes with the Sam being used only in the base 4-3 formations. Don’t forget to keep a good long snapper on your roster to avoid some slow or even bad snaps. As you play through your franchise or build your Ultimate Team, the increased positional depth will make for more scheme variety and more interesting decisions about how to fill out your rosters.

That’s still not all.

There’s a very unique player entering the league this year via the NFL Draft who plays both sides of the ball. Jacksonville’s Travis Hunter has forced us to revisit the assumptions the game makes about positions.

We’ve removed certain restrictions on depth charts so that you can have Hunter starting at both WR and CB if you choose (along with any other WR or CB). Get creative with your personnel and use WRs and CBs as you’d like, but be ready for Wear & Tear to make it a lot harder for them to be successful if they’re playing every snap of the game. Hunter will have some benefits exclusive to him though. He’s the first Rookie we’ve ever made custom abilities for (deservingly so), and his unique abilities will make it so the impact from Wear & Tear will be far less than anybody else trying to play both sides of the ball. 

Pass Coverage

There are very few core gameplay features our community cares about more than pass coverage. Coming off of the considerable amount of conversation about zones in Madden NFL 25, the team has made coverage more realistic to what we see in the NFL for Madden NFL 26. These efforts included hiring a Super Bowl-winning former NFL defensive backs coach to our design team.

His expertise in combination with the expectations of our core players resulted in a variety of improvements on the backend of the defense. Two of our main areas of emphasis were Cover 4 and Man coverages.

Cover 4

New 4 Strong Trips & Bunch Logic: For route concepts that send a back out of the backfield to a trips side, we’ve added a new ‘Push’ check to our Quarters and Palms coverages. This dynamic adjustment ‘pushes’ or bumps the coverage over to the Trips side and forces a man match on the receivers as they get into their routes. Rather than relying on spot drops to cover four threats on a side, this check makes defenders more intelligent about which receivers to leverage and less likely to blow the coverage when #4 becomes #1.

Updated ‘China’ call: We’ve revamped the ‘China’ call concept in our quarters, palms and three-match coverages vs. combos where the #1 WR runs a short route (like a drag or smoke), and the #2 WR goes deep (like a streak or fade). We have improved the techniques of the DB’s to allow the CB to quickly leverage the deeper route and the flat defender to handle the short route.

Deep Half

We’ve improved the AI of our deep half defenders so that they reach their landmark quicker and with more urgency as they gain more depth. Players should feel more confident using Cover 2 coverages which aligns closely with the current NFL trend of non-traditional Tampa 2 coverages.

Man Coverage

The first improvement to man coverage is a new defender cut reaction system. Based on the ratings matchup of the players and leverage (discussed below), this system will allow receivers to create separation more authentically and have a better variety in the amount of separation. When a receiver wins on their cut, the defender can lose balance, allowing for a window to make a big play. Lockdown man corners, though, won’t be so charitable in the space they allow. 

Leverage Matters More. The leverage of the defender is going to play a much more significant role in receiver openness than in the past. The base win chance formula is still the Man Coverage (MCV) rating vs. Route Running (SRR, MRR, DRR) rating. The leverage side of the defender, however, will have a significant impact on the outcome at the cut, as well as the amount of separation the receiver can gain. If the defender is aligned with outside leverage at the snap, the receiver will have a much lower chance to win on a cut to the outside, and even when he does, the amount of separation gained will be far less than if he’d cut to the inside. This can mean just a step of separation when winning vs. outside leverage, vs. 2-3 steps of separation when making a cut in the opposite direction.

Leverage will also play a bigger role when matching from a zone coverage. Defenders will be more intentional with their man leverage point based on the rules of the zone coverage they are matching from. If the zone calls to take away the outside, when they match into man, they’ll stay in an outside leverage position, which will make the coverage stickier vs. the concepts it aims to take away.

We know man coverage is a delicate balance. It doesn’t take much to make it either too overpowered or not really viable. We’ve added on a few improvements to how individual defenders will play the ball for better coverage balance. To reduce the frequency of ‘psychic INTs,’ we’ve refined the logic for when an AI-controlled defender can attempt a catch. If he isn’t facing the ball, or hasn’t turned his head to see the ball, he won’t be able to attempt a catch at all and will instead play the receiver for a catch knockout more often. You’ll also see far more variety with new swat animations. There will be far more animation coverage for when defenders try to swat the ball from many different angles.

Going even further, here’s a list of additional improvements coming to pass coverage driven directly from community feedback:

• Increased touch height for swats to give defenders more balanced reactions to high-ball throws and deep RAC catches
• Improved midair interaction logic for defenders so that the interactions look and feel more realistic and situation-specific, especially vs. high-ball throws; for users, it improves the effectiveness of using the ‘Play Receiver’ mechanic.
• Zone drop and Custom Zone flat zone defenders will now sprint instead of back-pedal to their desired depth when set to 20 yards or more, which makes them play with more urgency and allows them to get to their spot faster.
• Cover 3 Sky, Cloud and Hard flat plays now play ‘country cover 3’, which means that the underneath defenders will play zone spot-drop zones regardless of the offensive formation. To give players full control in scheming up vs. 3x1 formations and Bunch, all of the Cover 3 Match and Buzz coverages will play Skinny and Skate respectively, which will allow the defense to match up better to the popular routes (like Flood or Verticals) on the 3-receiver side. The ‘skinny’ check is the match principle in Cover 3 Sky where the backside Hook-Curl defender will be responsible for the vertical route from the #3 receiver on the trips side.

Custom Zones

Last year we introduced custom route stems, which players enjoyed because of the creativity it allowed on offense. This year, the direct defensive counter of Custom Zones are in play. Custom Zones allow you to tell your zone defense exactly where you want them to cover. The control scheme is similar to custom stems - bring up the hot route menu for an individual defender in pre-play, hold down LB/L1 and move your zone coverage up or down. You’ll even see the playart update in real time. When you have dialed it in to your liking, simply release LB/L1 to lock it in. If you have a zone drop activated via Coach Adjustments, the Custom Zone commands will override the Coach Adjustment when in conflict.

Route Commit

In man coverage, leverage is of the utmost importance. The new Route Commit feature will reward you for learning your opponents’ tendencies. Route commit is different from shading in that it’s a high-risk guess with big rewards if you are correct. 

Is your opponent beating you on the corner route? Route Commit one (Y/Triangle to bring up coverage adjustments, then A/X to pick an individual receiver) or all of your defensive backs (RB for Defensive Keys) in man coverage to look for outside-breaking routes to lock it down. Beware that any in-breaking routes will be lost by your defenders and potentially leave them wide open. Don’t want to risk so much? Then just shade your defenders via the traditional shading mechanic, which gives them leverage to defend the routes you think are being run and take on less risk (but also less reward). With route commit and shading, easy-to-read opponents can get shut down with your adjustments at the line of scrimmage if you can pick up on their playcall habits.

Physics-based Gameplay

A year ago we brought you the introduction of our newest version of physics-based gameplay, Boom Tech. This brought players more control, delivering on your feedback about tackles feeling too predictable or scripted. That vision has not changed in Madden 26 and physics is still a huge part of our future for all the same reasons. 

We’ve expanded our physics-driven animation technology to other tackle types, but before we did, we knew we had some issues to clean up after a year of learning and hearing from players. First, we’ve done work on tackle alignment to significantly reduce instances of tackles triggering without the players making full contact. This also meant fixing issues with ball carriers being impacted by physics without really being hit. We’ve also worked on maintaining momentum after contact by reducing how frequently the system would look to trigger falling animations. Now, we’re avoiding scenarios where the ball carrier would change direction while falling to the turf. 

An additional issue players surfaced was ball carriers getting back to normal locomotion too quickly after contact. This could feel abrupt, or look like the ball carrier wasn’t impacted by the contact. Just like with the momentum tuning, the team adjusted how much the ball carrier will look to branch to locomotion and when he does, the branching will be later.

Once we solidified the foundation of our physics system, we then started expanding it to additional tackle types including Catch Tackles, Stiff Arms and Trucks. All three of these interactions are now driven by physics in addition to the Hit Sticks and Cut Sticks from ‘25.

The timing-based skill mechanics from last year’s hit stick revamp have been expanded to all one-on-one tackle interactions. These include Strip-ball tackles, cut sticks, lunge tackles, wrap tackles, swatting catch tackles and wrap catch tackles. Players will feel more control and more rewarded in determining the outcome of any tackle. If you time a catch tackle perfectly, or even better, a hit stick at the catch point, you can expect a much better chance for a catch knockout.  

Timing mechanics aren’t just for defense. Truck and stiff arm tackles are also now timing-based skill mechanics. Increasing your chance to break a tackle or run over a defender is determined by your stick skill when the ball is in your hands as much as it is when you’re on defense. We’ve also added a new user-driven mechanic called ‘reach-for-sticks.’ When close to the sticks or the goalline, hold the RS up to attempt to reach the ball out of the tackle. If the ball carrier’s arm is free to reach out and the input is received before the tackle is complete, you’ll get a reach. AI-controlled players will reach the ball out based on their awareness (AWR) ratings. This does carry a bit of risk however, so be careful reaching the ball out in a crowd, because if the ball carrier gets hit while reaching for extra yardage, he will have a higher chance of fumbling. 

We’ve added more than 700 new tackle animations for launch, with more planned for Title Updates. Some of the new animations you can expect to see are:

• Wrap Catch tackles for DBs at the catchpoint who aren’t big hitters
• ‘In-Range’ lunges, where the defender is near the ball carrier and doesn’t have to leave his feet
• ‘Unprepped’ hit sticks, which are more explosive hit-stick interactions meant to capture those moments from Sundays when the ball carrier is not quite prepared for the big hit
• A variety of the aforementioned ‘reach for sticks’ mechanic

Wear & Tear

Another addition coming to Madden NFL 26 is Wear & Tear, a system that tracks any contact a player takes over the course of a game, and inside of Franchise and Superstar over the course of a season. Its primary purpose is authentically managing your players’ workloads, which will bring risk to repetitively using the same plays or the same players over and over. It’s a real-life football solution to a video game problem. As discussed by the College Football team, it comes this year with Dynamic Subs that can be done seamlessly during preplay, and a full suite of customization sliders for Franchise players. You’ll read a lot more about the Wear and Tear system in the Franchise & Presentation Deep Dive coming in a few weeks.

Block Steering

Our latest innovation coming to the trenches in Madden NFL 26 is built on the back of our animation-branching technology that also helps power our physics-based gameplay. Block Steering is a new mechanic on the defensive side of the ball that keeps you in control of your player, even when engaged in a one-on-one block. As the name suggests, it gives you the ability to steer the interaction. 

With Block Steering, you’ll find it puts more control in your hands and better reflects the physics and ratings of the players involved in the interactions. The first application is right in the trenches, when you’re controlling a defender and get engaged right off the snap. Instead of flicking the stick to attempt a shed move or disengage, you’ll now have additional control on the LS to steer the blocker into the backfield, or side-to-side, like a bull rush in the pass game, or using the ‘butt-and-press’ technique in the run game. The amount of movement you’ll have of the block depends on the player ratings and the momentum, size, speed and position of the two players when they get engaged. 

The second application is more for the second level of the defense. When running laterally to make a play to the outside, or trying to get downhill to fit a gap on defense, you’ll now keep your direction and momentum when you get engaged in a block. Instead of feeling like you’re getting snatched or held, with no way to control your movement, you’ll still have LS control to move the blocking engagement, and again, the amount of movement is based on the ratings and momentum of the players involved.

Block Steering isn’t just a benefit to user control, however. AI-controlled players will have the ability to fight for control over gaps, resulting in better gap control and more stingy run defense, which will improve execution for both your AI teammates as a user, and your AI opponents.

Leverage System

We're improving how blocking works to make it feel more realistic and help you trust what you see when running the ball. Smarter AI will now look at leverage (who has the better position) to decide which blocking animations happen and who wins those battles.

This new leverage system knows what leverage is desired by a blocker and defender when they get engaged (based on the design of the play and/or any adjustments made to the play), and then based on the ratings match-up and pose of the players, can use all of that to inform the selection of the animation so that you can easily see which player - the blocker or the defender - wins the gap. For example, if the offense wants to run a zone run in the B-Gap vs. a 3-technique defensive tackle, the Guard is attempting to get his head to the playside of the 3-technique so that he can win the B-Gap. But the 3-technique is not supposed to get reached unless he’s playing the inside gap, so he desires to win the B-gap to force the running back into a different lane. Based on the ratings of the guard and D-tackle, and their body positions at the point of engagement, the proper animation will trigger that will put either the blocker or the defender in the gap with the other struggling to try to take it over. Whichever player has head leverage in that gap has a significant advantage in winning the gap. If the blocker wins, the defender will have a harder time shedding into the B-gap, or steering into the B-gap, and the ball carrier will be able to have confidence that his guard will hold the B-gap long enough to burst through it. But if the defender wins the gap, he’s likely to push his blocker into the hole or quickly shed to make a play. 

Given all the blocking and defensive improvements coming this year, understanding leverage is a way to set yourself apart. The leverage battle might fly under the radar, but mastering it will pay dividends. When you utilize it effectively, you’ll put yourself in a position to generate those Saquon-like highlight reel runs.

Pass Block Mechanics

The only people who care more about pass protection than a Quarterback are Madden players, and for that reason, we have a litany of improvements coming to increase the authenticity and control of protecting the QB.

First, we’ve added unique pass protections to each passing play in the playbook data. Each pass block scheme is available in the pre-play adjustment menu. 

Half slide left/right, full slide left/right, empty and base are now applied appropriately to passing plays and are on by default, which you can see by looking at the coach cam play art. Protections are set to fit the original design of the play, so be aware of them when you make hot routes. For example, plays with only five blockers are set to ‘Empty’ protection by default, so if you hot route your RB to block without changing the protection, your tackles will still dual read.

To make it easier to interact with the new pre-set protections, we’ve added some new tools. The first is a new pre-play mechanic called ‘unTarget Defender.’ Similar to the ID the Mike mechanic, this allows you to tell your line to IGNORE a player rather than target him. This is a useful mechanic to bust out against somebody who likes to hover the LB over a Guard or Center and then drop into coverage. If you know the LB is not rushing, direct your line to ignore him and he will be removed from the count.

Next, Protection on the Fly functionality allows you to easily switch the direction of your protection with a flick of the RS. Use the new Untarget mechanic with a RS flick up, without having to bring up the adjustment menu. This new functionality will allow you to be quicker in making blocking adjustments at the line. 

In addition to new tools, we’ve made a visual upgrade to the dropback passing game with all-new pass block locomotion. In the past, we’ve relied on strafe and dropback movements to simulate how pass blockers move, which are unique to offensive linemen. This year, we’ve captured a complete new set of exclusive locomotion that only pass blockers use, which makes our offensive line look more realistic and athletic in their pass sets as they build the pocket around the launch point. 

Dropback protection is only half the battle in today’s NFL. Playaction pass is a big part of the passing game for every team. We’ve also improved the blocking in the play action game. With the new block targeting system we introduced in Madden 25, every core run scheme in the game uses scheme-specific rules to modify targeting to account for as many defensive fronts as possible. This year, we’ve extended that same run block targeting to play action pass, along with new logic and animations, so that the play action will look exactly the same as the run it's trying to simulate. You’ll see the line reach blocking the defense on bootlegs, unblocked backside defenders using the skate technique while deciding whether to play the run or the pass and seamless run block double teams to bait linebackers.

To dive even deeper into the trenches, there are some pass rush updates, too. First, the stamina thresholds that controlled how many moves could be performed per play have been removed. Instead, each move will cost a dynamic amount of stamina based on the defender’s pass rush move ratings. We’ve also changed the functionality of the R2/RT input so that holding down for the acceleration burst gives you speed you want AND different sheds and counters that are more explosive, like faster wins, but carry risk of burning through stamina quicker on passing downs or when using pass commit. Think of this as an ‘Effort’ mechanic, of which the new Gas Guzzler trait has been built around. Lastly, we’ve reduced the amount of pass protection strength relative to the blocker resistance bars that dynamically grow or shrink for pass blockers to allow for more balance in the battle of the trenches.

Defensive AI Improvements

In Madden NFL 26, we put emphasis on defensive AI in all facets of the game, even on top of what we’ve already discussed with respect to pass coverage. We think our players will always find offense, so we’re starting off the Madden season with a much more aggressive defense.

To improve our run fits, we’ve done a comprehensive analysis of the data driving gap responsibilities for each play and made them more consistent across the board. There will be less guessing where your defenders are going to fit, which you can see in coach cam playart. 

You’ll also see run fit defenders far more aggressive getting downhill. When good defenses fit the run, they are trying to build a wall at the line of scrimmage and beat the blockers to the point of attack. That’s exactly what we’ve done to improve linebacker and safety behavior in the run game, as you will see them aggressively get downhill instead of waiting too long to get blocked. The majority of the gap assignments have been designed to be sound vs. RPOs. A and B-gap defenders will also be more aggressive in playing the run first. The C, D and E-gap coverage defenders will look to play the pass first if their first key runs a route, but will play the run if they read a block. Keep in mind, as mentioned with Realtime Coaching AI, we now use playcalling and adjustments just like a user would to defend repetitive plays!

Superstar Abilities

Superstar abilities (aka Passive Abilities) that impact outcomes will no longer have any built-in guarantees to them, which is another change that players have been requesting. So instead of guaranteed or nearly guaranteed outcomes, you’ll instead see increased chances, close to 50%, when the specific conditions of each ability are met. Here’s a list of all the Superstar abilities that have been changed:

• Tank
• Edge Threat Elite
• Edge Threat
• Goal Line Stuff
• Inside Stuff
• No Outsiders
• Out My Way
• El Toro
• Interior Threat
• Matador
• Edge Protector
• Post Up
• Secure Protector
• Nasty Streak
• Puller Elite
• Pass Protector
• Run Protector
• Pick Artist
• Short Route KO
• Flat Zone KO
• Mid Zone KO
• Deep Out Zone KO
• Deep In Zone KO
• Deep Route KO
• Medium Route KO
• Outmatched
• One Step Ahead
• Outside Shade
• Inside Shade
• Lurk Artist
• Deep Zone KO
• Tackle Supreme
• Enforcer
• Secure Tackler
• Unfakeable
• Strip Specialist
• Lumberjack
• Enforcer Supreme
• Route Technician
• Slot-O-Matic
• Short Out Elite
• Short In Elite
• Mid Out Elite
• Mid In Elite
• Deep Out Elite
• Deep In Elite
• Red Zone Threat
• Matchup Nightmare
• Honorary Lineman
• 3rd Down Threat
• Short Elite
• Mid Elite
• Deep Elite
• Backfield Master
• Backfield Mismatch
• Return Man
• Sleight of Hand
• Anchored Extender
• Agile Extender
• Fearless
• Gutsy Scrambler

Hot-Spot Celebrations

To bring more control and excitement to our celebrations, you’ll now have movement control after scoring a touchdown, where you’ll have a window of time to either sprint or jog with your player and get to one of nine ‘hot spots’ along the boundaries of the end zone. Each Hot Spot will house unique celebrations that trigger based on where the celebrating player is. You’ll see shadow boxing with the goal post, totally legal fake dunk attempts near the crossbar, celebrations that interact with the crowd and even more signature content to name just a few. All in all, there are 20 solo celebrations plus numerous animations across all the Hot Spots. You’ll be able to view the celebrations that are equipped to each button combo in the pause menu ‘Celebrations’ tab. To make the celebrations look as realistic as possible, we created more than 4,000 elements.

Modernized Skills Trainer

If you're a gamer that wants to know more about the mechanics of Madden or hit the lab to refine your stick skills, we’ve completely rebuilt the Skills Trainer experience for Madden 26. Leveraging the power of our Mini Games tool, we’ve made learning the mechanics more fun, seamless and overall a more enjoyable experience. As a bonus, we did a comprehensive audit of every gameplay mechanic in the game, and have a drill for every single one that is available in Madden 26. There are 130 new tutorials in total covering:

• Ballcarrier Mechanics
• QB Mechanics
• Receiver Mechanics
• Option Mechanics
• Offensive Preplay Mechanics
• Tackling Mechanics
• Coverage Mechanics
• Defensive Line Mechanics
• Defensive Preplay Mechanics
• Kicking Mechanics
• Returning Mechanics

Every question or theory you’ve ever had about on-the-field button presses can be answered, and the new user-friendly menu allows you to filter through all of this content to immediately see tutorials for mechanics that are new or changed in Madden 26, so veterans can return to form in record time.

Finally, just a few more updates we want to share with players:

• We now have the ability to tune gameplay without the need for a client update. This will allow us to be more agile and respond to gameplay feedback faster. Gameplay tuning primarily deals with any type of success chance, reaction time, timing windows, etc. that can be safely modified during the season. 
• The full route tree is available by default in passing hot routes

That was a ton, we know. Can you tell we’re passionate about this? Thank you for making it this far, we can’t wait for you to pick up the sticks soon!   

Madden NFL 26 is a commitment to the soul of football. We simultaneously went back to the basics and innovated authenticity. As you probably noticed, many of the changes we outlined are community-driven. They’re direct reflections of the feedback you’ve given us, so please, keep it coming, because together, we are football. Madden NFL 26 is Built from Sundays, but most of all, it’s built on your feedback, fandom and passion.

Madden NFL 26 gameplay redefines NFL simulation with cutting-edge features powered by advanced physics and AI-powered machine learning systems: 

• Coach DNA: Coaches employ real philosophies, backed by nearly a decade of NFL data, with styles like Dan Campbell's aggressive fourth-down calls and Kevin O'Connell's creative offense, adding strategic depth. Dynamic coach suggestions and multi-player counters provide smart play recommendations based on game situations and opponent tendencies, countering repetitive tactics.
• QB DNA: The most iconic position in sports comes to life with signature throwing motions, pocket presence, scrambling styles, authentic arm slots and more. An All-New traits system powers authentic behavior like you see every Sunday, from Josh Allen’s powerful arm to Lamar Jackson’s agile evasions. This is the most lifelike quarterback experience in franchise history. 
• Explosive NFL Movement: Captures the league’s unmatched athleticism, letting you feel the raw power and precision of every burst. From game-changing cuts to electrifying runs, you create the impact that defines Sunday’s Superstars, putting you in control of gamechanging NFL speed.
• Physics Expansion: Physics-based interactions, including catch tackles, stiff-arms, and trucks, deliver authentic contact outcomes, while new mechanics like Custom Defensive Zones along with new knockouts and swats take pass coverage to a whole new level.
• Football Weather: Extreme weather impacts gameplay, with snow, fog, and wet conditions affecting visibility, movement, stamina, and ball security making weather an adversary just like Buffalo and Cleveland in January. 
• Foundational Football: New mechanics, including Adaptive Coverage, enhanced D-line Stunts & Twists, and block steering, provide unparalleled realism across offense, defense, and special teams.

Madden NFL 26 introduces a refreshed feature set that immerses players in the heart of the NFL, with deepened modes and engaging live content throughout the year: 

• Presentation: Authentic NFL atmospheres come to life with team-specific run-outs, iconic crowd chants like Minnesota’s Skol, and Baltimore’s electrifying pre-game light show. Dynamic halftime shows, hosted by new addition Scott Hanson, and custom broadcast packages—now featuring primetime slots for Monday, Thursday and Sunday night matchups—produce a distinct look, sound and feel. 
• Franchise: Build your legacy in style with new archetypes and gear for your custom coach or start from a real NFL coach. New features such as playsheets, Wear & Tear and Approval Ratings make every week a unique challenge. Scott Hanson's Weekly Recaps and Rich Eisen's commentary highlight a long list of upgrades to the fan favorite mode. 
• Superstar: Import your EA SPORTS College Football 26 player or craft a new avatar, to progress through weekly storylines, master the Sphere of Influence system and achieve 99 OVR - all while balancing Wear & Tear and competing in live events. 
• Madden Ultimate Team: Build your dream roster with NFL legends and stars, tackle new dynamic MUT Events, and rise through 50-player Leaderboard Campaigns. NFL Team Pass delivers team-specific rewards across online modes, keeping programs fresh and offering ever-evolving ways to play with every new program.  
• Roster Management: Strategically develop your roster to fit your scheme with modern Depth Chart positions including edge, long snapper, gadget players and more. Manage weekly performance with the new Wear and Tear system and Dynamic Substitutions.

Fans who pre-order* the Madden NFL 26 Deluxe Edition by July 24 will receive perks including 3-day early access, 4600 Madden Points, an Elite Player Item, and more. The EA SPORTS MVP Bundle includes deluxe editions of Madden NFL 26 and EA SPORTS College Football 26, with additional rewards across both titles*.

EA Play members will get a 10-hour Early Access Trial starting August 11th†. EA Play Pro members will enjoy unlimited access to the EA Play Pro Edition† of the game, and get up to 6,000 Madden Points, Player and Strategy Items and more. All EA Play members can score rewards such as monthly Ultimate Team Packs, as well as receive 10% off Electronic Arts digital content including game downloads, Season Passes, and DLC for certain titles.

Madden NFL 26 will launch for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC (EA app/Steam/Epic Games Store) on August 14, 2025.