Madden NFL 26 has arrived, bringing some of the biggest changes the series has seen in years. This year’s edition delivers major updates to both gameplay and Franchise Mode, while addressing long-standing issues. College Football 26 kicked off the summer with a bang, check out our College Football 26 review. And, now Madden NFL 26 takes the field.
Can Madden NFL 26 match the same level of excitement as College Football 26? Let’s jump in and see what it does well and where it falls short.
Madden NFL 26 details
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC
Developer(s): EA Orlando
Publisher(s): EA Sports
Genre: Sports
Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
Gameplay feels faster, smarter, and more authentic
Madden NFL 26 delivers one of the most noticeable gameplay upgrades in recent years. The new QB DNA system gives each starting quarterback a style that mirrors their real-life approach. Mobile quarterbacks move around the pocket more naturally, while pocket passers take their time and look for the right throw. Wide receivers also make smarter choices, like going down or stepping out to avoid big hits.
Movement feels quicker and more fluid thanks to the updated locomotion system. Borrowing from EA Sports College Football 26, this change makes controlling your team more responsive without sacrificing realism. Blocking assignments are more consistent, and tackling feels sharper with improved animations. The Wear & Tear system also makes player health management more important. Repeated hits can affect performance within a game, forcing you to think about substitutions and practice intensity.
In one late-season snow game with Buffalo, I kept leaning on my tight end for short-yardage plays. By the fourth quarter, his Wear & Tear meter was so low that he started dropping passes and slowing down. I had to switch things up and run the ball more, and pulling off the win after that adjustment felt great.
Small but useful additions, like run fit indicators in defensive play art, help you make better decisions before the snap. Weather also plays a bigger role, with heavy snow or rain affecting visibility, ball control, and overall strategy. While AI coaching suggestions can still be questionable at times, the overall on-field product feels smoother, more dynamic, and more rewarding than last year.
Franchise Mode finally gets the attention it deserves
Franchise Mode in Madden NFL 26 has received its largest overhaul in more than a decade, making it feel deeper and more rewarding than ever. Coach archetypes and loadouts now shape weekly prep, giving specific boosts or unlocking playsheets that match your coaching style. Coaching skill trees have been rebuilt with more impactful upgrades, offering abilities that meaningfully influence your team on game day. Weekly strategy now gives you more control over playsheets, training intensity, and game-specific tactics, letting you plan in ways that feel tailored to your opponent.
The Wear & Tear system adds another layer to team management, forcing you to think long-term about player health. Push your starters too hard in practice or in games, and you risk them losing key attributes late in the season. Coordinators bring their own abilities and playsheets, making staff hires a bigger part of your team’s success. Scouting has also been improved, with more detailed reports and smarter draft projections helping you build for the future.
One of my favourite new features is the expanded presentation within Franchise. Multiple primetime broadcast packages, dynamic lighting that changes as the season progresses, and Scott Hanson’s halftime and weekly recaps make the league feel more alive. I especially liked checking in on rival matchups through the highlight reels, which added some extra anticipation before big games. The new approval system tracks how fans, ownership, and media view your performance, replacing last year’s harsher one-goal firing rule.
These updates make every week in Franchise Mode feel more connected and strategic. While a few minor bugs still pop up, the mode is finally living up to its potential and giving gamers a reason to stick with their team deep into multiple seasons.
Superstar Mode and Ultimate Team see small improvements with familiar issues
Superstar Mode now has a Sphere of Influence system, where your relationships with teammates, coaches, and others can actually give you on-field boosts. Work with your agent and you might land some big opportunities, while building chemistry with certain teammates can lead to huge plays. I had one game where my chemistry boost with a receiver turned a basic slant into a 60-yard touchdown. Moments like that make the feature worth it. That said, some off-field characters, like the tattoo artist, don’t add much. A few choices feel more like filler than anything else. I still had fun with the mode for a season or two, but without more variety, it’s hard to see it holding attention long-term.
Ultimate Team keeps its core formula but adds a few tweaks. The big one is the new Chemistry Boosts, which kick in when you pair up players from the same team or scheme. It’s satisfying to see those little stat bumps make a difference during close games. I had one matchup where a last-minute interception sealed the win, thanks to a boost that gave my corner just enough speed to get there. There are still plenty of the usual card packs and seasonal events, so if you’ve enjoyed Ultimate Team before, you’ll feel right at home. Just keep in mind, the grind for top-tier cards is still very much a part of the experience.
Presentation brings more energy to game day
Madden NFL 26 takes a noticeable step forward in presentation, with changes that make each game feel more like a real NFL broadcast. The addition of four broadcast packages, one for standard Sunday games and three more for Thursday, Sunday night, and Monday night matchups, gives primetime contests the big-game feel they have needed. Each package comes with its own scorebug, theme music, and camera work, helping break up the visual repetition.
Weather effects are a highlight this year. Heavy snow made it tough to see more than a few yards downfield, while hard rain had me slipping passes and struggling for footing. I liked how lighting shifted through the season too, with bright early games eventually giving way to dim, late-season matchups under the lights. Little touches like that kept return trips to the same stadiums from feeling stale.
Scott Hanson’s halftime and weekly recaps add more personality, pulling highlights from across the league. In one Franchise season, I watched a recap that showed a last-second win from a rival team, which made my upcoming game against them feel that much more important. Combined with updated pre-game runouts and smarter camera angles, Madden NFL 26’s presentation finally feels closer to the NFL broadcast standard.
Menus can still feel sluggish, and some animations look a little stiff. I also ran into the occasional sound dropout between quarters, although it usually came back on its own. Every so often, I noticed small visual hiccups, like awkward animations during celebrations, both in gameplay and cutscenes. They never ruined the fun, but they did break the flow a bit. Still, the presentation feels better than past years and adds excitement to both regular season and playoff matchups.
Madden NFL 26 delivers meaningful changes that make this season worth playing
Madden NFL 26 is the most complete entry the series has seen in years. The gameplay feels faster and more authentic, with QB DNA, improved locomotion, and the Wear & Tear system all adding meaningful variety to each matchup. Wide receiver and defensive AI behaviors make plays feel less scripted, and weather effects add a welcome challenge.
Franchise Mode easily stands out this year. The new coaching skill trees feel more impactful, scouting gives better insights, and weekly strategies are easier to make your own. Add in the primetime broadcast packages and Scott Hanson’s highlight recaps, and the mode finally has the personality and connected feel it was missing.
Here’s a snapshot of Madden NFL 26’s pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Gameplay feels smoother with improved animations and more realistic player movement. | Menus can still feel sluggish, and some animations look a little stiff. |
| Superstar mode offers an enjoyable career journey with multiple paths. | Some off-field Superstar mode characters feel like filler. |
| Team tactics and player tendencies feel truer to real-life football. | Superstar mode can get repetitive after a season or two. |
Not everything is perfect. Menus are still sluggish, a few minor bugs remain, and modes like Superstar and Ultimate Team have uneven appeal. Even so, Madden NFL 26 delivers the kind of improvements that make it hard to put down, especially for gamers who spend most of their time in Franchise.
Overall assessment of Madden NFL 26
Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 4.5/5
Sound: 4/5
Lasting appeal/Replayability: 3.5/5
Overall rating: 4/5 (80%)
For anyone who has been waiting for Madden to take a real step forward, this year’s game finally delivers. It may not solve every long-standing issue, but it sets a stronger foundation for the future and makes this season worth playing from kickoff to the final whistle.
Click here to see the full line of video game software available at Bestbuy.ca
Click here to see digital video game downloads offered at BestBuy.ca
