EA Sports College Football 26 release date: What you need to know

Originally posted on CFB-HQ on SI | By James Parks | Last updated Jul 7, 2025 3:48 PM ET

EA Sport

It’s the equivalent of Christmas morning for college football video game fans.

EA Sports College Football 26 release week is officially here, as the second highly-anticipated installment of the video game franchise is available to play as of Monday following its historic return last summer.

Last year’s edition of College Football 25 proved extremely popular, more than living up to the expectation of fans and users, and this edition comes with more features.

While the game has a formal release date for when it hits the stores, those who bought the Deluxe Edition or the MVP Bundle will be able to play it a few days earlier, allowing gamers to get a head start on their college football journeys.

Here’s what you need to know about when the game will be available and what to expect.

When does EA Sports College Football 26 come out?

Gamers who pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition of EA Sports College Football 26 or bought the MVP Bundle with Madden 26 are able to play the game as of today.

Those versions went live and became available for players on Monday, July 7 at 12 p.m. Eastern time.

For those waiting to play the standard version, the game will be fully available for users on Thursday, July 10 on shelves.

More on CFB 26: Trailer | Covers | Release Date | Stadiums | Rankings

What’s new in the game?

The new edition of EA Sports College Football will feature the appearance of real-life coaches, giving fans a more authentic feel when playing against the biggest names in the game both on the field and in recruiting.

There are more than 2,800 new plays for gamers to choose from and players will also see a wider variety of game day traditions and more team mascots.

EA Sports also upgraded its transfer portal feature, including more player entries, while Dynasty Mode will feature a trophy room and record book for users to keep track of their accomplishments in the game.

College Football 25 was EA Sports’ first college football-related release since NCAA Football 14, which was released more than a decade ago, back in 2013.

EA shelved the series for 11 years after being sued by former college football players who argued their name and likeness had been used without permission or compensation.

Then, the introduction of NIL rules in college football changed everything, and EA was able to bring back the beloved series, with players taking part receiving $600 and a copy of the game.