Jeremiah Smith, Ryan Williams on cover of EA Sports College Football ’26
EA Sports chose Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Alabama’s Ryan Williams to be on the cover of College Football ’26. We talk to the athletes about what this moment means to them.
We’re about three weeks away from the release date for College Football 26. And the biggest thing fans want to know is: When are the deep dives coming?
For last year’s video game, the first since the old NCAA Football series was discontinued in 2013, EA Sports put out a series of deep dive videos on YouTube and detailed breakdowns as Campus Huddle news updates on its website. The first one came out May 31 with new weekly installments starting June 26 before the July 19 release date.
We’re still awaiting news on when the Orlando-based video game company will release its deep dives into the updates for CFB 26. Last year provided a steady drip starting in the middle of the June with toughest stadium environments, team rankings and player ratings. Fans desperately want to know how the high school football component of Road to Glory will work, as well as how the team builder and Dynasty mode will be different.
Here’s what we do know so far about College Football 26, including its release date, prices, platforms and cross-play ability:
When is College Football 26 coming out?
College Football 26 will have its wide release Thursday, July 10. Early access will be available for those who pre-order the Deluxe Edition or MVP Bundle on Monday, July 7.
How much is College Football 26?
The Standard Edition of College Football 26 will cost $69.99. The Deluxe Edition costs $99.99, and the MVP Bundle, which includes the Deluxe Edition of both CFB 26 and Madden 26, is $149.99.
CFB 26 trailer
Will HBCUs be in College Football 26?
No, it doesn’t seem HBCUs like FAMU or Bethune-Cookman will be included in College Football 26. EA Sports announced it would be adding two new teams from the College Football 25 lineup: Delaware and Missouri State, who are transitioning from FCS to FBS this season. But no teams playing in FCS this year will be part of the CFB26 roster.
That’s not to say players can’t find a way to put HBCUs and other FCS schools into the game: Fans used the Create A Team option to put FAMU and other lower-level teams into College Football 25, something that will be an option again for this year’s version.
Will high school be in College Football 26?
The Road to Glory mode will allow a created player to start as a high school football recruit, building a recruiting tape for colleges, earning scholarships, announcing their college decision in a hat ceremony and even decommitting if a better offer comes up.
Here’s a rundown of the new features as announced by EA Sports:
- Real-world coaches
- In-game traditions such as Georgia’s spiked shoulder pads to celebrate turnovers
- Crowd songs such as “Seven Nation Army” and “Enter Sandman”
- Cross-play between consoles for Online Dynasty Mode
- A high-school component in Road to Glory
- Return of Trophy Room to showcase to other players
What’s the difference between the College Football 26 editions?
The Deluxe Edition of College Football 26 includes more bonus features and three-day early access to the game. The MVP Edition’s main bonus is its bundle with Madden 26. Here’s a look at the different pre-order benefits for each edition:
- Standard Edition: includes All Hands Ultimate Team pack, Dynasty coach points and Road to Glory skill points.
- Deluxe Edition: includes Standard Edition bonuses, plus early access, 4600 College Football points, early access Ultimate Team solo challenges and Top Prospect Ultimate Team pack (for orders before June 19).
- MVP Edition: includes Deluxe Edition bonuses, plus Deluxe Edition of Madden 25 and Exclusive Elite Player Ultimate Team pack.
Will College Football 26 be on PS4? Xbox One? PC?
Like CFB 25, College Football 26 will be available to play only on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. There are no known plans to make it available for PC gamers and those on previous-gen consoles such as Xbox One and PS4.
