EA Sports released the free "The World's Game" update for "EA SPORTS FC 26" on May 28th, officially kicking off the virtual football summer. The actual tournament mode starts on June 4th, bringing the true World Cup atmosphere directly to your consoles and PCs – completely free of charge.
Tactical depth in a 48-team format
Electronic Arts is building the structure of the upcoming World Cup with 48 teams The format mirrors the previous one. You'll have to battle through three tough group matches just to reach the knockout stage, which this time starts extremely early in the round of 32. This means more games, more pressure, and significantly less room for error.
The original English commentary team of Derek Ray, Stuart Robson, and Sue Smith captures the action with their usual professionalism and analyzes your lineups down to the smallest detail. In practice, it feels incredibly smooth.
When you take to the field with the German national team, you immediately notice the excellent coordination. Kimmich and Raum cover the defensive flanks, while Felix Nmecha and Jonathan Tah keep the center tight. The AI performs at the usual high EA standard, building up play with control through Nico Schlotterbeck. The interplay works perfectly. A quick one-two in midfield, the killer through ball, and the ball calmly and confidently finds the back of the net. A clean finish.
Despite lacking an official FIFA license, EA has secured a substantial package here. A total of 53 fully licensed national teams are available. Major nations like France, England, and Brazil appear on the pitch with authentic kits and rosters. However, a few legal issues remain: teams like Japan and Egypt, while featuring their real players, lack official federation kits. Other less common teams have entirely generic rosters.
It's a bit annoying in the main menu. But that annoyance quickly disappears when the game kicks off in packed arenas like the authentic Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The atmosphere is electric, the fans are urging you on, and the gameplay is captivating from the very first second. When you finally triumph in the grand final and raise the trophy to the night sky amidst thunderous cheers, it's pure goosebumps.
Ultimate Team for free: Pelé for everyone
For Ultimate Team players, the "Festival of Football" event launches concurrently with its own hub. Anyone logging into EA SPORTS FC 26 between June 5th and July 24th will receive a free Festival of Football card of Pelé with a rating of 93. In addition, three "Choose Your Journey" evolutions will be available, allowing players to specifically improve existing cards.
Furthermore, EA is expanding the mode with more than 100 international special cards. The new Icons Rivellino and Mario Kempes will also be released in mid-June. Those looking to further expand their Ultimate Team can find various offers related to "EA SPORTS FC 26" on the digital marketplace Kinguin.
These include the "EA SPORTS FC 26" Mega Mystery Boxes, which can contain up to 12.000 FC Points depending on the contents. Game keys for "EA SPORTS FC 26" are also available there. Kinguin also announces further summer football promotions for the later stages of the tournament, including special discounts during the knockout rounds.
Football summer between streaming and gaming
While "EA SPORTS FC 26" provides the perfect virtual companion to the tournament, many fans face a familiar problem when trying to follow the real games. Broadcasting rights in the German market are now spread across multiple providers. Those who want to watch as many matches as possible often need multiple subscriptions and have to switch between different platforms.
This is precisely where the current Kinguin's summer football campaign at. The campaign focuses on a so-called Monthly VOD passThe bundle combines Prime Video, Netflix Premium, and DAZN Ultimate into one package. According to the provider, the bundle is a cheaper alternative to multiple individual subscriptions and simplifies switching between different services. With the discount code KING5, you also get an additional five percent off many offers on the marketplace.
Additionally, a three-stage emoji player quiz is currently running. Those who complete all tasks flawlessly can secure an additional discount of up to eight percent. Details regarding the final bonus code will be announced at a later date. For the knockout phase, Kinguin has also announced a "Germany Goal Drop" promotion, which will trigger additional discounts when the German national team scores.
EA SPORTS FC 26 certainly delivers plenty of content for the summer football season with its free "The World's Game" update. The tournament mode is based on the new 48-team structure, Ultimate Team receives numerous new features, and the free Pelé card offers an additional incentive for regular players. Those who want to follow the matches not only virtually but also live can find further offers related to streaming, gaming, and digital products on Kinguin's summer football promotion page.
Disclaimer: Kinguin is not officially affiliated with Electronic Arts or "EA SPORTS FC 26". Marketplace terms and conditions apply.
