Hope is a dangerous thing in football, but for once, Nintendo players might be right to feel it.
We go again.
We know what we’re getting. We know it’ll be more of an evolution than a revolution. And yet, every year, we pick up the latest EA Sports football like it holds the answer to life, the universe, and everything.
Why? Because for those of us who appreciate the so-called beautiful game, it’s never just about new kits and updated squads (although it is a lot about that). It’s the hope. The belief. The irrational fantasy that this will be the year everything clicks for the team we follow.
As a lifelong West Ham United supporter, my hopes and dreams are almost certainly misguided. But within the confines of EA’s ever-iterative simulation – somewhere between the microtransactions, confusing menus, and oddly structured multiplayer modes – I get the chance to lead the Hammers to glory at least once a year.
For Nintendo players, though, that dream has always been a little… fuzzy. Since FIFA 18, the Switch editions of EA’s football games have felt like the digital equivalent of a lower-league journeyman defender.
Year after year, Switch owners were served what EA labelled a “Legacy Edition” release. These were essentially roster updates running on a fossilised engine. Compared to the PlayStation and Xbox versions, they were always lacking, but they were functional, fun, and scratched that familiar football itch that re-emerges with every new season.
Things took a step forward with the rebranded EA Sports FC series, but the transition to the Frostbite engine was a lot for the OG Switch to handle. Sluggish menus, a reduced frame rate, and cardboard cut-out crowds were a distraction from a decent game of footy.
I’ve reviewed most of EA’s FIFA titles on Switch, plus EA Sports FC 24 and 25. And given the critical maulings these games often receive at other publications, I’ve certainly been one of the kinder voices. A defender, even. There’s still joy to be found in the lower leagues, after all. And ultimately, the simple pleasure of playing a fully licensed football game on a handheld system usually won me over.
So, we go again.
With the Nintendo Switch 2, EA finally has the chance to finally bridge the gap. And, cutting to the chase, this is the biggest leap forward the series has ever seen on Nintendo hardware. Player models are sharper and animations are smoother. You can almost smell the grass, and you can finally see it, too. Stadiums feel alive and the crowds no longer resemble attendees at a Flat Stanley convention. For the first time in years, Switch players aren’t getting a second-tier experience. Mostly.
Unfortunately, despite the new hardware, EA Sports FC 26 on Switch 2 is still capped at 30 frames per second, just like the original Switch editions. That might not sound like a dealbreaker, but if you’ve played game at 60fps elsewhere, it’s hard not to feel a little short-changed.
That said, it doesn’t take long to acclimatise, especially in handheld mode. Whether it’s thanks to VRR or some other display magic, the Switch 2’s screen makes gameplay feel smooth enough and perfectly serviceable. It’s absolutely playable, despite being the kind of technical compromise I’d hoped we’d left behind. There are rumours of improvements to come, so let’s hope a patch is in the pipeline.
On the pitch, a raft of gameplay tweaks purport to improve the action, but the changes feel pretty subtle. Most noticeable are the differences in the game’s two flavours of gameplay. Competitive is designed for head-to-head action in Ultimate Team and Clubs modes, and offer a faster, more arcade-like game. Meanwhile, Authentic delivers a more stately-paced and “realistic” experience better suited to the various Career options.
One of the big new features this year is the addition of Live Challenges to Manager Career, which is typically my go-to mode. These challenges layer tailored objectives on top of the usual Career Mode structure, ranging from quick-fire tasks to multi-season arcs. You might be asked to overcome a points deficit to avoid relegation or generate a specific amount in player transfer fees, with rewards including retro kits and other perks. It’s a neat wrinkle to a mode that’s becoming increasingly bloated, and one that, in most other respects, seems to have the Football Manager series in its sights.
Ultimate Team remains FC’s flagship mode, but it’s still not for me. I suppose I get the appeal of building a dream squad, but the drip-feed of new players, the relentless grind, and the microtransactions just gives me chills, so I’ll leave it there.
Elsewhere, the introduction of player Archetypes in Clubs and Player Career modes is a welcome attempt to add more individuality to progression by applying attributes inspired by legends of the game. It’s thoughtfully implemented and nudges both modes even further into RPG territory. It’s certainly successful in providing a more defined sense of player identity.
There are so many options to explore in EA Sports FC 26 that you’re bound to find one that clicks, whether you prefer playing solo, locally with friends or online. The Switch 2 version boasts full feature parity with the Xbox and PlayStation editions, so you won’t be missing out on any specific modes. And although the frame rate difference rules out cross-platform play, it’s still an impressive package overall.
EA has also thrown in a few Switch 2-exclusive features, including support for GameChat and GameShare, the latter letting you play the game with up to three other Switch users, even if they don’t own a copy. Local Seasons mode also makes a welcome return, allowing two players to go head-to-head wirelessly across a full season of matches. It’s a small but smart inclusion that plays to the Switch’s strengths as a social, pick-up-and-play device.
One of the most surprisingly useful additions is full touchscreen support. Every menu is touch-enabled, making team tweaks and office management feel a smidge less fiddly in handheld mode. A quick pinch even lets you temporarily zoom in on the action.
After years of playing catch-up, Nintendo players finally have a version of the game that feels modern, full-featured, and more than just an afterthought. EA Sports FC 26 on Switch 2 isn’t perfect but for the first time in a long while, playing an EA football game on a Nintendo console feels like a legitimate option, not a compromise.
We go again.
Game: EA Sports FC 26
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2
Developer: EA Sports
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date: September 26, 2025
