College Football 26 is here. Nearly a year after the game made its triumphant return in 2024, EA Sports is set to release a new edition of the video game.
The college football videogame landscape was dormant for 11 years after legal actions around NIL forced EA Sports to shutter its NCAA Football operation. In 2021, after the courts ruled the NCAA could no longer prevent collegiate athletes from capitalizing on their name, image, and likeness, EA worked to bring the game back.
College Football 25 became the top sports video game in U.S. history based on dollar sales. The game drew rave reviews upon its release.
“College Football 25 is light years beyond what developer EA Orlando has been doing with Madden in terms of its look and feel. You can see sweat on individual players, the lighting is exceptional, the animations are more detailed and free-form during play, and everything pops visually in a way that Madden just doesn’t,” wrote IGN.
Last year’s game met the hype, and fans are hoping the College Football 26 release can deliver the same result.
What time can I play College Football 26 early release on Monday?
Those who purchased College Football 26 Deluxe Edition can play the game at 11 a.m. CT on Monday, July 7. Subscribers of EA Play also have early access to a 10-hour free trial of the game. College Football 26 will be available on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles.