PC players will get EA FC 26 a day earlier than console

Jack Stewart, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 03/09/2025

EA FC 26 is set to release on September 26th, but those who buy the Ultimate Edition can play from September 19th.

However, it appears that some players are getting the game early.

Multiple fans have posted screenshots of their virtual stores showing that the release date for EA FC 26 has changed to the 18th.

There were multiple theories, including that perhaps the game would be available to download at 11:59pm.

It could be a bug, a glitch already let people play EA FC 26 Ultimate Team early in the closed beta.

Others guessed that the date was displayed that way because New Zealand and a few other countries’ midnight releases would be a day earlier due to time zones.

There is a trick on Xbox of changing the console’s location to New Zealand to play the game in the afternoon before the midnight release.

However, PC players won’t need any tricks or glitches to play the game a day before everybody else.

According to an EA Sports community manager on EA’s forums, the PC version of EA FC 26 will release worldwide at the time of the New Zealand release.

Ultimate Edition owners on PC will be able to play the new game on Thursday, September 18th at 1pm BST.

Meanwhile, console players will have to wait until midnight in their local time zone.

However, this still doesn’t explain exactly why console pages are also showing the 18th as the release date.

The UK version of the PlayStation Store lists 1pm September 18th as the release time.

EA FC 26 key dates – when does the FUT Web App release?

It’s officially EA FC month, which means more information, the web app, and companion app are all coming soon.

Now that the transfer window is closed, EA Sports will be locking players into teams and deciding final ratings.

A lot of EA FC 26 ratings have already leaked with Rodri rated surprisingly high.

However, it’s very possible, if not likely, that these ratings will change before official release.

The final EA FC 26 ratings are expected to be confirmed on Monday, September 8th, according to various leakers.

That will then lead into the full player database releasing on September 12th.

The EA FC 26 Web App and first Team of the Week will go live on Wednesday, September 17th.

Then the game will have it’s full early access release, either on the 18th or 19th of September.

Jack Stewart, Senior Editor

In my seven years of esports writing, I've introuduced esports coverage to newspapers, interviewed some of the biggest names in the industry, and driven viewers mad with the puns in my YouTube scripts. I'm most proud of the latter.

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