EA FC 26 Ultimate Edition vs Standard Edition: Which one should you buy?

When deciding between the EA FC 26 Ultimate Edition and the Standard Edition, it's essential to understand what each version offers. Both provide access to the full game, but the bonus content and early access differ significantly between the two.

If you're focused on FUT, competitive play, or want a leg up from day one, the EA FC 26 Ultimate Edition is a good choice, especially with those pre-order bonuses. However, if you're not concerned about early access, exclusive ICONs, or FC Points, the Standard Edition still provides the complete experience without the additional cost. Let's look more into both.

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What you get with EA FC 26 Ultimate Edition

Pre-Order bonuses (Image via EA)

The Ultimate Edition includes everything in the Standard Edition, plus:

Early bird offer (pre-order by August 26, 2025):

• One Exclusive Evo to boost any player’s shooting to 99.
• An untradeable ICON Player Item that evolves as you win trophies.
• A 93+ OVR ICON selection pack (choose 1 of 5 untradeable players).

General Ultimate Edition Bonuses:

• Early access from September 19, 2025 (7 days before official release).
• Season One Premium Pass.
• 6,000 FC Points (only 4,500 for Nintendo Switch 2).
• One extra Player Evolution slot, giving you two open EVO slots from the start.

These bonuses are especially useful if you're playing Ultimate Team from day one or want to fast-track progression.

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What you get with EA FC 26 Standard Edition

The Standard version bonuses (Image via EA)

The Standard version still provides access to the whole game and includes its own pre-order rewards:

• 3 ICON Players for Career Mode.
• A 5-Star Youth Scout and 5-Star Coach for Manager Career.
• Manager Live Challenge content.
• One Archetype Unlock Consumable.
• 2 Double XP boosts (usable for 10 matches).

These bonuses mainly support Career Mode and early-game progression, without the extra FUT-specific items.

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EA FC 26 Ultimate Edition and Standard Edition's prices

The Standard Edition costs $69.99/£69.99, the same as last year. This is the base version, accompanied by a few pre-order bonuses. The Ultimate Edition is priced at $99.99/£99.99, or $89.99/£79.99 on Nintendo Switch 2. EA Play members get a small discount on the Ultimate Edition, bringing it down to $89.99 if pre-ordered.

If you plan to get the EA FC 26 Ultimate Edition, pre-ordering before August 26, 2025, will fetch you additional early bird bonuses.

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Gameplay and features overview

A gameplay still from EA FC 26 (Image via EA)

EA FC 26 brings a range of new gameplay features across both editions. The core experience is the same regardless of which version you choose. The features include:

• New Playstyles and Player Roles are coming to help improve realism.
• Competitive and Authentic Presets let you tailor gameplay based on whether you prefer online or offline modes.
• The new Challengers mode in Ultimate Team gives lower-ranked players more structured competition.
• Manager Live Challenges in Career Mode bring dynamic scenarios and rewards.
• Zlatan Ibrahimovic is featured on the Ultimate Edition cover. Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala lead the Standard Edition.

EA is also expected to add 12 new ICONs this year, including Iniesta, Kroos, Marcelo, and Oliver Kahn.

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Thus, choosing between the EA FC 26 Ultimate Edition and Standard Edition depends on whether you're content with the basic features or seeking a few additional ones.

Check out: "Seriously, how do you fumble every year? How?": EA FC 26 reveal leaves fans divided and debating