From May 27, players will be able to download and play the FC 26 World Cup 2026 Update at no additional cost. While Ultimate Team will remain separate from the dedicated tournament experience, there will still be several World Cup modes available to enjoy:
- World Cup Kick Off;
- World Cup Tournament;
- Online Tournament;
Kick Off Mode
World Cup Kick Off allows players to jump straight into the action against friends locally or against the CPU AI. You’ll be able to select any stage of the competition and choose from the qualified nations participating in the FIFA World Cup 2026, alongside additional national teams available in FC 26.
Play a single World Cup fixture locally with authentic tournament presentation, choose between Group Stage or Knockout Stage matches, and recreate iconic international clashes with updated squads, kits, stadium visuals, and commentary inspired by the tournament atmosphere.
Tournament Mode
Tournament Mode gives you the chance to experience the full FIFA World Cup 2026 journey, from the opening match all the way to the Final. Lead your nation through the expanded tournament format and attempt to lift football’s most prestigious trophy in one of the competition’s iconic host venues across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Players will also be able to customize their World Cup experience. National teams that failed to qualify can be swapped into a Custom Tournament, allowing users to rewrite football history and create their own unique competition paths.
The atmosphere promises to be more immersive than ever thanks to authentic tournament presentation, official branding, cinematic intros, crowd choreography, and recreated stadium environments inspired by the real tournament.
Online Tournament Mode
In Online Tournament Mode, players can compete against opponents from around the world using their favorite national teams. Progress through the knockout stages and attempt to become World Cup champions against real online competition.
Online tournaments will support cross-play between players on the same platform generation, allowing friends and rivals to compete regardless of whether they play on PlayStation, Xbox, or PC.
With the expanded format of the 2026 FIFA World Cup expected to feature more nations than ever before, Online Tournament Mode could become one of the most diverse and unpredictable competitive experiences in FC 26.
Unlike previous World Cup expansions released during the FIFA era, the FC 26 World Cup 2026 Update is not officially licensed by FIFA. As a result, several presentation elements are expected to be more generic, including tournament branding, official logos, and certain visual assets traditionally associated with the FIFA World Cup.
Despite the lack of an official FIFA license, players should still be able to enjoy a massive international football experience inside FC 26. More than 50 national teams are expected to be playable across the various World Cup modes, including all qualified nations alongside additional countries available in the base game.
EA is likely to compensate for the absence of official FIFA branding with immersive presentation, authentic player likenesses, licensed kits and stadium-inspired atmospheres, ensuring the tournament still captures the excitement and scale of the biggest event in world football.