The numerous pre-order bonuses, too, and is set for release on August 14, with Early Access beginning on August 11 if fans purchase the Deluxe Edition.
Announced in a post from the official Madden NFL 26 X , running back Saquon Barkley from the Philadelphia Eagles is the cover athlete for this year's Madden. The Super Bowl-winning athlete is featured in the middle of his signature backward hurdle jump move, which he used in a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2024 season, and became one of the most defining and discussed moments of the season.
Saquon Barkley Will Be The Madden NFL 26 Cover Athlete
The First Eagle In 20 Years To Be On The Cover
Barkley’s record-setting season earned him both the cover and induction as the first member of the coveted Madden NFL 26 "99 Club." The "99 Club" is an in-game elite group of players who have the highest possible rating in the game: 99. This number identifies the best players the NFL has to offer. The rating is calculated by real-life performance metrics, scouting, estimations, and several other factors. Madden NFL 25 had a few players in the "99 Club."
Madden 26 and College Football 26 Release Dates Confirmed, & You Can Get Both In A Bundle
Madden NFL 26 and EA Sports College Football 26 are both now set for release later this year, and you can purchase both in a single bundle.
Barkley stated it is a great honor to be selected as the cover athlete and as a member of the "99 Club," with him stating that "both dreams come true." Barkley continued, saying: “I’m grateful to my teammates, coaches, and Eagles fans for their , and I can’t wait to hit the field again to give Madden players more highlight-reel moments in Madden NFL 26.” Barkley had one of the most dominant performances in NFL history during the 2024 season, with him becoming the first player in NFL history to rush for more than 2,500 yards in a single season.
New Features Coming To Madden NFL 26 Will Be Revealed June 4, 2025
More Details Are Coming This Week
In addition to the cover athlete announcement, publisher EA Sports has stated that a new look at Madden NFL 26 is coming later this week on June 4. The new features for this year's installment will be shown, which hopefully means Madden NFL 26 will address some of the series' previous issues, like the previous game's lacking Franchise Mode. Madden NFL 26 will also be the first football simulation game on a Nintendo console since Madden NFL 13, with the game coming to Switch 2, so maybe the console's mouse functionality will be highlighted.
Now that the cover athlete has been revealed, the release date has been set, and the pre-order details have been laid out, all that remains is a good look at some gameplay for the title. For a long while, Madden did not have any football-simulator competition, but with the surprise positive reception to College Football 25 last year, and the game's sequel being available in a dual pack with Madden NFL 26, hopefully, football fans will have two great games to play.
Source: Madden NFL 26/X