EA has shipped the first major FC 26 update of the season, version 1.1.0, across PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC today. The patch leans into manual defending, reins in through-pass assistance, and adds several Ultimate Team conveniences, with dozens of bug fixes across Career, Clubs, and more.

The quick hits

  • Jockeying is quicker and more responsive for users, so manual defenders recover and engage better.
  • AI teammates mark more aggressively around kick-offs, reducing free goals straight from center.
  • Through Passes are less assisted and more faithful to your left-stick aim, on the ground and lofted.
  • New FUT tools: sort SBCs by Newest or Expiry, preview EVO requirements, and favorite Objectives for in-match tracking.
  • Manager Market emails are toned down in Career, with smarter job logic and many stability fixes.
Icon card design leak sparks mystery around FC 26 captains promo
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Icon card design leak sparks mystery around FC 26 captains promo

Gameplay, defending and passing

Defending

  • Sprint Jockey and standard Jockey both feel snappier for human defenders.
  • Around kick-off, only the defensive side’s AI players step up man marking to close lanes.
  • Standing tackle animations are picked more cleanly, with fixes for behind-tackle steals and double tackle triggers.
  • More players stay back on your corners to stop counters.

Passing

  • Ground and Lofted Through Passes respect aim input more and receive less invisible help.
  • Ground TPs are better at leading the runner and target the intended receiver more often.
  • Headed lobs and crosses are a touch less accurate, first-time pass responsiveness is up, and touchline pass outs are reduced.

Movement and positioning

  • Controlled Sprint Dribble is a bit slower, but you can now trigger directed runs while using it.
  • AI attacking runs are less likely to run offside or collide with teammates, corner-post positioning is fixed, and odd run cancellations are reduced.

Goalkeepers

  • Stronger far-post corner defense, sharper near-post reactions, better punch power and trajectories, and fewer self-own deflections.

Fouls, stamina, and switching

  • Stamina effects bite harder in Authentic gameplay, CPU commits more fouls, and referee logic on tackle fouls is improved.
  • Various player switch quirks on air balls and headers are addressed.

Ultimate Team: new tools, fewer headaches

New features

  • Sort SBC lists by Newest or Expiry Date.
  • Preview an Evolution’s requirements and player eligibility before you own it.
  • Favorite Objectives and Objective Groups, then track them in-match from the Pause Menu, alongside Evolutions and Rivals Bounties.
  • Note: these toggles roll in via a short-window server release after the title update.

Fixes

  • Visual and UI cleanups for Rivals streak points, first-owner indicators, formations, overlays, and reward previews.
  • Transfer Market bid price sticking at 99 coins is fixed, squad tactic assignments now save, and several Co-Op, Champions, and lobby issues are resolved.

Career Mode

  • Fewer “check the Manager Market” emails, better manager job security logic, and fewer mismatched mid-season moves.
  • Fixes for caretaker manager ratings, Live Starting Point team lists, repeated homesick events, inaccurate season summaries after transfers, and stability in avatar customization.

Clubs

  • In Drop-Ins that go to penalties, user-controlled players take pens before AI.
  • UI cleanup for Objectives, bundles, celebrations, My Pro customization and camera focus, plus Switch-specific controller fixes.

General, audio, visual, and PC

  • Updated portraits, kits, audio lines, stadium bits, badges, star heads, cinematics, and more presentation items.
  • PC gets aspect ratio menu updates, shader-caching improvements at match start, Intel GPU texture fixes, and better haptics.
  • A long list of stability, camera, lighting, trainer, replay, and ball visibility fixes round things out.

What to test first

  1. Manual defending: try Sprint Jockey in 1v1s and cutbacks, you should win body positioning more often.
  2. Kick-off defense: watch how your AI compresses space right after the whistle, then adjust your press.
  3. Through balls: aim discipline matters more, especially on diagonals. Practice manual leads into space.
  4. Set pieces: with more players staying back on your corners and stronger GK punches, tweak your routines.
  5. FUT workflow: favorite your active Objectives and open an EVO preview to plan upgrades before spending.