Madden 26 Franchise Mode: 10 Huge New Improvements Announced

Forbes

2 days ago

Madden 26
I think this is the year.
This is the year Madden franchise mode not only gets back to where it was more than a decade ago—it surpasses anything we've ever seen in video game football.
EA dropped their deep dive into Madden 26 franchise mode, and there are a ton of promising things included. Specifically, there are 10 excerpts that sent me through the roof with excitement.
Here's a link to the full breakdown, but I've also got to share the quotes I'm referring to and add my point of view.FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™
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1. Halftime Shows with Real Highlights & Social Integration
EA said: 'The wait for highlights from other games… It's almost over! You'll see highlights from across the league in the Halftime Report, bringing the world around you to life in Franchise mode."
Do you all have any idea how long I've been begging for a halftime show and weekly wrap-up show within franchise mode? As I read this, I felt like my requests (and the thousands from others) were finally heard. That was a recurring theme as I read through the deep dive.
The fact that the highlights will be present for CPU-vs-CPU games adds a ton of immersion in your franchise experience. Here's the potential gotcha in this improvement: if the highlights are repetitive and canned sequences that repeat every week, it's not going to be much of an addition. Hopefully, that's not the case.2. Watch Your Friends' Highlights Live in Multi-User Leagues
EA said: 'It doesn't end with CPU highlights. For the first time in any NFL video game, you'll also see your friends' highlights appear at halftime in a multi-user online league. When a friend's highlight is chosen for the show, their customized Player Card will appear on-screen. If it's a highlight from a game with two other players in your online league, you'll see each of their player cards.'
The CPU-vs-CPU highlights are great, especially if they aren't repetitive, but to also have highlights from user-played games in online multi-player leagues takes things to another level. This is ideal for content creators and any serious franchise mode gamers who want to dive headfirst into their leagues.3. Scott Hanson as Halftime Report Host
EA said: "One of the most exciting elements of our Halftime Report is the host, Scott Hanson. Who could be better to speak about games around the league than the beloved host?!'
I wanted to see an NFL RedZone-style presentation in Madden 26. I'm not sure if we'll get that or if Hanson was scanned and included in the game. Even if it's just his voice, this is a strong addition that adds to the overall appeal.
4. On-Demand Weekly Recap with Game Highlights
EA said: 'We extended our ability to show CPU highlights in the Halftime Report to our Weekly Recap. This new feature is available on-demand in the Franchise hub as a way to experience highlights from across the league. Just like the Halftime Report, the Weekly Recap will also include highlights from other players in your multi-user online league. You'll also get to see your own highlights as well. It's our way of bringing sights to the stats. Scott Hanson also hosts the Weekly Recap, sharing insights from matchups across the league.'
Having this on-demand is a wrinkle that I never expected to see added. I do wonder how long the recap will be and if it will feel layered. But in any case, it is great to see EA add this much substance to franchise mode.
5. Heavier Weather
EA said: 'In Franchise mode, we've fine-tuned the weather in every city, from Buffalo to Miami to Seattle, so you'll experience the kinds of conditions you'd expect in real life. Whether it's a sunny day in LA or a snowstorm in Green Bay, the weather will feel authentic to each location. We've reworked everything from average temperatures to precipitation rates. If you're heading to Buffalo in January, it'll feel just as tough as it does in real life. This year, weather isn't just a visual feature, it's deeply woven into gameplay. We've completely overhauled how the weather looks and how it plays. Every existing weather condition has been enhanced, and we've added brand-new dynamic environments like heavy snow with fog or intense rain with fog. When the weather shifts, your strategy needs to as well. Dense fog will reduce visibility, making it tougher to read the field and execute passes—just like it would challenge a real NFL quarterback. Slippery conditions impact every player: receivers might stumble off the line, linemen and defenders can lose footing during explosive moves, and quick cuts might not land cleanly. All of this is tied directly to a player's Change of Direction (COD) rating and the strength of the precipitation.'
In the past, weather in Madden has been all cosmetic. Based on this information, it sounds like this is changing. It may seem like a trivial addition, but it's all about the sum of the parts. All of these changes give your franchise mode an identity and life. When you're playing through an entire season with weather, highlights and all of those things, it can make the entire experience more memorable.
6. Three Unique Broadcast Packages for Primetime Games
EA said: 'We're thrilled to finally give our players the experience of three primetime broadcast packages in addition to our new Madden package. Each of the primetime packages is composed of premium assets with a different look, sound, and feel for Thursday, Sunday, and Monday night games. The inclusion of four different broadcast packages is beneficial for the variety of sights and sounds you'll see and hear as you play from season to season. For example, you'll immediately notice the score bug as one of many visual elements with a distinct look for each package. We've also included custom broadcast graphics for pre-games, drive starters, and touchdowns. There's also package-specific wipes for players and teams. Last year, we introduced 3 commentary teams. This year, we assigned each one to a primetime package:
The three broadcast teams aren't new, but the specific assignments are a nice touch. It can help to give each game a special feel.
7. Massively Upgraded Team Builder with Logos, Relocations, and Uniforms
EA said: 'Our team has been hard at work polishing and improving the overall site performance. Team Builder now has a completely new look and the site is 2X faster. Overall render performance is greatly improved, so Team Builder will now work on a wider array of devices and lower end machines. You now have an upload limit of 5 MB per team. This means you can upload as many custom images and textures as you want until you hit the 5 MB limit, increasing your creative power.'
The expansion of Team Builder to allow deeper customization is excellent. When you couple that with more options in expansion, it's another boost to the franchise mode experience.
8. Wear and Tear System Tracks Every Hit and Adds Strategic Depth
EA said: Madden NFL 26 adds a new feature called Wear and Tear—a system that tracks every hit a player takes in a game and accumulates those impacts across the season. It's designed to reflect real-life player health, forcing you to manage workloads realistically. Relying too heavily on a few players—like giving Derrick Henry 40 carries or running Lamar Jackson 30 times—will carry consequences. Inspired by ideas from the College Football team, Wear and Tear launches with Dynamic Subs, letting you make on-the-fly substitutions during pre-play, and full slider customization for Franchise mode."
When the Wear and Tear system was introduced in College Football 25, I made mention that the feature would be excellent in Madden, and here we are. I'm hoping it's a bit more strict and true-to-life with the option to tweak sensitivity.
9. Dynamic Injury Recovery Windows Instead of Fixed Timetables
EA said: 'Injuries also now behave more realistically, with statuses that evolve over time based on various factors. A player's condition might improve—or get worse—week to week. This change builds on the existing Weekly Strategy and Training system, adding a new layer of unpredictability to player availability.'
I know Clint Oldenburg, former NFL player and EA developer, was tired of me bringing this up every year. I've long wanted to see injury presentation changed. I never liked seeing a complete diagnosis and expected time out for injured players within minutes. This new system adds a layer of mystery to injury severity, and there are also situations where injury time can be decreased or increased.
10. Trainers Now Have Abilities That Affect Recovery and Risk
EA said: 'Your Trainer plays a key role in keeping your team healthy through Trainer Abilities. These abilities can boost how much players recover each week, lower the chance of in-game injuries, and improve the odds that injured players will be cleared to play. Just like Coach Abilities, you'll choose which trainer abilities to activate each week in Weekly Strategy. Whether it's during practice or on game day, your trainer helps you make smarter choices to protect your roster. You'll now have more control than ever over player health. Decisions like how hard you train and when to give players rest days will have lasting effects. Having the right trainer on staff can be the difference between a healthy lineup or a team battling injuries all season long.'
I love to see trainers and every member of the team's staff impacting your experience realistically. If there was a meeting between the devs and the question was asked: 'How can we make trainers matter?'—this addition was a smart answer. Hopefully, this functions as described, as it will be a piece of what is shaping up to be the best Madden franchise mode in series history.