Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala Step up for EA SPORTS FC 26 Cover

EA SPORTS FC has revealed generational talents Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala as the cover athletes for EA SPORTS FC 26 and EA SPORTS FC Mobile. Both covers were created and designed by Uncommon Creative Studio shot with photographer Marvin Leuvrey.

Jude and Jamal join Zlatan Ibrahimović, who was unveiled as the cover star for EA SPORTS FC 26 Ultimate Edition earlier this week, to usher in a new chapter for EA SPORTS FC that’s powered by FC community feedback. Jude returns to the cover of EA SPORTS FC, following his debut last year, and is joined by former youth teammate Musiala, who stars as the first FC Bayern Munich player to ever feature on a global EA SPORTS FC cover.

The Story of an Icon

Zlatan Ibrahimović’s cover is a scene that nods directly to his past. The cover recreates a well-known childhood photo of Zlatan in his bedroom, looking up at a poster of his idol, Ronaldo Nazário.

This time, it’s the adult Zlatan in the same pose, surrounded by new memorabilia marking his own rise from fan to football icon - badges and kits from his career, including Paris Saint-Germain, Sweden, and Malmo. The image tells the story of an icon honouring his career.

“It’s really nice to share this moment with Jamal, as a reflection of how far we’ve come. I remember our times rooming together in the England Youth team, we’d play the game all the time,” said Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham. “Where I’m from, everyone knows the game, everyone plays it and talks about it so much. I’m grateful to be given the opportunity to be on the cover again.”

“When I found out I’d be on the cover of FC, it was such a crazy feeling. I thought, how could I tell my little brother? He’s a big fan of the game, so this will be a nice surprise for him,” said Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala. “It’s something I always wanted growing up and it’s such a big part of football culture. Who knows, maybe I can still beat Jude at FC.”

The covers also come with news revealing a first-look at EA SPORTS FC 26 gameplay, ahead of its worldwide launch on September 26th, 2025.

Play your way with new game-wide innovations and an overhauled gameplay experience, powered by feedback from the FC Community, including:

• Refined Gameplay Fundamentals: EA SPORTS FC 26 delivers a variety of game-wide changes, including improved dribbling responsiveness and fluidity, re-tuned run curves for more explosive player movement, all new reinforcement-learning-driven goalkeeper positioning, close-body volumetric animations, new, more versatile Playstyles and Player Roles, and much more.
  
• Authentic and Competitive Gameplay Presets: The new Competitive Gameplay preset - driven by refined fundamentals, added consistency, and enhanced responsiveness - is tailor-made for play in Football Ultimate Team and Clubs, while the Authentic Gameplay preset delivers the most true-to-football experience ever in Career.
  
• Experience Manager Career Like Never Before: Step into the exhilarating world of Manager Live, a new dimension added to the mode through a live hub bursting with ever-changing variable-length Challenges. Alongside Original Career and Live Start Points, Manager Live hosts regularly released scenarios throughout the new season curated around the real world of football, giving players the next thing to go after in their careers.
  
• Archetypes: A brand-new feature to FC 26, Archetypes has been inspired by the greats of the game, introducing new classes to Clubs and Player Career, bringing more individuality to players. Develop your abilities by upgrading attributes and unlocking Archetype Perks to give your player a distinct feel on the pitch.
  
• New Live Events and Tournament Modes: In FC 26, fans will be able to put their dream squads to the test in Football Ultimate Team with new Live Events and Tournament modes, as well as a refreshed Rivals and Champs experience.
  
• Unrivalled Authenticity: EA SPORTS is proud to bring unrivalled real-game authenticity in EA SPORTS FC 26 with over 20,000 athletes, across 750+ clubs & national teams, playing in more than 120 stadiums and 35+ leagues, powered by the support of more than 300 global football partners.
  

“FC 26 reflects our ongoing commitment to building this game with and for our community,” said John Shepherd, VP and GM, EA SPORTS FC. “We are players too, and that shared passion drives everything we do. This year brings an overhauled gameplay experience, new Tournaments and Live Events in FUT, all-new Archetype customisation in Clubs, and a Career Mode that comes alive through evolving Challenges. We can’t wait for players to feel the difference this September and help shape the future of FC.”

To further deepen its community-first approach, EA SPORTS has launched FC Feedback: a new initiative that empowers players to contribute directly to the evolution of EA SPORTS FC, building on a year of features in FC 26 informed by community input. This brings together multiple ways players can share input, including the Player Feedback Portal, community-led Design Councils, the FC Discord Server, Forums, and social media.

In celebration of the cover reveal, fans who play EA SPORTS FC Mobile between July 17–31st will receive a special 102 OVR Jude Bellingham Player Item and 102 OVR Jamal Musiala Player Item✝. July 17 will also see Zlatan Ibrahimović make his return to FC Mobile as an ICON, letting players recruit him to their club, while also being able to relive key moments from his legendary career in ICON Chronicles. With the Rivals Update, EA SPORTS FC Mobile recently introduced gameplay improvements to Ground Passing and VS Attack informed by user feedback, resulting in a more authentic and consistent competitive experience.