College Football 26 release date a month away! What to know, including new teams, coaches

• EA Sports’ College Football 26 releases July 10 with early access starting July 7.
• New features include real-world coaches, school traditions, crowd songs, and a high-school component.
• Deion Sanders and Bill Belichick will not be featured in the game.

It’s the second year of EA Sports’ revitalized college football video game franchise, but the excitement hasn’t died down if the buzz around the first College Football 26 trailer is any indication.

The Orlando-based company highlighted some of the new features for College Football 26 last week in a video set to “Enter Sandman.” The track choice was a nod to one of the big additions to this year’s popular sports game: stadium anthems that make up the unique atmosphere to college football venues. Virginia Tech will come out to the famous Metallica banger, while The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” will reportedly be played during Michigan home games.

Does that mean Florida fans can hear “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty when playing games at the Swamp in College Football 26? Not yet, but Florida State fans will see Mike Norvell as hundreds of coaches are now part of the game. High school football will also now be included, as well, for those who want to create a player and build him up into a legend (all the way to Madden 26, if they want).

More information will come out over the next five weeks before the game’s release date. Here’s what we know so far about College Football 26, including its price, platforms and new features:

When does College Football 26 come out?

College Football 26 will have its wide release Thursday, July 10. Early access will be available for those who pre-order the Deluxe Edition or MVP Bundle on Monday, July 7.

How much will College Football 26 cost?

The Standard Edition of College Football 26 will cost $69.99. The Deluxe Edition costs $99.99, and the MVP Bundle, which includes the Deluxe Edition of both CFB 26 and Madden 26, is $149.99.

College Football 26 cover athletes

A pair of young star wide receivers will grace the cover of the Standard Edition of College Football 26: Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Alabama’s Ryan Williams. They’ll be joined by a host of other players, coaches, mascots and legends on the cover of the Deluxe Edition. That list includes Florida quarterback DJ Lagway and Heisman winner Tim Tebow.

The cover of College Football 25 featured three athletes: Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and Michigan running back Donovan Edwards.

What’s new in College Football 26?

On May 29, EA Sports announced the new features of this year’s game. Here’s a rundown:

• Real-world coaches
• In-game traditions such as Georgia’s spiked shoulder pads to celebrate turnovers
• Crowd songs such as “Seven Nation Army” and “Enter Sandman”
• Cross-play between consoles for Online Dynasty Mode
• A high-school component in Road to Glory
• Return of Trophy Room to showcase to other players

New teams in College Football 26

Two teams rising to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2025 will be included in College Football 26: Delaware and Missouri State. It’s unknown whether FCS teams such as Florida A&M will be added to the list of playable teams.

College Football 26 trailer

EA Sports released its latest trailer May 29 with a look at some of the new features and traditions that will be a part of College Football 26.

Is Deion Sanders in College Football 26? What about Bill Belichick?

EA Sports announced that more than 300 coaches will appear in the game, but two of the biggest names in the country won’t be included. Colorado’s Deion Sanders and new North Carolina coach Bill Belichick did not opt into the game. Belichick also was not part of the Madden NFL games throughout his lengthy career with the New England Patriots.

What’s the difference between the College Football 26 editions?

The Deluxe Edition of College Football 26 includes more bonus features and three-day early access to the game. The MVP Edition’s main bonus is its bundle with Madden 26. Here’s a look at the different pre-order benefits for each edition:

• Standard Edition: includes All Hands Ultimate Team pack, Dynasty coach points and Road to Glory skill points.
• Deluxe Edition: includes Standard Edition bonuses, plus early access, 4600 College Football points, early access Ultimate Team solo challenges and Top Prospect Ultimate Team pack (for orders before June 19).
• MVP Edition: includes Deluxe Edition bonuses, plus Deluxe Edition of Madden 25 and Exclusive Elite Player Ultimate Team pack.

Will College Football 26 be on PS4? Xbox One? PC?

Like CFB 25, College Football 26 will be available to play only on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. There are no known plans to make it available for PC gamers and those on previous-gen consoles such as Xbox One and PS4.