With the smash hit that College Football 25 was, EA Sports is making sure the athletes who bring College Football 26 to life see a more significant cut of the profit.
The company has officially announced that player compensation for this year’s game will more than double, with every FBS athlete who opts in receiving at least $1,500 along with a Deluxe Edition copy of the game.
This figure is more than double the $600 payout athletes received for opting into College Football 25.
This significant jump reflects the game’s gargantuan financial success. College Football 25 was the highest-grossing sports video game of all time, quickly outselling every other sports title in history. The demand was overwhelming, and EA Sports is now reinvesting in the athletes who helped make it happen.
“We’re very proud of the groundbreaking college NIL program that we launched last year, including support through a multi-year partnership with OneTeam Partners,” EA Sports said in a statement. “As we continue into College Football 26, we’re increasing the minimum payment for opted-in athletes that are featured in the game to $1,500 plus a Deluxe Edition of the game.”
This move cements EA Sports’ role as a leader in the NIL space. The total cost? More than $16.5 million in base payments alone, making it the largest single-sport NIL deal ever. And that’s before factoring in additional compensation for brand ambassadors, cover athletes, and other promotional deals.
EA’s NIL strategy remains direct, equitable, and voluntary. Athletes who choose to be in the game will opt in through the OneTeam platform and COMPASS NIL app, just as they did last year. But now, they’ll be making substantially more money for their participation.
While $1,500 isn’t a life-changing sum, it’s a clear step forward in an industry where player compensation often lags behind revenue generation. EA Sports sends a message: if the game is making historic profits, the athletes who contribute are also entitled to benefit.
EA also confirmed that some players will earn significantly more. Brand ambassadors and cover athletes (who have yet to be revealed) will receive separate, likely much larger, payments.
Last year’s cover featured Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers, Michigan Wolverines running back Donovan Edwards, and Colorado Buffaloes Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. With College Football 26 expected to build on its predecessor’s success, this year’s cover competition could be even fiercer.
Beyond just selling copies, College Football 25 proved something bigger: there is an enormous appetite for college football video games, and if executed correctly, they can be just as lucrative — if not more — than their professional counterparts.
EA Sports is making the smart play here. Increasing athlete payments effectively outweigh potential NIL criticisms while ensuring players continue to buy in and promote the game on their own accord. With College Football 26 set for a summer release, this payment increase signals that EA continues to put athletes at the forefront of the new generation of college sports video games.
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