Erling Haaland, as seen in EA FC 26.
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EA FC 26 November Feedback Update Details Key Balancing Changes Coming in December

EA Sports has released its November Feedback Update for EA FC 26, outlining the community’s biggest concerns from the past month and detailing several gameplay adjustments that are already live — along with a major round of fixes coming in December. The studio emphasized that much of this work is shaped directly by player feedback across the Player Feedback Portal, Discord channels, social platforms, and internal design controls.

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Responding to concerns that the most vocal players drive design decisions, EA reiterated that feedback is aggregated from a wide range of sources — not just Discord poll results or social media sentiment. The team says these polls act only as “pulse checks,” not final decision-makers, with larger feedback patterns informing actual design choices.

The Changes Arriving To EA FC 26 In December

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One of the headline items is a long-requested change to goalkeeper movement. After weeks of evaluation, EA confirmed that manual keeper movement will be less effective come the December title update. The developer/publisher says it’s seeking a better balance between shooting and goalkeeping, and full tuning notes will arrive closer to release. With GK movement dominating high-level play and competitive modes, this adjustment is likely to be one of the biggest gameplay shifts of the year.

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Several recent changes were recapped in the feedback update:

  • AI Defending: In v1.2.0, AI defenders now mark less tightly on the edge of the box. This followed jockeying improvements and aims to reduce scenarios where players could sit back and rely on AI teammates too heavily. EA says future tweaks will be incremental to avoid destabilizing defensive balance.
  • Controlled Sprint Dribbling: A recent unintended slowdown was quickly reverted after negative feedback. EA again emphasized responsiveness as a core priority for FC 26 movement.
  • CPU AI Difficulty: Version 1.1.3 introduced improved CPU passing frequency, faster decision-making, more dynamic dribbling, and better defensive switching. These updates apply only to offline matches, not PvP modes.

Another major improvement on the horizon is changes made to Squad Battles, where the CPU AI has frustrated players for years by holding the ball endlessly. EA confirmed that in a future update beyond next month, the CPU will move the ball forward more aggressively and create chances faster, reducing the “possession cycling” that often makes Squad Battles feel sluggish. This update is targeted for early 2026.

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Christian Smith
Christian is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Joining the team in 2025, Christian brings a passion for both gaming and sports. You can catch him raging at EA FC, dotting in MLB The Show, or screaming at NYCFC home matches.