It’s been a few days, but we finally have confirmation: Madden NFL 26 and College Football 26 will feature a seamless way to transfer your player between the two games. You’ll be able to start as a freshman in college and play all the way through to retirement in the NFL.
This has me intrigued on so many levels, whether it’s for my own personal playthrough or watching full career journeys on YouTube. I can’t wait to see what players and creators do with this feature.
With all the great features in College Football 25, I can only imagine what CFB26 is going to bring. I’m sure Coach Mode and Ultimate Team will be the heavy hitters again, but the player career is definitely what I’ll be sinking the most time into.
High School Moments
High school is where it all starts—where you’ve got to play your heart out to lock down that scholarship. While these are presented as “moments” rather than full games, they work like Ultimate Team scenarios: you’ll be dropped into a specific situation with goals to complete.
Where To Start Your Career
What will you decide? Start as an elite prospect and chase a spot on a powerhouse team like the Georgia Bulldogs, Oregon Ducks, or even the current No. 1, Ohio State? Or will you take the underdog route—commit to a smaller program that’s never had a Heisman winner and try to make history?
Will you rise through the ranks from an overlooked recruit, or come in as a top prospect and fight to stay on top? With so many different career paths to explore, I, for one, can’t wait to dive in.
After College
So, you’ve finally wrapped up your senior year… what’s next? The NFL Draft, of course. Will you go number one overall, slip into the mid-rounds, or maybe not get drafted at all? These questions—and more—will all be answered on draft night.
Your NFL Career
Making it to the NFL isn’t the end of the journey—it’s just the beginning. This year introduces a new feature called “Sphere of Influence,” where your actions and words actually impact your team. Say the wrong thing to your head coach? You could get benched, lose playing time, or even find yourself traded. And with competition fierce, you’ll still have to fight for your spot every step of the way.
Now the bad
Unfortunately, there are a few things missing from College Football 26 that some fans were really hoping for. The big one? Full high school games or even a full season. Players want to experience an entire career arc—but hey, if we keep going backward, are we going to get Pee Wee Football next? (Kidding… mostly.)
What’s more disappointing, though, is the absence of certain positions, especially edge rushing. Not being able to play on the defensive line is a let-down, especially for those of us dreaming of becoming the next Aaron Donald or J.J. Watt.
To be fair, this is the first year with the integrated career mode and only the second year since the franchise’s return after a long hiatus, so there’s hope we’ll see more positions added in future instalments.
