In the past, the NCAA Football series was forced to College Football 26 Coins take a break after NCAA Football 14 due to legal challenges over the use of player likenesses. With athletes challenging the use of their names and images without compensation, the series went on hiatus until the legal landscape changed. Now, with the implementation of NIL policies, EA Sports can once again include actual college athletes in their game, and this has been a game-changer for both the franchise and college sports video games as a whole.

According to reports, over 10,000 college athletes have already signed NIL agreements to appear in College Football 26. This includes some of the biggest stars in college football, such as quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and defensive players from top programs across the country. For the first time, players will be able to control the actual stars they watch on Saturdays—giving them a new level of immersion that wasn’t possible in previous iterations of the franchise.

The Real Faces of College Football

One of the most exciting aspects of NIL in College Football 26 is the ability to feature real college athletes with their actual names, faces, and likenesses. In previous iterations, players had to navigate through teams made up of generic names and uniform looks. While this did not detract from the overall enjoyment of the game, the lack of real athletes in the game felt like a significant missed opportunity. With College Football 26, players will be able to play as—or against—their favorite college stars, whether it’s Bryce Young, DJ Lagway, or Caleb Williams, creating an experience that mirrors real-life college football more closely than ever before.

This level of accuracy and attention to detail will also be reflected in the athletes’ playing styles. EA Sports will work to ensure that each player’s strengths, weaknesses, and unique playing style are accurately reflected in the game. Whether it’s a speedy wide receiver with incredible route-running abilities or a bruising running back with the power to break tackles, each athlete will have attributes that make them stand out on the field. This adds a new layer of strategy for players who will need to adapt their playstyle to fit the strengths of the athletes on College Football 26 Ultimate Team Coins their roster.