Here's the deal: if your kid loves soccer and you're playing couch co-op or offline career mode together, FC 26 is perfectly fine. Fun, even. The soccer itself is well-done.

But the moment they go online, especially into Ultimate Team mode, you're entering a different game entirely. EA has built a sophisticated gambling system disguised as a soccer game. Kids open randomized card packs (with real money) hoping to get Messi or Ronaldo, and the dopamine hit is identical to a slot machine. Multiple parent safety organizations are flagging this for good reason.

Add unmoderated voice chat where your 8-year-old can hear grown adults screaming profanity after losing a match, plus the constant pressure to spend money to stay competitive, and you've got a game that requires serious parental oversight.

If you can lock down the online features, disable voice chat, and set spending limits? It's a decent soccer sim. But unsupervised? This is a hard pass for elementary-age kids.