FC 26 – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

FC 26

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

game2025

74%

WISE Score

59%

IGDB

The beautiful game returns with better physics and the same old temptation to spend a mortgage payment on digital trading cards.

FC 26

game

2025

74%

WISE Score

59%

IGDB

The beautiful game returns with better physics and the same old temptation to spend a mortgage payment on digital trading cards.

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, it’s EA Sports FC. You know the drill. It’s the best soccer sim on the planet, but it’s also an incremental update designed to keep you on the treadmill.

The gameplay in FC 26 feels a bit tighter, and the new player likenesses are eerie, but the elephant in the room is still Ultimate Team. If you let your kid into that mode without a serious talk about digital spending, you’re basically handing them a colorful, soccer-themed casino.

That said, as a way to learn the tactical side of the sport or just bond over a match on the weekend, it’s unbeatable. Just keep an eye on the 'sweaty' online matches where the vibes can turn south fast.

Age Fit

Best for ages 7 and up. Younger kids can enjoy the basic kick-off mode with assists turned on, but the deeper management and online modes are really meant for the middle-school-and-up crowd who can handle the complexity and the competition.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

At its heart, it's a sports simulator that encourages teamwork and strategic thinking. It loses points for the high-stress, 'sweaty' nature of competitive online play which often leads to frustration rather than fun.

Imaginative

It's a rigid simulation of real-world soccer. While you can manage a team or create a player, you're mostly working within a very defined set of menus and stats rather than truly creating something new.

Safe

Capped due to the Ultimate Team ecosystem. Despite some metadata suggesting otherwise, the core of the game remains a loot-box-driven experience that can be manipulative for younger players. Online interactions are also frequently toxic.

Enriching

It's an accidental geography and economics lesson. Kids learn global rosters, transfer market dynamics, and complex tactical formations that require genuine cognitive effort.

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

The new Archetypes actually make players feel distinct, so playing as Haaland feels different than playing as a generic striker.
Manager Live Challenges let you step into real-world storylines, which is a huge upgrade for kids who follow the actual pro leagues.
It’s arguably the best couch co-op game left on the market for parents and kids to play together.

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What to Watch For

Ultimate Team is a digital slot machine. It uses every trick in the book to get kids to want 'just one more pack.'
The online community is notoriously 'sweaty' and toxic; expect trash talk and poor sportsmanship in the competitive modes.

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think the game makes it so hard to get the best players without spending real money?"
"If you were a real manager, would you focus on buying one superstar or building a balanced team of young players?"
"How do you stay calm when you lose a match to someone who is being a jerk in the chat?"

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