FC 26 SBCs

FC 26, a realistic football game, is set against the backdrop of real-world football matches. It retains the rhythm and performance of a real football game while maintaining its competitive and entertaining aspects.

However, the game can't perfectly replicate the smoothness and responsiveness of a live match. Fortunately, the developers have been listening to player feedback and continuously optimizing the game's realism to satisfy most players' desires.

With Christmas approaching, EA FC 26 will release its latest 1.3.0 patch before the celebrations. Based on player feedback from November, the developers have made significant adjustments to one of the most controversial mechanics – the goalkeeper – to enhance the game's realism. They've also improved Career Mode and Clubs and introduced Classic XI Teams for Kick Off.

Major Goalkeeper Update

This update significantly reforms the gameplay. When you update and re-enter the game, you'll find your goalkeeper seems quite different from before. This is the biggest highlight of this update, improving the realism of goalkeepers in the game.

Because players had previously expressed dissatisfaction with goalkeeper movement, this update made the following changes:

When using Manual Goalkeeper in open matches, movement speed and coverage area will be significantly reduced, eliminating previously exaggerated and unrealistic goalkeeper maneuvers. This movement change aims to provide players with another strategy for defending scoring opportunities. While this mechanism isn't entirely realistic, the developers want to allow players some control over the goalkeeper's position.

This patch also removes Goalkeeper Rush To Center mechanic from matches, as it reduced goalkeeper realism and caused inconsistent defensive behavior.

Finally, it fixes the issue of goalkeepers occasionally reacting slowly to first-time shots. This was based on numerous player feedback that goalkeepers sometimes couldn't handle first-time shots as well as expected, a point confirmed by internal data.

Therefore, after this update, goalkeeper performance should be more realistic and consistent.

Career Mode Improvements

The official Career Mode will continue to expand, with new Live Challenges, Live Start Points, and Snapshots released weekly.To improve the overall user experience, this update includes the following changes based on player feedback:

• A new indicator field has been added to Squad Hub to clearly display a player's contract renewal intentions;
• A new tab has been added to Manager Live Hub, simplifying the creation of Live Start Points and Manager Live saves, allowing players to quickly access previously earned retro jersey rewards;
• Improved the toggle shortcut, allowing for automatic saving when exiting the toggle menu, eliminating the need for manual saving;
• A mascot menu browsing function has been added to Create Your Club process, and the previous issue of not being able to replace clubs other than your favorite team has been fixed;
• Player Archetype preview in Player Career has been adjusted, and Archetypes option has replaced the previous Attributes option in the creation process.

Clubs Upgrade

Besides the goalkeeper update, another highlight is Clubs update. The player progression system has received a major upgrade, with Clubs Archetype level cap increased from 60 to 75.

Importantly, previously, AXP could only raise the level to 25; now it can raise it to 40, significantly increasing the upgrade range. This update also adds a customizable PlayStyle slot, which can be upgraded to PlayStyle+ at level 75.

Meanwhile, players can now use a maximum of 475 Attribute Points, and CAM's match rating has been balanced to ensure consistency with other positions, preventing inflated ratings.

Rush Rematch In Ultimate Team

A new Rematch feature will be introduced in Ultimate Team Rush mode. After a match, players can vote whether to join another team in the same group to continue playing.

Players who choose to join will enter a new match lobby, while those who choose to leave will return to Rush Ultimate Team Menu. If players in a team don't choose to join before the countdown ends, the entire team will be returned to the match lobby.

This update makes the game experience smoother, and players can continue playing together if they find suitable teammates during a match.

Classic XI Teams Added To Kick Off

This Holiday Update will introduce the beloved and anticipated classic lineups in Kick Off and Kick Off Rush modes. Players can relive past glories and compete against former top European teams and legendary players. This wave of nostalgia will undoubtedly resonate with many players and veteran fans.

AI Defending Status Update

Since the game isn't entirely populated by real players, AI inevitably appears in many modes. Many players have reported that the AI's defense is too strong, making it difficult to break through, affecting the game's experience and balance. The official team is actively testing and adjusting the AI defense data, and an update is expected around January to resolve this issue.

Visual And Menu Updates

EA FC 26 will add 7 new player portraits and update 1 coach portrait. Future updates will showcase improved player visuals, providing a better overall experience.

The main menu will also be updated to reflect the holiday theme, with snowflakes and festive effects immersing players in a Christmas atmosphere from the moment they enter the game.

These are the details for the upcoming FC 26 1.3.0 patch. The development team has incorporated many player suggestions into the updates, so stay tuned!

Good news! EA Sports FC 26 released the brand new Holiday Update 1.3.0 on December 2nd. This patch isn't just a simple update to improve gameplay; it's a major update bringing a series of feature improvements and fixes.

Holiday Update 1.3.0

In Ultimate Team mode, the most significant change is the improvement to the goalkeeper. Manual goalkeeper movement is now more restricted because in open matches, the goalkeeper's movement speed and coverage area are significantly reduced, and Rush To Center mechanic in open matches has been removed.

Several targeted improvements aim to enhance the goalkeeper's saves and reaction time. Goalkeepers will react more sensitively to first shots, and the probability of save errors will be reduced. In Competitive mode, goalkeepers transition faster after receiving the ball, allowing for smoother throws, dives, and dribbling.

In addition, they slightly improved the transition speed of skill moves, especially after pull-back actions, fixed the issue of slow player reactions in set-piece attacks, and corrected the problem of AI mistakenly kicking corner kicks out of bounds.

These improvements not only significantly enhanced the player experience but also revitalized a previously underrated formation, namely the 4-3-1-2 formation.

Why Is The 4-3-1-2 Formation Underrated?

The 4-3-1-2 formation is often underestimated. While it possesses strong central attacking capabilities, creating difficult-to-mark attacking threats and enhancing midfield dominance, this formation relies too heavily on fullbacks to create width. This can lead to fullbacks being frequently exposed to defense and consuming a lot of stamina.

Furthermore, when opponents with fast wingers exploit space on the flanks to break through your defense, midfielders must move up to cover, often isolating fullbacks. When full-backs are pushed too far forward, the team becomes vulnerable to quick counter-attacks, especially against wide-open teams like those using a 4-3-3 formation.

However, compared to this disadvantage, the advantages of the 4-3-1-2 formation are significantly more pronounced. This formation is adaptable to various playing styles, from long-ball counters to possession-based teams, thus flexibly meeting the needs of different coaches and players. Furthermore, the two strikers and one attacking midfielder densely packed in the center allow for strong control and creative attacks through the middle.

Because this formation demands high tactical flexibility, its advantages are often overlooked. However, after FIFA 26 1.3.0 patch update, players can utilize full-backs and flexible midfielders to cover these flanks, creating a powerful central attack and a compact team formation. This makes the 4-3-1-2 formation a top choice for teams that prioritize midfield control.

How Does Update 1.3.0 Affect This Formation?

First, as we mentioned before, this update improves AI and optimizes player roles, allowing players to more effectively utilize the advantages of the 4-3-1-2 formation. Players like fullbacks can now more easily control the flanks while maintaining a solid central structure.

Furthermore, changes to player movement and the ability to set more specific player roles allow players to create smoother, more flexible formations, thus better controlling their team's performance at different stages of the match.

Based on current trends, after the 1.3.0 update, the 4-3-1-2 formation is highly likely to break the previous dominance of the 4-5-1 formation and become more competitive and viable.

4-3-1-2 vs 4-5-1

In EA FC 26, the 4-3-1-2 formation is an attacking, narrow formation consisting of two forwards and one attacking midfielder, designed to launch quick and direct attacks through the center.

In contrast, the 4-5-1 formation is more balanced and compact, relying on a striker and five midfielders for support, providing greater defensive stability and midfield control, especially against counter-attacks.

Therefore, the 4-3-1-2 formation is generally more suitable for aggressive attacks, while the 4-5-1 formation is defensively solid and excels at controlling the midfield.

However, after the 1.3.0 patch update, the 4-3-1-2 formation is clearly more advantageous than the 4-5-1 formation because it can form a more threatening four-man attacking combination in the final third and provides a better midfield and defensive structure through its unique player roles. These factors allow the 4-3-1-2 formation to deliver greater attacking firepower and more creative attacking options.

On the other hand, the 4-5-1 formation, because of its heavy reliance on wingers and midfielders to support the striker, can easily lead to the lone striker becoming isolated and struggling to organize attacks. Furthermore, if the wingers are the only source of attacking support, the formation's attacking methods are easily predictable by the opponent, making it easier for them to defend. Therefore, the era of the 4-5-1 formation's dominance in FUT 26 may be coming to an end!

How To Effectively Use 4-3-1-2 Formation?

When using a 4-3-1-2 formation in EA FC 26, the focus should be on building a narrow central attacking system. To achieve this, one midfielder should act as a defensive midfielder, another as a balanced playmaker or box-to-box midfielder, and a third player responsible for attack.

The single attacking midfielder should link up with the two forwards, while fullbacks are responsible for stretching the attack, as there are no wingers in this formation.

The specific player roles and instructions used for this formation are as follows:

• Striker (ST): Use Advanced Forward and set Stay Central and Get in Behind instruction to make him the primary scoring threat.
• Attacking Midfielder (CAM): Place this player between the midfielders and forwards to connect the attack. Instructions can include Get Forward or Get in Behind, depending on whether you want him to play as a second striker or a link-up player.
• Holding CM: Set to Stay Back While Attacking and Cover Center to provide a solid defensive foundation.
• Box-to-Box CM: Use Balanced instruction or Get Forward to balance defense and attack.
• Playmaker CM: Can use Playmaker or Box-to-Box role to add attacking dimension, but should be set to Stay Back While Attacking and Cover Center.
• Full-backs (LB/RB): Because of the narrow formation, full-backs must spread out. It's recommended to set them to Balanced or Join the Attack to support the attack, but if they are not flexible enough, Stay Back While Attacking is often a safer option.
• Center-backs (CB): Keep these players' default instructions to maintain defensive stability.
• Goalkeeper (GK): Use the default instructions or set to Goalkeeper and Balanced for increased flexibility.

To maximize the effectiveness of this formation, you must effectively utilize your full-backs, instructing them to actively spread the floor, while simultaneously ensuring they can quickly track back after an attack.

In short, you need to be prepared to adapt your tactics based on your opponent. If the opponent attacks down the flanks, you may need to switch to a more conservative formation or make tactical adjustments to cover the wide areas.

Regardless, after the 1.3.0 update for FC 26, we anticipate the 4-3-1-2 formation will soon become popular again, as it provides strong attacking firepower through the center while maintaining good defensive stability, making it ideal for possession-based, high-pressing tactics. Give it a try!