On Thursday, EA Sports revealed that College Football 26 will be released on July 10, 2025. It is the next game in the College Football series, which made a return last year with the extremely successful College Football 25 installation.
College Football 25 was EA Sports’ first college football game since NCAA Football 14, which was released in 2013. The videogame series had an 11-year hiatus after Electronic Arts (EA) was sued by former college football players who argued their name, image and likeness (NIL) were used without permission or compensation.
However, with the introduction of NIL into the collegiate landscape, EA was able to bring back the beloved series. Players who opted in to being in College Football 25 received $600 and a copy of the game.
The move worked out well for EA. College Football 25 became the best-selling sports video game of all time based on dollar sales. According to Chris Vannini of The Athletic, EA is more than doubling its payment to players for their inclusion in College Football 26.
“Players will be paid a lot more money for appearing in this year’s edition of EA Sports’ college football video game,” Vannini wrote. “In an email to Football Bowl Subdivision players sent Tuesday afternoon, EA Sports said it would increase players’ name, image and likeness payments from $600 to $1,500 for their inclusion in the upcoming College Football 26 video game.
“They will also receive a Deluxe Edition of the game, a carryover from the compensation system for College Football 25. As was also the case last year, some athletes will receive additional compensation to serve as brand ambassadors to promote the game.”
In March, On3’s Pete Nakos revealed who those ambassadors could be. Sources told Nakos that Michigan QB Bryce Underwood, Florida QB DJ Lagway, LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier, Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, Alabama WR Ryan Williams, Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt and South Carolina EDGE Dylan Stewart visited the Rose Bowl for the College Football 26 photoshoot.
Additionally, Ohio State’s Ryan Day, Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Penn State’s James Franklin, Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin, Oregon’s Dan Lanning and Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham were in attendance. Texas QB Quinn Ewers, Michigan RB Donovan Edwards and Colorado DB Travis Hunter were on the cover of EA Sports’ College Football 25.
