A Parent’s Guide to Madden NFL 26

In cities across the United States of America, fans are gearing up for another year of the National Football League. Whether you’re licking your wounds as a Kansas City Chiefs fan after Super Bowl LIX, or you’re a jubilant supporter of the Philadelphia Eagles ready to see your team defend that Super Bowl championship [writer’s note: Go Birds.], it’s almost time for the 2025 NFL season to begin…

…and that means the next installment of the NFL video game, Madden NFL 26, is even closer! Once again, the team at EA Sports is bringing the most realistic simulation of NFL football to video game consoles, with this year’s cover being adorned by superstar running back Saquon Barkley of the Eagles. The digital gridiron awaits, but are there elements that you, as a parent, ought to be aware of?

There’s nothing on the field in Madden 26 that you wouldn’t see on a regular NFL broadcast, but there are a few minor details surrounding that experience that first-time Madden parents should be familiar with before their child loads up the game for the first time. Here, we’ll lay them out for your review, so you can decide if Madden NFL 26 is right for your family.

Is Madden NFL 26 Appropriate for Kids?

Madden NFL 26 is rated E for Everyone, with a single Content Descriptor for Mild Lyrics. The rating also features Interactive Elements including Users Interact, which indicates online play with potentially unfiltered verbal contact between players, and In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items).

The Mild Lyrics Content Descriptor in the official ESRB rating is referring to the curated in-game soundtrack of popular music. As the rating describes, “the words ‘damn’ and ‘hell’ can be heard in a handful of songs.”

There’s nothing on the field in Madden 26 that you wouldn’t see on a regular NFL broadcast.

The In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items) designation, meanwhile, is in reference to Madden Ultimate Team, a mode in which players build their own teams using cards randomly assigned to a team through purchasing packs. The purchase of in-game packs requires real-world currency, which means you should plan to activate parental controls around spending to avoid any accidental charges on your credit card for your child’s 87-rated Ladd McConkey card.

The E for Everyone Rating Category means, as one would expect, that the content of the game is appropriate for play by everyone. If you’re a football fan, this game is for you. However, while calling plays and running them is easy enough for even the youngest of players to understand, there are advanced elements like audibles, shifts, and other in-game actions that may take those younger players a little longer to figure out. So, while Madden 26 may be appropriate for your 6-year-old, they may have some trouble actually enjoying the game.

Where can I Play Madden NFL 26 and How Much Does It Cost?

Madden NFL 26 is available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. The Standard Edition of the game costs $69.99, while the Deluxe Edition costs $99.99. The Deluxe Edition comes bundled with the ability to play the game seven days early, 4600 Madden Points for purchasing packs in Madden Ultimate Team, and more.

Speaking of Ultimate Team, Madden NFL 26 will include the ability to purchase Madden Points with real-world currency, and while prices aren’t known for this year’s edition, Madden NFL 25‘s Madden Point packages cost between $4.99 and $149.99. Remember that spending more money is not a requirement, and it is easy to set parental controls to ensure that all spending is limited or blocked altogether.

How Does Madden NFL 26 Play?

Madden NFL 26, a simulation of NFL football, plays like…well, NFL football. You’ll choose a team, take the field, and play offense and defense just like the pros do.

On offense, you’ll call plays, head to the line of scrimmage, snap the ball, and then run or pass the ball depending on what you called. Hopefully, you’ll get that first down or even put points on the board with a spectacular one-handed catch in the corner of the endzone… but most of the time you’ll gain a few yards here or there.

On defense, you will again call plays, but this time you’ll be tasked with stopping the opponent from gaining any ground. You can choose any player on the defensive side to control, so if you prefer to defend against the pass, you can select a cornerback or safety, or you can select a lineman and try to get that all-important sack.

On special teams, you’ll be the one attempting field goals and punts with a specific meter that indicates kicking power, direction, and more. Remember to keep the wind in mind when prepping your kick; you don’t want a wide-right miss to be the reason your team loses the chance to play in a Super Bowl.

The core football experience is contained with multiple different game modes:

• Play Now is the fastest way to jump into a game. Choose teams, a stadium, the weather, and you’re off.
• Franchise takes a management simulation approach, where you choose a team and its head coach and try to build a dynasty. Sign players, make trades, keep the fans and the locker room happy through the choices you make, and ultimately take your team to the big one.
•  Superstar is similar to Franchise in that it follows a single person through multiple seasons, but instead of controlling the coach, here you’ll create a player and follow that player’s entire career. You’ll choose the position they play and their basic stats, and then once you’re drafted, it’s time to take the field and earn your spot
• Ultimate Team, as mentioned a few times above, is a “build-your-own-team” mode using cards opened from randomized packs. These packs are sold via an in-game store for currency called Madden Points, which can be purchased for real-world money and earned via in-game activities and challenges.
• Many of the modes above, including Play Now and Ultimate Team, feature online multiplayer options that allow players to connect with other players and compete against each other.

A key takeaway for any parent letting their children take the digital gridiron in Madden NFL 26 is the online capability and multiplayer options. While players can connect directly to friends and play against them, the main online matchmaking tools are used to connect two randomly assigned players together in a match. Therefore, if they’re using said matchmaking tool, your child could end up playing against a stranger, with no filter regarding verbal contact.

It is easy to set parental controls to ensure that all spending is limited or blocked altogether.

Luckily, there are easily accessible tools in-game that can ensure your child has the Madden experience you deem most appropriate. You can limit online opponents to only those on your child’s friends list, so you know they’re playing against a friend they’ve met in the real world. In fact, there are parental controls that you can set on your console(s) that can limit or completely block user-to-user communications.

Keeping Your MVPs Focused On The Field

You’d never see a football player take the field without their helmet… and there’s no reason for your kids to take the virtual field without the equivalent. That’s why it’s important to take advantage of the resources available to you to make sure your kids have a good time, regardless of what they’re playing. As mentioned, every device that plays video games also has parental controls to help you manage what your kids play, when and for how long, with whom, and whether they can spend money on new games or in-game purchases. ESRB offers step-by-step parental controls guides at ParentalTools.org to get you started.

On top of parental controls, establishing clear household rules around all of your kids’ video game experiences will be key as well…  For tips and guides to help keep a judgement-free conversation around video games going with our kids, visit ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide.

Jason Fanelli is a longtime games journalist and freelancer hailing from suburban Philadelphia. His bylines include Rolling Stone, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, IGN, GameSpot, Giant Bomb, and more. He is a proud husband to Stephanie and father to two beautiful daughters, Olivia and Charlotte.