FC 26 has had a traditionally strong sales start in Germany – and has now been honored by the industry association for this achievement. Can EA SPORTS avoid the winter slump this year?
EA SPORTS FC 26 had just five days in September to reach the top of the monthly sales charts – and it did so with ease. Between its official full release on September 26 and October 1, the latest soccer simulation from Vancouver sold more than 600,000 copies in stores and online in Germany.
This was announced at the end of last week by the German industry association game e.V., which awarded the game the “Award in the highest category Multi-Platinum.” Borderlands 4 was also released in September, selling more than 100,000 copies by the end of the month and earning the “Award in Gold.”
Among the sports games that have been on the market for some time, the racing title EA SPORTS F1 25 also broke the 100,000 mark last month. Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Mario Kart World, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Split Fiction sold more than 200,000 copies.
High praise followed by initial discord
FC 26 was praised by most critics and the community during its early access period and shortly after its full release. Recently, however, discord has crept into public feedback: the well-known kick bug and a volley glitch are bothering many players.
EA SPORTS FC 25 also performed well financially at first – and then declined sharply. Persistent gameplay weaknesses led to a mass exodus of players. The developer responded with a huge update in January 2025, which at least brought many things back into balance economically.
To prevent a similar scenario around the upcoming Christmas season, EA SPORTS should successfully address the current teething problems in FC 26 as quickly as possible. If the developer manages to implement the right fixes, nothing should stand in the way of further outstanding sales figures.
