How to Play With Friends in EA FC 26 (Crossplay Guide)

While there are plenty of game modes that you can enjoy solo in EA Sports FC 26, there's nothing like playing with (or against) a friend. Whether you're developing a rivalry in Kick Off mode, putting your Ultimate Team creations to the test against one another, or pairing up to take on other players or the AI, having a friend to play with makes the whole experience that little bit better. EA Sports FC 26 also features crossplay, allowing those on different platforms to play with and against each other. In this guide, I'll explain everything you need to know on how to play with friends in EA FC 26, how crossplay works, and how to turn it off if you'd rather just stick to playing against players on the same platform as you.

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By Chris Jecks

How to Play with Friends in EA FC 26

Playing with Friends Online

To play with a friend in EA FC 26's Ultimate Team mode, look for any of the game modes that have a 'Play with a Friend' option listed on their tile within the menus. It'll also say directly below the game mode name 'Solo or Co-Op' if you're able to play it with someone, as shown in the screenshot above.

If you want to play against your friend in Ultimate Team, you need to choose the 'Play vs Friend' tab within the 'Play' section of the mode's menus. Once here, select the friend you want to invite and wait for them to join your game.

For those not wanting to play in Ultimate Team, you can do Co-Op Seasons to take on other pairs of players online. This can be accessed from the main menu and requires you to invite your friend after creating a new Co-Op Season or loading up an existing one.

Another option is the Clubs game mode, formerly known as Pro Clubs. This allows up to 11 players to take control of one player on a team as they take on another team. You'll work together to win matches, get promoted throughout the divisions and win championships, upgrading your player as you go. It's very fun and my personal favorite mode to play with friends in EA FC 26.

Playing with Friends in Couch Co-Op

Playing with or against friends in couch co-op is a bit more limited than the online multiplayer options you have in EA FC 26. As has always been the case, you can play against one another in a Kick Off quick match, where you can select your preferred teams and battle it out against each other in a typical match. You can also mix and match your own rules with the House Rules option.

How to Add Friends for Crossplay Multiplayer

To add a friend, press RT on Xbox or R2 on PlayStation to open the EA Connect menu. From here, you can navigate to the Player Search tab to find the 'Add Friend' option. Here, you'll find your own EA ID on the right-hand side, which you can share with a friend for them to add you, or vice versa. Once you're friends on the EA Connect platform, you'll then be able to open this menu, select them from the friends list, and invite them to your game when selecting the 'Play with a Friend' option on any compatible game mode.

Remember to use the low driven shot when in front of goal, or some of the fastest players in the game to give yourself the upper hand.

How to Turn Off Crossplay

To turn off crossplay, go to the settings icon in the top left corner of the main menu. From here, navigate to 'Online Settings' and then to 'Matchmaking Options.'

crossplay enabled option in ea sports fc 26

Here, you'll find two different options, the bottom of which is the 'Cross-play Enabled' option. Simply turn this off, and you'll only be able to play with and against other players on the same platform as you. For example, Xbox vs Xbox, or PC vs PC. If you ever want to turn crossplay back on, return to this setting and toggle it back on.

It's also worth noting that you can't play against players on a different console generation than you with crossplay. For example, if you have an Xbox Series X and your friend has a PS4, you won't be able to play against one another.

If you turn off crossplay in this settings menu, you won't be able to play with friends on other platforms, regardless of whether you've added their EA ID until you turn crossplay back on.

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