The City of Brotherly Love has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to NFL football. Not only did the Philadelphia Eagles win Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans, Louisiana. But they can now also tout having the team's first-ever offensive 99-rated player on the Madden 26 cover.
As has been rumored for quite a while, Saquon Barkley is now officially revealed to be this year's cover athlete. EA Sports used a recreation of Saquon's insanely athletic "reverse hurdle" as the Madden 26 cover image.
Saquon Barkley is the Madden 26 Cover Athlete
2,005 rushing yards and a viral move will do that.
People assumed that if Barkley was the cover star, EA Sports might consider using the iconic image of his reverse hurdle as the game's cover. The publisher typically doesn't use actual NFL in-game imagery, so there were doubters that EA would attempt to go in that direction. It turns out, EA and Barkley just decided to replicate the move on their own.
Even if you're a New York Giants fan (yeah, that's me), you have to admit that the cover is awesome. But if you're a Philadelphia Eagles fan, the cool factor of the Madden 26 box makes it a must-have for display. If you typically download the digital version of Madden 26, you're probably going to want to switch it up this year and order the physical version instead. However, you can't do that directly through your console or EA's site.
What's In The Madden 26 Digital Deluxe Edition?
Is it worth splurging on? Or stick with the Standard Edition with that sweet cover?
Before you order the physical version of Madden 26, you should take a couple of minutes to figure out which edition is best for you. The Deluxe Edition has a bunch of bells and whistles included, but it's digital only and uses an alternative cover to Saquon's reverse hurdle. But dedicated Madden players may appreciate the extra content that the Deluxe Edition includes over the Standard Edition when you preorder:
- 3 Days Early Access (Beginning August 11th)
- 4,600 Madden Ultimate Team Points
- Early Access to Solo Challenges
- A Season 1 Elite Player Item (Expires 7/24)
- A Player Card Exclusive Item
The Madden 26 Deluxe Edition is also substantially more expensive than the Standard Edition. The Deluxe is digital only and costs $99.99 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. If you opt for the Standard Edition, that will cost you $69.99 and can be delivered to your door on the release date. Madden 26 launches for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on August 14th.
Preorder Madden 26 for Switch 2Preorder Madden 26 for PS5Preorder Madden 26 for Xbox
If you're going to call hike on the purchase, I'd recommend doing so today to ensure you get your copy at launch. You don't want to fumble the snap (or look like an unnamed Jacksonville Jaguars player) by not having your copy day one.
Preview: EA Sports College Football 26 is Smartly Building on a Solid Foundation
The Best War Games recently played a couple of games of EA Sports College Football 26 while getting a glimpse behind the curtain.