Electronic Arts has recently announced EA Sports NHL 26, which will be released on September 12. The ice hockey franchise has been developed using the National Hockey League (NHL) license, which puts EA Sports NHL 26 as one of the most eagerly awaited games for fans of the sport this year.
EA’s NHL franchise started in 1991 with NHL Hockey and has greatly evolved since then. The EA Sports NHL games are yearly releases, and generally offer significant improvements on each entry, while also updating teams to resemble the real-world NHL.
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When Will NHL 26 Be Released?
- EA Sports NHL 26 will be released on September 12, 2025.
Now, EA has revealed that EA Sports NHL 26 will be released on September 12 for Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Gamers who want to play early, however, will get the chance if they purchase the Deluxe edition, which will allow for early access starting on September 5. Both editions can already be pre-ordered from Sony or Microsoft’s stores. Aside from revealing the release date, EA also confirmed the covers of the game, which will feature Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, as well as their father, Keith Tkachuk, in the Deluxe edition. The Standard edition will also have Matthew Tkachuk carrying the Stanley Cup.
As expected, each entry of the NHL franchise brings new features to the game, and this will not be different with the upcoming NHL 26. The title will employ the ICE-Q 2.0 technology powered by NHL EDGE, which uses real-life data for players to move just like the real-world superstars. EA Sports NHL 26 will also come with a revamped Be A Pro mode, which will allow gamers to experience an entire journey as a hockey player, and more.
At the moment, EA Sports NHL 26 has not been confirmed for popular subscription services such as Xbox Game Pass, but it’s likely that it may be added sometime in 2026. Back in April, NHL 25 was added to Xbox Game Pass as it entered the standard tier of EA Play, which generally happens between six months and a year after a game has been released.
Despite not being as popular as other sports franchises such as EA Sports FC or College Football, NHL games are often featured in best-selling lists, so it’s possible that the title will be a big hit for EA. It remains to be seen how fans will react to the improvements of the new entry, however, and if the entry will continue the previous success of the franchise.
- Released
- October 4, 2024
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ // Mild Violence
- Developer(s)
- EA Vancouver
- Publisher(s)
- EA
- Engine
- Frostbite
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Franchise
- NHL
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Sports
