EA FC 26 v1.0.3 Update is rolling out soon for PlayStation, Xbox and PC (Nintendo Switch 1 & 2 will follow). Note that this update is now available for download.
This build focuses on gameplay polish and stability — the kind of fixes that make matches feel fairer and saves behave properly.
Below we walk through the most important changes and what they mean for your matches.
Table of Contents
Gameplay
This update tightens the core on-pitch moments that can swing games.
Kickoff defensive positioning: Defending teams will now tuck in more compactly for a short window immediately after kick off. Player positions across all formations were adjusted so kickoff setups aren’t leaving attackers with easy space. In short: fewer cheap kickoff goals and fairer opening sequences.
Acrobatic shots nerfed after Rainbow Flicks: High-powered acrobatic attempts taken directly after a Rainbow Flick are now less accurate — that particular trick shouldn’t be an auto-goal anymore.
Smarter shot selection: Fixed cases where players opted for a flashy Trivela at the keeper instead of a simple lace shot. Your AI and controlled players should choose more sensible finishing animations now.
Why this matters: these changes reduce situations where matches feel decided by a quirk or a single exploit, and nudge outcomes back toward player skill and positioning.
Ultimate Team
FUT got a couple of stability and usability fixes.
Incorrect Biographies on Gold Items: Fixed instances where a Player Item showed the wrong bio text. Player cards should now display correct info.
Season 1 Premium Pass access (Ultimate Edition): Some Ultimate Edition owners previously needed to restart the game to claim Season 1 Premium Pass content.
The temporary workaround is to completely close the game and restart it while connected to the internet — backend verification should then grant access. This will be fully resolved once the update is installed.
Career Mode
A frustrating Career Mode bug has been addressed:
Contract/signing issue: After agreeing to a new contract, some players behaved as if they hadn’t been offered terms — triggering unhappy messages and even transfer requests.
That flow has been corrected so signed players remain content and your squad stability won’t be undermined by this bug.
General, Audio, and Visual
Several platform-specific improvements and optimizations:
[PC] Controller responsiveness: Addressed instances of controllers not responding in gameplay. The team continues investigating related reports and will follow up with further refinements.
[PC] Resolution & display persistence: Fixed cases where display settings could reset after closing the game. Your chosen resolution and display mode should now stick.
[PC] Cloth physics optimization: Reduced the performance cost of cloth simulation to help framerates and stability.
[PC] Corner kick performance: Improved performance in corner-kick sequences.
[Showcase] Launch via invite: Fixed an issue where launching the game from an invite didn’t place the invitee into the match lobby.
Stability: Various stability fixes across platforms to reduce crashes and improve reliability.
Final Whistle
EA FC 26 v1.0.3 Update is a focused patch — not a sweeping overhaul — but it addresses several user-facing issues that directly affect fairness and polish: kickoff behaviour, odd shooting choices, Career Mode contract bugs, and PC-specific stability.
These are the kind of under-the-hood corrections that make matches feel better and saves more dependable. We’ll keep watching the patch notes and community feedback and report any follow-ups or hotfixes.
If you spot anything odd after installing v1.0.3, send your reports through the official channels so the team can prioritize what to tackle next.
Enjoy the cleaner matches — and see you on the pitch.
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