Back in January, EA confirmed development on EA Sports College Football 26 is underway with the next installment of the college footbal video game series slated to release this summer. We speculated at the time that the official reveal could take place sometime in May, which is the month that EA Sports College Football 25 was unveiled in 2024.
With presumably just a few weeks until the reveal, it seems that EA has begun work on the various covers. On social media, Instagram user TubbyCFB posted behind the scenes photos of what looks to be the photoshoot for EA Sports College Football 26. The shoot took place at the Rose Bowl Stadium with The Athletic confirming with multiple people that "the photo was real and the photoshoot took place on Wednesday."
Gathered for the photo were numerous players (current and former), coaches, mascots, and more. While the photo itself may serve as the one used for the Deluxe Edition of EA Sports College Football 26, it's likely not the final cover. EA will almost certainly add its own flair to go along with this year's aesthetic. It's also expected that there will be multiple covers of the game for all of the different editions that usually accompany a new release.
In this specific leaked photo, we can see numerous players, including Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs, Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State running back Nick Singleton, Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams, Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart and Michigan true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood.
There are also former players who also served as cover athletes on past installments in the franchise, such as Reggie Bush (NCAA Football 07), Tim Tebow (NCAA Football 11), and Denard Robinson (NCAA Footbal 14). Robinson was the final cover athlete for the series when it was formerly known as "NCAA Football" before all the NIL drama that ultimately led to a break in the franchise. It's believed this could indicate a possible Legends cover of the game.
Some of the coaches spotted include Ohio State’s Ryan Day, Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Penn State’s James Franklin, Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham and Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin. The inclusion of real coaches on the cover this year has led to speculation that EA Sports College Football 26 will feature coach likeness this year.
Finally, there are mascots representing Georgia, Clemson, Oregon and Tennessee, which suggests the return of Mascot Mode.
It looks to be a far busier cover than that of EA Sports College Football 25 which primarily featured Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, and Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter. The deluxe edition did showcase more players, although Ewers, Edwards, and Hunter were the ones prominently in focus.
A photo of a potential cover of EA Sports College Football 26's Deluxe Edition has leaked online. The Athletic's @chrisvannini.com confirmed with multiple people that the photo was real and the photoshoot took place on Wednesday. Full story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/619...
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— The Athletic (@theathletic.bsky.social) March 12, 2025 at 10:21 PM
EA has not confirmed the legitimacy of the photoshoot, nor has the developer/publisher officially revealed this year's game. EA Sports College Footbal 25 marked the long-awaited return of the college football video game series. Its return was greeted by resounding excitement from fans, so much so that it became the highest-selling sports video game of all-time in total dollars. Despite EA Sports College Football 25's commercial success, there's certainly room for improvement in terms of gameplay and features. Players have sought more customization options, deeper Dynasty and Road to Glory modes, substitution packages, and online crossplay with Dynasty.