FC 26 Career Mode – Gameplay realism, fouls, and contract logic
First off, I’m really enjoying FC 26 so far. I play Manager Career Mode and I think this year’s installment is one of the strongest in the past 3–4 years. Gameplay feels solid on Authentic and Ultimate difficulty—maybe a bit too easy at times—but with some slider adjustments, it really feels good to play. That said, I’ve noticed a few issues that I think could be addressed to improve realism and immersion:
CPU aggression and lack of fouls/injuries
CPU teams rarely commit fouls, even with aggression and injury sliders maxed out. This leads to:
- Very few free kicks or penalties (unless handballs are on).
- Almost no injuries, which affects squad rotation and realism.
- A noticeable imbalance where I commit more fouls than the CPU, especially when playing aggressively.It would be great to see more contextual fouls, physical duels, and injury variety—especially in longer Career Mode saves.
Contract negotiation logic
It seems players only want to negotiate contracts in the final year. That’s frustrating and unrealistic. It would be more immersive if:
- Players were open to talks with 2 years left.
- They initiated negotiations based on form, role, or wage expectations.
- There was more dynamic interaction—e.g., players requesting extensions or pay bumps.This would add depth to squad management and make Career Mode feel more alive.
These tweaks could make a huge difference for those of us who play long-term saves and prioritize realism. And when looking at what has been implemented in the game do not seem to me at least difficult to address.
