The massive Holiday update has just arrived at FC 26, and it significantly nerfed one of the most controversial mechanics in the game, goalkeeper movement.
This update introduced improvements to gameplay, Career Mode, Clubs, visuals, and added Classic XI Teams to the kick-off mode. It's the biggest update FC 26 has received to date, and it aims to fix the problems the community has been vocally complaining about recently.
Without further ado, let's find out all the changes the FC 26 Holiday update introduced.
Say Goodbye to Goalkeeper Movement As You Knew It
You've read it right, goalkeeper movement is pretty much gone. One of the most divisive mechanics in the EA FC franchise has finally been nerfed, and in a huge way.
To make that part of the gameplay more authentic, goalkeeper movement has been "greatly reduced", which directly impacts the amount of ground the goalkeeper covers. But that's not all, as the Goalkeeper Rush To Center mechanic has been completely removed from open play, also in the name of "goalkeeper authenticity".
The mechanic is still present and will continue to be a defensive tool that players can use. However, it won't be nearly as effective and overpowered as it was before.
That isn't the only change goalkeepers underwent in this update. Goalkeeper reactions to first-time shots have been improved, and they now react more accordingly.
Career Mode Receives An Ocean of QoL Improvements
The FC 26 Holiday update brought a lot of new content to Career Mode, as well as plenty of quality-of-life improvements to the mode. All of the changes implemented go in line with community feedback, which continues to be the theme of FC 26 updates.
Here is everything that arrived at Career Mode with the FC 26 Holiday update:
- Added a new field in Squad Hub indicating players' willingness to extend their contracts
- Added a new tab in the Manager Live Hub to streamline starting a new Live Start Point and Manager Live save, providing quicker access to previously earned retro kits rewards.
- Shortcut selections are now remembered automatically when exiting the switcher menu rather than requiring a manual selection save.
- Added an in-menu preview for mascots in the Create Your Club flow
- Addressed an issue in Create Your Club that prevented replacing a club other than your favourite team.
- In Player Career, the Player Archetype preview tile now displays both current XP and XP needed to reach the next level.
- Added Recommended Archetypes in the Player Career creation flow instead of Attributes.
Other Changes and Additions
The Club's archetypes' max level was increased from 60 to 75, with a new customizable PlayStyle slot that upgrades into a PlayStyle+ once you hit the new max level being added. CAM match ratings have also been fine-tuned to better represent the players' actions and impact on the game.
Rush has finally got a rematch option, which allows you to vote to keep playing with your current squad. However, all players need to opt in to play again; otherwise, they will be returned to the lobby menu.
The best addition of the FC 26 Holiday update is the addition of the Classic XI to the Kick Off mode. You can now play with some of the most iconic squads of all time, as well as with the top five leagues' all-time squads.
While AI defending wasn't touched in this update, unfortunately, developers have said they are currently keeping a close eye on the feature and the community feedback. If developers find it necessary, a change to the feature can arrive as soon as January 2026.
This is everything you need to know about the FC 236 Holiday update. We wish you great pack luck and good games!
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