The standard and deluxe edition covers for the 'College Football 26' video game have officially been released. Credit: EA Sports
By Ben Axelrod on

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The official start of the 2025 college football season might still be three months away, but for many of the sport’s most diehard followers, the countdown to the start of next season is now just a matter of weeks.

With a release date set for July 10, it won’t be long until gamers are able to purchase the College Football 26 video game. And that means promotion for the highly anticipated sequel to last year’s revival of the EA Sports franchise is already ramping up, with the cover art for both editions of the game being revealed on Tuesday.

The standard edition of the game features two of the nation’s best second-year players in Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and Alabama wideout Ryan Williams — a fitting choice considering that this is the “sophomore” edition of the game. While current college athletes weren’t previously permitted to be on the cover of the game (or in the game itself) before the franchise’s return last year, that’s no longer the case, with NIL providing a pathway for players to be compensated for their participation and promotion.

Meanwhile, the cover of the game’s deluxe edition is much more crowded, with Smith and Williams featured in the front and a plethora of other players, coaches, legends, mascots and fans filling out the frame. The deluxe edition mirrors the photoshoot that leaked in March, which showed the likes of Smith, Williams, Penn State running back Nick Singleton, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, Michigan true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, Reggie Bush, Tim Tebow, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, Penn State’s James Franklin, Ohio State’s Ryan Day and Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin posing at the Rose Bowl.

In addition to Tuesday’s cover reveal, the first trailer for College Football 26 is set to be released on on Thursday.

“Last year, when we brought back the pride, pageantry, atmospheres and traditions of College Football, the response from fans was overwhelming,”  EA Sports College Football VP of Franchise Strategy & Marketing Evan Dexter said in statement. “With College Football 26, we’re celebrating our sophomore season with two generational sophomore wide receivers on the cover and we can’t wait for the world to experience even more heart and authenticity across athletes, stadiums, coaches and fans. Tune in this Thursday to see what makes it so special.”

While details regarding new gameplay features have yet to be made public, the inclusion of current coaches on the deluxe edition cover seemingly indicates that they’ll be making their own debuts in the franchise after having previously been absent. It will also be interesting to see how legends like Bush and Tebow are potentially incorporated into the game, or whether they’re merely on the cover to pay tribute to the sport’s past.

Presumably, we’ll find out some of those answers on Thursday, as well as any other additions that are being made to this year’s game. And while July 10 is listed its official release date, those who pre-order the EA Sports “MVP Bundle” (which also includes Madden 26) will receive early access to the game on July 7.

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.

View all posts by Ben Axelrod