EA Sports FC 26 may be achieving a player count significantly higher than publicly available data suggests, with one content creator reporting a peak of 9.8 million daily active users. The figure was reportedly shared by an EA developer with football game YouTuber Nate Miller, also known as TheFutAccountant.
Miller discussed the game's player base in a recent video, noting that SteamCharts indicates a 24-hour peak of 122,006 concurrent users on Steam for EA Sports FC 26. According to Miller, when this Steam figure was mentioned to an EA developer, the developer found it surprisingly low and stated that the game had hit a peak of 9.8 million daily active users in either late June or July. The developer also reportedly highlighted that console player numbers are substantial compared to PC, and that Steam is not the only PC storefront for the game, as the EA App also distributes it.
Furthermore, Miller claimed that EA Sports FC 26 recently had around 800,000 live players in its Clubs mode. The increased player engagement is speculated to be linked to the FIFA World Cup, which likely drove interest in football and the EA Sports FC franchise. The game incorporated World Cup-themed content, including playable national teams in its "The World's Game" mode and special additions to the popular Ultimate Team mode.
These reported player numbers emerge at a time when EA is reportedly in discussions for acquisition by a consortium of private entities, including Affinity Partners, Silver Like investment company, and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. If the daily active user figures are accurate, they would indicate a robust player base for EA's football simulation series.