Posted in: Electronic Arts, Games, Madden NFL, NFL, Video Games | Tagged: EA Sports, football, Madden NFL 26

Madden NFL 26 Reveals Cover Athlete & Launch Date

EA Sports revealed the official cover athlete for Madden NFL 26, as the game is set for release on PC and consoles in mid-August

EA Sports revealed the official cover athlete for Madden NFL 26 today, as Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley will grace both designs. As you can see here, Barkley will be in action on the standard cover, while also looking stoic on the Deluxe Edition, both of which have been confirmed for release on August 14, 2025. More details about the game itself will be released on Wednesday, so for now, we have more info on the choice for the cover and a couple of quotes from today's announcement for you here.

Madden NFL 26 – Cover Athlete Saquon Barkley

Barkley's record-setting season earned him both the cover and induction as the first member of the coveted Madden NFL 26 '99 Club.' Barkley appears on two unique covers with one memorializing his spectacular reverse hurdle from last season. New features coming to Madden NFL 26 will be revealed this Wednesday, June 4 and Madden NFL 26 will launch worldwide on August 14 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via EA app for Windows, Steam, and Epic Games Store. Barkley etched his name in the record books in 2024 with one of the most dominant seasons ever, becoming the first player in NFL history to rush for more than 2,500 yards in a single season, including playoffs, and leading Philadelphia to a Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

"Starring on the cover of Madden NFL 26 and being named to the Madden NFL '99 Club' are both dreams come true," said Barkley. "I'm grateful to my teammates, coaches, and Eagles fans for their support, and I can't wait to hit the field again to give Madden players more highlight-reel moments in Madden NFL 26."

"Saquon's reverse hurdle was one of the rare, defining moments in NFL history that would have once been described as 'something out of a videogame,'" said Evan Dexter, VP, Franchise Strategy & Marketing, EA Sports Madden NFL. "Now, it's a display of the athleticism and creativity of one football's most electrifying athletes. Madden NFL 26 will deliver the most real NFL experience we've ever built so that players can experience more of the unreal moments that Saquon put on display all season long. The full reveal is this Wednesday – don't miss what's next."

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