EA Sports has officially unveiled that rising football stars Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala will appear on the Standard Edition cover of EA Sports FC 26. The highly anticipated title is scheduled for release on September 26, continuing the legacy of EA's premier football simulation series. This announcement marks the beginning of EA's marketing campaign for their flagship sports title.

The franchise, previously known as FIFA until EA's partnership with the international football governing body ended in 2022, has sold over 325 million copies worldwide. The September release date for EA Sports FC 26 was initially leaked before being officially confirmed by the developers. As with previous installments, the game will be available in both Standard and Ultimate Editions.

The cover athletes selection highlights two of football's most exciting young talents. Bellingham, the English midfielder currently starring for Real Madrid, and Musiala, the German attacking midfielder from Bayern Munich, both emerged through England's youth system before Musiala chose to represent Germany internationally. The official cover art depicts the duo entering the pitch for a Champions League match.

This announcement follows the recent reveal that retired Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimović will grace the Ultimate Edition cover. Ibrahimović enjoyed a storied career with top European clubs including Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester United before retiring.

EA faces significant pressure to deliver with FC 26 after FC 25 underperformed commercial expectations, contributing to a 16% drop in EA's stock value. While the current title holds a respectable 76 average score on OpenCritic, it received mixed reactions from the fan community.

Looking ahead, EA has acquired TRACAB Technologies, a company specializing in real-match data capture to enhance gameplay realism. While it's unclear whether this technology will debut in FC 26 or future installments, the acquisition signals EA's commitment to advancing the series' simulation quality.