On August 28, EA Sports College Football 26 launched a weekend of free play to celebrate the arrival of the NCAA football season for 2025-26. Fans eager to experience College Football 26 at no cost can start playing with their favorite NCAA Division I teams from August 28 to August 31, with access to all standard game modes.

The free weekend was scheduled shortly after the August Title Update for College Football 26, which improved several defensive zone coverage mechanisms and altered the effectiveness of CPU opponents’ pass rush. Notably, the update also introduced mascots from colleges like Memphis and Appalachian State, while addressing numerous gameplay issues in Ultimate Team mode.

College Football 26 Free Play Until August 31

In preparations for the NCAA’s football season debut, EA Sports has made it possible for gamers to try out one of their latest sports titles. The free play campaign runs from August 28 to 31 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles, providing access to all standard gameplay modes such as Road to Glory, Dynasty, and Ultimate Team. The trial is available only as a digital download and requires at least 40GB of free storage. Only the Standard Edition of College Football 26 is eligible for this trial. While a subscription to PlayStation Plus is necessary for online play on the PS5, it isn’t required for downloading and playing during the free weekend.

Caveats for Xbox Players: The Xbox Series X/S version of the game has specific conditions: an active Xbox Game Pass membership is required to download the free trial, and online matches necessitate either a Standard or Ultimate subscription. However, Xbox Game Pass subscribers can also try out two additional titles, Lost Eidolons and Surviving Mars, during this same weekend.

The trial version of College Football 26 supports cross-play, enabling new players to compete online while the free weekend lasts. Only time will reveal how many players sign up for this free opportunity.