If you're tired of opponents manually moving their goalkeeper to save shots that definitely should have gone in, relief is on the way. The latest feedback update for EA Sports FC 26 outlines a significant roadmap for gameplay balance, headlined by a confirmed nerf to Goalkeeper Movement scheduled for December.
The End of the GK Movement Meta?
Manual Goalkeeper Movement has been a controversial mechanic in the competitive scene for years. When used effectively, it shuts down clear scoring opportunities, forcing attackers to second-guess every shot. EA Vancouver has acknowledged the community feedback stating that the mechanic is currently too effective.
The developers confirmed that a tuning update arriving in early December 2025 will reduce the effectiveness of moving the keeper. While the specific numbers aren't out yet, the goal is to make this high-risk, high-reward mechanic actually feel risky again, rather than a reliable "get out of jail free" card for defensive mistakes.
AI Defending and Dribbling Adjustments
Looking back at the recent v1.2.0 patch, the team highlighted adjustments made to AI defending. Specifically, the marking tightness of AI defenders around the box was reduced. This is a crucial tweak for breaking down low-block defenses; slightly looser marking means creative midfielders finally have the pockets of space needed to thread passes without being instantly swarmed by auto-defending AI.
On the offensive side, if your Controlled Sprint felt sluggish recently, you weren't imagining it. A quick Live Tuning Update has already been deployed to revert an unintended slowdown. The speed and responsiveness of Controlled Sprint should now match the baseline established at launch, restoring the muscle memory many of us have built over the last two months.
What is changing for Offline Play?
For those grinding Squad Battles or Career Mode, the v1.1.3 update brought significant changes to CPU AI behavior. The CPU is now designed to be more decisive in attack and more effective at dribbling. However, the developers are aware of lingering frustrations regarding the CPU's ability to hoard possession in Squad Battles. While a fix isn't immediate, EA is targeting early 2026 for adjustments to make the AI less prone to frustratingly keeping the ball in non-threatening areas.
Looking Ahead to December
Aside from the goalkeeper changes, a larger Title Update is planned for early December. This patch aims to address a variety of known issues and will likely prepare the game for the influx of holiday content. PC players specifically can expect continued monitoring of technical performance following recent stability fixes.