On PC, EA Sports FC 26 can crash after a brief freeze, especially in online modes like Rivals and FUT. Offline Kick Off and Rush tend to be more stable. The steps below prioritize what most often stops those mid‑match crashes and desktop drops.

Verify and repair the installation (Steam or EA app)

Corrupted or missing files are a common trigger for crashes. Run a file check in your launcher, then relaunch.

  • Steam: Library → right‑click EA Sports FC 26 → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files.
  • EA app: Library → EA Sports FC 26 → “…” menu → Repair.

Tip: If you launch via Steam, it’s fine to repeat a verify/repair pass at the start of a session if crashes return.

Update Windows and your graphics driver

Bring the OS and GPU driver current before changing in‑game settings.

  • Windows Update: Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates.
  • GPU driver: Right‑click Start → Device Manager → Display adapters → right‑click your GPU → Update driver. Reboot after installing.

You can also install the latest driver from your GPU vendor’s software if you prefer managing updates there.

Set a stable frame rate cap (avoid uncapped or 120+)

Uncapped or very high FPS can coincide with freezes and subsequent crashes. Cap the game to a moderate value.

  • In‑game Video settings: set the frame rate limit to 60–100 FPS.
  • Start with V‑Sync Off in‑game. If stutter appears, try turning V‑Sync On, or leave it Off in‑game and enable V‑Sync once in your GPU control panel (not both).
  • Match your refresh rate and resolution to realistic targets (e.g., 60–100Hz at 1080p) and avoid rapid switching between borderless and fullscreen mid‑session.

If the game was crashing only during online matches, this cap often prevents the multi‑second freeze that precedes a crash.

Force DirectX 11 at launch

Some PCs run more consistently with a DirectX 11 path.

  • Steam launch option: Library → right‑click EA Sports FC 26 → Properties → General → Launch Options, then add:
-dx11
  • EA app: Game Properties → Advanced launch options (or equivalent) → add the same launch argument.

Note: Keep this in place only if it improves stability; remove it to compare after future patches.

Cleanly reinstall EA AntiCheat (then repair the game)

If crashes happen after a short freeze, resetting the anti‑cheat can help.

  • Open the game’s folder, then go to Installer/Anticheat and run the anti‑cheat executable to Uninstall.
  • Back in your launcher, run Repair on EA Sports FC 26 to reinstall the anti‑cheat and restore any files.
  • Optional: In Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Manage settings → Exclusions, add exclusions for the game’s executable and the anti‑cheat folder to reduce false interference. Reboot after changes.

If you also need the EA app itself, install it from the official page at ea.com/ea-app and then Repair the game again.

Run a clean session (background tools and overlays off)

Overlays, OSDs, and monitoring tools can conflict with anti‑cheat and cause a freeze-to-desktop exit.

  • Close Discord overlay, Steam overlay, NVIDIA GeForce Experience overlay, MSI Afterburner/RTSS, web browsers, and recording/streaming tools.
  • Right‑click the EA Sports FC 26 shortcut and choose Run as administrator.
  • If you use Steam Input, switch the game’s controller settings to the default (disable per‑game Steam Input override) and test again.
  • Advanced: Press Win+R → msconfig → Services tab → check “Hide all Microsoft services” → Disable all (leave EA services on) → restart. Test the game, then restore services afterward.

Reset video settings and avoid edge configurations

Pushy presets or mismatched language/locale settings can contribute to instability.

  • Restore in‑game settings to Default, then reapply changes gradually: resolution, frame cap, window mode, V‑Sync.
  • If you changed the game language in your launcher, match it inside the game settings.
  • Turn off controller vibration as a test if crashes coincide with haptics.

Confirm hardware targets and lower load if needed

If your system is close to minimum spec, use a conservative configuration to eliminate performance spikes as a cause.

Component Minimum Recommended
OS Windows 10/11, 64‑bit (latest update) Windows 10/11, 64‑bit (latest update)
CPU Intel Core i5‑6600K 3.50GHz / AMD Ryzen 5 1600 3.2GHz Intel Core i7‑6700 3.40GHz / AMD Ryzen 7 2700X 3.7GHz
RAM 8 GB 12 GB
Storage 100 GB 100 GB
DirectX 12‑compatible GPU (feature level 12_0) 12‑compatible GPU (feature level 12_0)
GPU NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti 4GB / AMD Radeon RX 570 4GB NVIDIA GTX 1660 / AMD RX 5600 XT

Practical baseline for borderline systems: 1080p, medium‑to‑low settings, frame cap at 60, V‑Sync Off (or On only in your driver).

Network and launcher cache hygiene

Crashes that coincide with online play can be aggravated by stale cache or a flakey connection.

  • Clear your launcher’s cache (EA app, Steam, or Epic) and restart the launcher.
  • Power‑cycle your router and use a wired connection for competitive modes.

Full reinstall when nothing sticks

If crashes persist, a clean reinstall can break a bad state:

  • Uninstall FC 26 and the EA app.
  • Delete any leftover EA app folders in your Program Files directory.
  • Reinstall the EA app from ea.com/ea-app, then install FC 26 on an SSD.
  • Launch once, quit, then Repair the game from your launcher to finalize dependencies.

If the game only crashes at specific FPS targets, stay capped at 60–100 FPS until an update addresses high‑refresh scenarios. If stability improves only with -dx11, keep that launch option for now. When a patch lands, remove the workaround and retest. If your entire PC reboots during a match, confirm stock clocks for CPU/GPU/RAM and retest with the frame cap applied.

The changes above resolve the most common PC crash patterns in FC 26 right now. Start with file repair and a moderate FPS cap, then move to anti‑cheat reset and a clean startup. Keep your launcher and drivers current, and revisit experimental workarounds after major updates.