All new Player Roles explained

Player Roles were introduced in EA FC 25, but they’ve been expanded upon in EA FC 26 to include new additions across multiple positions to help you customize your chosen tactic.

There are four new additions at the time of writing, but EA did add additional options during the season in last year’s game, so we’ll update this page if that happens.

Ball-Playing Keeper

• Position: Goalkeeper
• Example players: Alisson, David Raya

A goalkeeper comfortable with the ball their feet has become more and more important in the modern game as teams look to dominate posession.

The Ball-Playing Keeper playstyle will have the keeper move to the edge of their defensive third when a team is in possession, adding an additional passing option to play around a high press.

It can be risky, so choose it wisely. Players with the ++ PlayStyle for Ball-Playing Keeper include Alisson, Sommer, Maignan, Raya, and Ter Stegen.

PlayStyle + options include Emi Martinez, Jordan Pickford, and Alex Remiro.

Inverted Wingback

• Position: LB/RB
• Example players: Marc Cucurella, Myles Lewis-Skelly

Available for full-backs, Inverted Wingbacks move into midfield, but rather than a falseback who stays at the base of midfield, they’ll move further forward.

You can opt for an Attack focus, which has them play behind the forward to help create chances, or Build-Up to help act as an additional playmaker.

PlayStyle ++ options on the left include Marc Cucurella, Destiny Odogie, and Myles Lewis-Skelly, while the right-hand side has Marcos Llorente and Ben White.

PlayStyle+ options are Camavinga and Mace on the left, and Achraf Hakimi and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the right.

Wide Back

• Position: CB
• Example players: Fikayo Tomori, Benjamin Pavard

Usually part of a three-at-the-back setup, the Wide Back shifts between staying deep to protect the defensive third and moving wider to cover full full-backs.

It’s offered with a Support focus, which helps with maintaining possession through a high press, a Defend focus to cover for full-backs as they move up the pitch, and an Aggressive focus that works to close down forwards as they receive the ball.

Examples include Hincapie, Pavard, Tomori, and Kadiesha Buchanan for PlayStyle++, while PlayStyle+ options include Paredes, Bastoni, and Bright.

Box Crasher

• Position: CDM
• Example players: Declan Rice, Patri Guijarro

Players with the Box Crasher role will make late runs into the box during attacks, popping up to overwhelm an opponents’ numbers while the defence looks to mark strikers and wingers.

They’ll look to win the ball as it bobbles out of the box or as a tempting cross comes in, and aim to get on the scoresheet before running back to get in position.

PlayStyle++ options include Guijarro, Rice, Little and Kante, while PlayStyle+ offerings include Mariona and Tonali.