EA announces MCS 26 with $1.5 million prize pool

The Madden Championship Series (MCS) will return for its 11th season with a $1.5 million total prize pool, maintaining its position as one of the main competitions in EA Sports’ competitive gaming portfolio. The new season, MCS 26, will retain its established structure while introducing additional incentives aimed at driving both player participation and audience engagement.

The competition will follow a four‑event pathway — Kickoff, Most Feared, Zero Chill, and a Last Chance Qualifier — culminating in the Madden Bowl in February 2026. Each event combines online qualifying stages with live, in‑person finals. The format is designed to maximise competitive opportunity while building narrative arcs around key points in the NFL calendar.

From a commercial standpoint, MCS 26 continues to leverage Madden Ultimate Team (MUT) as the central competitive mode, supporting EA’s ongoing monetisation strategy for its flagship NFL title. By tying the series to MUT, the publisher aligns high‑level competition with its in‑game economy, while also integrating third‑party tournament administration through Challengermode to streamline operations.

Read more: Are we so back? EA speaks about the ‘esports spring’

EA is expanding its rewards programme to strengthen fan loyalty and grassroots participation. Competitors will receive MUT packs for entering eligible events, while viewers can obtain in‑game items by watching broadcasts on Twitch and YouTube.

The move comes as EA continues to invest in esports as a long‑term audience driver for Madden NFL, with the MCS functioning as both a marketing platform and a revenue‑supporting ecosystem. EA has previously spoke about how esports blends into the company’s strategy and expressed the view that the industry is currently experiencing an “esports spring” — a period of renewed growth, engagement, and investment across competitive gaming. Readers can find more about EA’s perspective on the current esports landscape in this link.

Full rules and registration details are available at maddenchampionship.com.