AFL26 review: Newest AFL game beefs-up off-field features, gameplay

AFL video games have often been met with mixed reviews. Does the latest offering — AFL26 — live up to the hype? Watch Josh Barnes’ review.

Like a footy team adding depth to its squad, the new and better features in the latest AFL video game should cover for some residual stilted gameplay.

AFL26 will hit the shelves on Thursday and this masthead was granted a preview play.

It will bring improved gameplay and graphics on the last version, AFL23, with smoother movements, an improved goalkicking function and a step up in footy’s best feature: spectacular marks.

Gamers hoping to sit down and play at the same level as sporting game behemoths like EA Sports FC or NBA 2K will not see the same expertly fluid graphics.

But that’s like complaining a local footballer can’t kick as well as Collingwood distributor Dan Houston – they are playing in different ponds in terms of money.

Big Ant Studios has poured the time in to upgrade its mechanics, and deploys deep time into tracking football movements to input into the games, but physical actions can still look a little jittery.

AFL26 has spent more time on the tiny movements of a marking contest to recreate the physicality of our game, but it’s never going to be perfect.

A sneak peak of what's to come 👀#AFL26 is available May 8. pic.twitter.com/DtNZ7ruH0L

— AFL (@AFL) May 2, 2025

Small things do work though, for example, the tiny addition of Taylor Walker quickly rubbing his right hand on his shorts as he walks in for a set shot, just as the Crows great does each time, brings the player more into real life.

To get your best Chris Scott impersonation going, tactics in game are more customisable than ever before.

Tags can be employed and even spare players enacted, with options to put them behind the ball, up to the contest or into the clearances, just as head coaches slide their magnets around.

What Big Ant has done to cover for any concerns about the gameplay is beef-up pretty much every other aspect.

The footy nerds will be all over the additions to management mode.

AFL26 hands you the keys to your club, allowing you to tweak things like the price of a membership or the turf quality of your training ground, as you scale up and down earning power and coaching ability.

Take control of your club with career mode 🎮

AFL26 is coming to you on May 8, with brand new features and gameplay modes. pic.twitter.com/trzqztXSWF

— AFL (@AFL) May 5, 2025

That kind of all-encompassing control will hook in gamers to spend hours tailoring their club as they choose to climb that virtual ladder.

Players can look after just their AFL team in this mode, or add on AFLW, VFL, and VFLW.

And footy jumper nerds can go into genuinely minute detail on guernseys and socks to create new looks for their player or created team.

A new addition is a player career mode, like NBA 2K’s famous version, a footballer can be created and begin life in the under-18s before being steered through their entire career, potentially from Vic Metro captain to Collingwood hero.

A screenshot from Big Ant Studio's AFL26

And there are more heroes available in the Pro Team mode, where gamers unlock packs of current and former players to add to their evolving team and face off against online opponents, like the wildly successful FC Ultimate Team.

If AFL26 hasn’t upgraded with a monster gameplay leap like a team signing a superstar full forward, but its addition of enough half-back flankers will make it worthwhile for footy-loving gamers.

Originally published as AFL26 review: Newest AFL game beefs-up off-field features, gameplay