EA is “confident” that an extension of the licensing agreement between the company and the NFL will be reached and the partnership for Madden NFL will continue “for years to come”. That, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation.
For months now, negotiations between the league and publisher regarding the exclusive NFL license that EA has held for 20 years have continued. The current deal is scheduled to end after the 2026 NFL season.
A reason behind the confidence of the partnership continuing are the current plans in development for the Madden NFL franchise.
“We have things in the works that are two, three, four years away,” one source said. “There’s a lot in the pipeline that has been heavily planned with designing well underway. Putting those resources into something that might be ending just wouldn’t make financial sense.”
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When pressed on what that “pipeline” includes, sources wouldn’t go into much detail aside from saying there are features coming “brand new to the game”. They couldn’t confirm whether any will be ready for Madden 26 or not.
One NFL source said that the league is “so closely aligned with the development with the key beats and moments throughout the season” and that “over the years, that relationship has only gotten stronger.”
When asked about the possibility of EA retaining the license but in a non-exclusive matter, it wasn’t ruled out. However no one who spoke under the condition on anonymity think it’s likely unless the NFL is “blown away” by an offer to open it up.
It’s worth noting that, as of publishing, nothing sources have said indicate that a deal has been signed. That said, there’s always the possibility that something has already been agreed up and limited people know about it. On the other side, until i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed, there’s always the chance things turn south.
When looking for official comment on the status of talks with EA regarding the license, the NFL chose to “hold off on providing any official commentary”.
NOTE: This is an expanded story of an exclusive that first appeared in the Insider Gaming newsletter.
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