January 28, 2026
Madden 26 Franchise Mode Bug Leaves Players Stuck in Week 16 Long-time Franchise Mode fans are facing progression roadblocks, sparking frustration across the Madden 26 community.
🏈 Franchise Mode Progression Hits a Roadblock
Madden NFL 26 players are reporting ongoing problems with Franchise Mode progression. Many users are unable to advance beyond Week 16 or move into the postseason, causing growing frustration across social media and gaming forums.
For dedicated Franchise Mode players, these bugs are especially disruptive. Long-term saves representing dozens—or even hundreds—of hours can come to a standstill, with some players stuck in loops where completed games fail to advance the season properly.
⚠️ Community Frustration and Feedback
The backlash highlights how essential a smooth Franchise Mode experience is to Madden’s core audience. While Ultimate Team receives frequent updates, players focused on long-term offline modes often feel overlooked when critical issues like this arise.
Community members have shared various workarounds, such as:
- Simming games
- Reloading save files
- Starting new franchises
However, these solutions are inconsistent and often fail to address the root of the problem. For players invested in custom rosters, storylines, or rebuilds, starting fresh is usually not a viable option.
🛠️ EA Sports Faces Mounting Pressure
As complaints continue to grow, pressure is mounting on EA Sports to deliver a formal fix or at least provide clearer communication about the issue’s status. For many in the community, this bug has become a key test of EA’s commitment to supporting offline and long-term game modes.
📝 Final Thoughts
Franchise Mode remains a cornerstone of the Madden experience, and progression bugs like this highlight the importance of addressing offline gameplay issues quickly. Players will continue to seek solutions while hoping EA prioritizes stability in future updates.