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EA FC 25 early access: Start date and preload for PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch

EA FC 25 is just around the corner with EA Sports set to release the latest instalment of its FC series worldwide on Friday, September 27. Here's when you can play the game early

Gamers who pre-ordered the EA FC 25 Ultimate Edition, as well as EA Play Members and EA Play Pro members, are in for a treat with early access to EA FC 25.

We're now just shy of three weeks from the global launch of EA FC 25, the latest chapter in the EA Sports FC game series, set to hit the shelves on Friday, September 27. In anticipation of the release, EA Sports has been giving players sneak peeks at the new game, including an in-depth look at gameplay, an Ultimate Team deep dive, and most recently, unveiling the top 25 highest-rated men's and women's players.

Pre-orders for EA FC 25 kicked off in early July, and besides bagging bonuses like FC Points and Ultimate Team Hero items, a pre-order bonus for the EA FC 25 Ultimate Edition was early access to the game. True to form for EA, the EA FC 25 early access is a bit complex, with EA Play subscribers getting early access to EA FC 25 via a 10-hour trial, while EA Play Pro members will have early access to the full version of the game.

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[Aitana Bonmati and Antoine Griezmann battling for the ball in EA FC 25 Rush]

EA FC 25 is nearly here and a little earlier for some(Image: EA Sports)

So, when can early access players start their gaming?

Here's the lowdown on the EA FC 25 early access start date, preload, and file size for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, reports the Mirror.

EA FC 25 early access start date

The EA FC 25 early access start date is set to kick off on Friday, September 20 at 12am local time that is, if EA sticks to the same release schedule as EA FC 24. The game's early access period went live at 12am local time, so if this year's instalment follows suit, you can play the game as soon as the clock strikes midnight in your region.

If EA announces a different/specific time, we'll update this story to reflect that.

EA FC 25 early access preload

If you're an Xbox user, then EA FC 25 is available now to preload to your console, meaning when the game is finally released, you can start playing right away rather than waiting for the game to download. PlayStation users will be able to preload EA FC 25 two days before depending on the edition so from Wednesday, September 18 for the Ultimate Edition, and Wednesday, September 25 for the standard edition.

The earliest any game can preload on Nintendo Switch is seven days before release, with the game being preloaded onto your system automatically when you pre-order, meaning you can sit back, relax, and let the game preload itself. The earliest EA FC 25 can be preloaded on Nintendo Switch is Friday, September 13 for the Ultimate Edition, and Friday, September 20 for the Standard Edition.

As for PC, there's no confirmed preload date just yet, but we predict that preload will begin for EA FC 25 on PC from Sunday, September 15 for Ultimate Edition and Sunday, September 22 for Standard Edition.

EA FC 25 file size

Here are the confirmed and estimated file sizes for EA FC 25 on each platform:.

Xbox Series X|S: 46.1GB (estimated)

Xbox One: 43.1GB (confirmed)

PS5: 46.1GB (estimated)

PS4: 43.1GB (estimated)

PC: 100GB (estimated available space required)

Nintendo Switch: 28.4GB (confirmed)

The PC's hefty 100GB requirement is just an estimate of the space needed for download, but the actual EA FC 25 file size should be much smaller, akin to the Xbox and PlayStation file size.

For those who've pre-ordered the EA FC 25 Ultimate Edition and are eager to use all your pre-order bonuses right away, there's a bit of a snag. The player Evolution slot can only be unlocked when the game is released worldwide, so you'll have to wait until then.

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