Starting today, Nintendo Switch 2 users can play one of the best-selling games of 2025 for free, albeit for a limited time. If you subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online, you’ll have just under a week to play Madden NFL 26 at no additional cost.
Nintendo announced that Madden NFL 26 will be free on Switch 2 for NSO subscribers starting January 15 at 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT (thanks, GameSpot). While this special offer is considered among Nintendo’s Game Trials, you will be able to download and play the full Madden NFL 26 game – there is no gated content. Furthermore, the Switch 2 version of Madden 26 will remain on sale, at 60% off, through January 25.
Madden NFL 26 Is Free On Switch 2 Right Now
Madden is a perennial hit, and in 2025 it raced to the top of the charts in the United States, becoming the sixth best-selling game of the year (Battlefield miraculously took the crown from Call of Duty). Just five months after it launched, however, Nintendo Switch Online members with a Switch 2 can play the gridiron sim for free. The download is available now, and entitles you to play the game through January 21.
Click here and sign in to your Nintendo Account to start downloading Madden NFL 26.
Madden review scores never blow the doors off, but there’s really no competition when it comes to (American) football video games. There are plenty of game modes to try out, and Madden‘s Franchise mode is a fan-favorite, leaning into the simulation aspects to provide a more thorough mirror of the National Football League.
How Long You Can Play Madden NFL 26 For Free
Madden 26‘s free trial period on Switch 2 comes at the perfect time: in the middle of the NFL’s playoffs. Two days before the divisional round starts, Madden 26 becomes playable for free. The free trial runs from 1:00pm ET, January 15 to 2:59am ET, January 22. This gives you more than six-and-a-half days to play the long-running series’ latest.
The Madden NFL 26 sale on the Nintendo eShop will end four days later, at 2:59am ET on January 26. The 60% discount brings its price down to $28. The NSO requirement might be an unfortunate barrier for some, but it’s a great opportunity for subscribers on the fence to try Madden NFL 26 for free. More than six days with the game should give you time to see how the Nintendo Switch 2 version holds up, and whether it’s worth its deep sale price.
9/10
- Brand
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Nintendo
- Original Release Date
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June 5, 2025
- Original MSRP (USD)
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$449.99
- Operating System
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Proprietary