EA SPORTS™ NHL 26
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NHL 26 WORLD OF CHEL DEEP DIVE

29. srpna 2025

World of Chel in NHL 26 is all about putting more control in your hands, from the way you build your skater to the challenges you chase each season. With a fully reworked loadout system, refreshed X-Factors, new objectives, and even the ability to carry your club forward.

Loadouts Reimagined

We’ve rebuilt the Loadout Creator in NHL 26 when it comes to building your skater. From the removal of boosts to the introduction of Ability Points and a wider attribute range, this is the biggest shakeup to WOC builds yet.

Player class: Sniper, 5'11", 185 lbs, shoots right. Attributes include high wrist shot accuracy (87), speed (84), agility (82), and offensive awareness (85). Specializes in Elite Edges and Ankle Breaker.

  • Boosts Removed. Boosts are gone. In their place, every loadout now comes with three X-Factor slots, making your abilities the core of your player’s identity.
  • Class-Free X-Factors. X-Factors are no longer locked to specific archetypes. Any skater can equip any ability, so you’re free to experiment across roles.
  • Ability Point (AP) Costs. Every X-Factor has an AP value tied to its power. Your loadout has a set AP budget, so you can’t just stack the strongest abilities.

Player customization screen in a hockey video game, showing a sniper class with attributes like height, weight, shooting style, and special abilities including 'Wheels' with speed and acceleration boosts.

Attributes

  • Expanded Ranges. Sliders now go as low as -10  and as high as +10 depending on the stat and class.
  • Class-Dependent Maximums. Archetypes still matter. A Sniper can push shot power higher than a Playmaker, while a Grinder can push body checking higher than a Sniper. You’re free to experiment, but within the natural limits of your role.
  • Re-Tuned Custom Classes. Every custom class has been rebalanced with new attribute distributions and default X-Factor setups to fit the new system.

X-Factors Reworked

  • 28 Updated Abilities. Every X-Factor in WOC has been redesigned for NHL 26. Each one has a clearer gameplay identity and a tactical purpose.
  • Five Categories, Three Tiers. Abilities are split into five different categories. Each comes in three levels of impact:
    • Tier 1: Lower cost, moderate bonuses.
    • Tier 2: Balanced cost, stronger effect.
    • Tier 3: Highest cost, strongest effect.
  • Examples:
    • Rocket cranks up shot velocity, with higher tiers giving you a better chance to beat goalies clean.
    • Relentless lets grinders and two-way players fight through contact and hold the puck in traffic.

You can now build around your signature trait, or stack complementary abilities to sharpen your role.

Player profile screen for "Bones - PMD" in NHL game, showcasing attributes such as Technique, Power, Playstyle, Tenacity, and Tactics, with X-Factor abilities like "Elite: Second Wind."

New Classes and X-Factors Each Season

  • 19 Legacy Classes Retuned. The Special Character Classes from NHL 25 have been fully updated with new attributes and X-Factor defaults.
  • New Seasonal Classes. Every season in NHL 26 brings new Special Classes, released alongside their matching Special Characters in the WOC Store.
  • Season Pass Rewards. Select X-Factors will also be unlockable in the Season Pass, making sure to get access to fresh abilities during the year.

OBJECTIVES

Objectives are a new way to keep your time in Chel fresh and rewarding. They’re released in groups, each available for a limited window, and cover different aspects of play.

"Weekly Objectives screen in a game shows tasks like completing 8 games, earning 2000 coins, equipping X-Factors, and more, each with XP rewards and progress bars."

  • Weekly Objectives → New challenges drop each week to keep you engaged.
  • Season Objectives → Longer-term goals tied to the full season.
  • My Playoffs Objectives → Special challenges available during Club Finals, playable across any online multiplayer mode.
  • Event Objectives → Unique challenges released at different times during the season.

Completing objectives is the primary way to move through the Season Pass in NHL 26. Each objective you finish earns XP, helping you climb tiers and unlock rewards across the season.

SEASON PASS

Another change in NHL 26 is that the full World of Chel Season Pass will always be free for everyone. That means every player has access to all tiers of rewards across each season, without needing to purchase an upgrade. Whether you’re chasing new customization items, fresh X-Factors, or other seasonal content, everything in the pass is open to earn just by playing.

World of Chel Season Pass screen showing Season 1, Tier 6 with 86 days left. Scales Bundle includes various hockey gear. Options to purchase NHL points and view rewards are available.

EASHL Club Transfer in NHL 26

Ready to carry your club’s history into NHL 26? With Club Transfer, you can bring your EASHL club from NHL 25 straight into the new game. Every existing club from NHL 25 is automatically imported into NHL 26 as an “unclaimed” club that’s reserved for the original Club Creator. That means your name and identity are safe until you decide what’s next.

What Happens to Unclaimed Clubs?

If you’re a Club Creator, here’s what you can expect when your club first arrives in NHL 26:

  • Name Reserved – No one else can grab your club’s name while it’s unclaimed.
  • Hidden from Search – Unclaimed clubs won’t appear in search results, so other players can’t accidentally join.
  • Waiting for You – The club sits in the background, locked to your account until you decide to claim it.

Don’t Miss the Transfer Window

There’s a limited window to bring your club into NHL 26. If you don’t claim it before the deadline, the club is deleted and the name becomes available again for anyone to use.

How to Claim Your Club

When you log into World of CHEL in NHL 26, head over to the Club tab. If you were the Club Creator in NHL 25, you’ll see a Transfer Popup that gives you the option to claim your old club.

  • This is a one-time process each year, so choose carefully.
  • Only Club Creators get the notification and can transfer the club.
  • Once claimed, other members will need to rejoin manually in NHL 26.
  • After you’ve claimed, the club works just like any other — you can edit or delete it as usual.

What Gets Transferred?

Your club keeps all the essentials so your identity carries forward into NHL 26:

  • Club Name
  • Club Details (Play-by-Play Name, Abbreviation, Nickname, Description, Region, Language, City/Region)
  • Membership type and status
  • Grudge Match Records

If you want someone else on your team to take over as Club Creator, make sure you assign them the role in NHL 25 before the transfer.

This keeps your club’s legacy alive while giving you a clean start for the new season in NHL 26.