Madden 26 features a female play-by-play announcer, marking a major broadcast inclusion for the long-running EA Sports franchise. Veteran sportscaster Kate Scott returns to the booth alongside analyst Brock Huard, serving as one of the primary commentary pairing options for players.
If you're wondering how the broadcast landscape changed, who is voicing the games, or how to manage your audio settings, here is everything you need to know about the commentary teams in Madden 26.
Who is the Female Play-by-Play Announcer in Madden 26?
The voice behind the historic addition is Kate Scott, an experienced play-by-play broadcaster renowned for her work across the NBA, NFL, NHL, and international soccer. Scott originally entered the franchise ahead of previous iterations as the first woman to hold a play-by-play role in the video game series.
In Madden 26, she is paired with former NFL quarterback Brock Huard. Together, they handle specific primetime matchups—most notably serving as the signature broadcast team for Monday night games within the game's simulation and franchise modes.
The Madden 26 Commentary Teams and Broadcast Rotation
EA Sports structured the audio presentation around real-world NFL broadcast windows, giving players distinct commentary teams depending on the game mode and scheduling slot. The game features three primary commentary trios and duos:
- Thursday Night Football: Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis handle standard weekly matchups.
- Sunday Night Football: Mike Tirico and Greg Olsen bring a high-profile broadcast feel to weekend games.
- Monday Night Football: Kate Scott and Brock Huard deliver play-by-play and color commentary.
This rotation aims to break up the repetitive audio loops that plagued older versions of the franchise by assigning different voices to different days of the football calendar.
How to Change or Customize Announcers in Franchise Mode
Many players want to control which commentary team calls their games, especially when playing long-term Franchise mode campaigns. By default, Madden assigns broadcast booths based on the schedule, but you don't have to stay locked into a single team if you prefer a different voice.
- Navigate to the main Settings menu from the game's main screen or your Franchise hub.
- Select Audio Settings.
- Scroll down to locate the commentary volume sliders and broadcast preferences.
- Adjust team assignments or lower the commentary volume entirely if you prefer pure stadium noise, referee audio, and on-field hits.
EA Sports doesn't currently allow manual pre-match selection of specific broadcast duos for arbitrary exhibition games, meaning the booth is tied directly to the game's scheduling logic and primetime slots.
Impact and Community Reception
Introducing a female play-by-play voice represents a massive shift for sports simulation video games, which historically featured all-male booths for decades. Industry analysts praised the move for mirroring real-world sports television, where networks increasingly feature diverse broadcast teams.
At the same time, the community response has been polarized, as is common with sports video game audio. While some players appreciate the diversity and improved script flow compared to earlier rollout years, others critique the repetition of certain catchphrases or express a preference for legacy voices like Gaudin and Davis. EA Sports addressed some of these concerns in Madden 26 by expanding dialogue lines and reducing repetitive triggers during long Franchise playthroughs.
You can read more about industry broadcast milestones through organizations like Women in Sports Media or check developer updates directly on the EA Sports Madden NFL portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off the female announcer in Madden 26?
Yes. If you want to disable specific commentators, you can go into the audio settings and lower commentary volume or turn off commentary completely while keeping crowd and stadium effects active.
Is Kate Scott the only female voice in Madden 26?
She is the sole female play-by-play announcer in the game. Other on-air personalities, such as NFL RedZone host Scott Hanson, also feature in presentation roles to update scores across modes.
Will future Madden games keep multiple commentary teams?
EA Sports has committed to multi-team rotation setups to keep game presentations fresh, making it likely that varied broadcast booths will remain a franchise staple moving forward.
