After much anticipation, EA Sports confirmed in a Tweet today that the Madden 21 closed beta will go live tonight, July 2nd, at 8:30 PM ET. EA also released a forum post outlining key details regarding this year's Madden beta.

Who will receive beta codes?
According to EA, everyone who signed up through the Good Morning Madden registration link in June will receive beta access along with nearly all competitors that earned MCS points this season. Additionally, the top 10,000 Madden Ultimate Team players and the top 10,000 CFM players in order of time played will all receive access as well.

I don't meet that criteria, can I still get a code?
EA is giving out Madden 21 closed beta codes to "Madden Channels, Developers, Influencers, Creators, Athletes, NFL Teams and more" so keep an eye on social media for your chance to receive a code.

I meet the criteria, but I haven't gotten my code yet.
Although EA's forum post implies codes have already been sent out, they have not been. In a follow-up Tweet, EA lets us know that codes will be sent out between 8:00 and 8:30 PM ET tonight.

EA also included frequently asked questions in their forum post:

Q: When does the Madden NFL 21 Closed Beta begin and end?
A: The Madden NFL 21 Closed Beta begins Thursday, July 2nd at 8:30PM ET and will end Sunday, July 5th at 11:59PM ET.

Q: What can I play in the Madden NFL 21 Closed Beta?
A: The main focus of the Madden NFL 21 Closed Beta is to collect your feedback on the gameplay features and mechanics discussed on the 6/25 Talking Madden Live Stream. You will be able to play Online Head-to-Head and Play Now with four different NFL teams: Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Atlanta Falcons.

Q: Can I record, stream, photograph, or capture any part of the Madden NFL 21 Closed Beta?
A: Unfortunately, NO, you cannot record, stream, photograph or capture any part of the Madden NFL 21 Closed Beta per the User Agreement you sign when you log into Madden NFL 21. If you do so, this will result in your removal from the Madden NFL 21 Closed Beta.

Q: Where can I provide feedback on the Madden NFL 21 Closed Beta?
A: You can provide feedback on the Madden NFL 21 Closed Beta at www.ea.com/games/madden/beta.

Those of you that get a chance to participate in the Madden 21 closed beta, let us know what you think!