EA SPORTS FC 26 Ultimate Team is entering another major Pre-Season update as the game moves closer to EA SPORTS FC 27. The second stage of Pre-Season brings more returning FUTTIES Player Items, new Squad Building Challenges, Objectives, Evolutions and FC 27 carryover rewards, giving players plenty to complete even during the final weeks of FC 26.
If you want more flexibility to complete SBCs or upgrade your endgame squad, you can buy FC Coins and FC26 Coins on iGVault. With many elite cards returning to Packs during Pre-Season, however, this is also a good time to compare Transfer Market prices carefully before spending your entire Coin balance.
What Is New in FC 26 This Week?
The biggest FC 26 Ultimate Team update this week is the second stage of Pre-Season.
EA launched the main FC 26 Pre-Season campaign on August 28 as a two-week event designed to connect the final stage of FC 26 with the beginning of FC 27.
During the first week, the first two FUTTIES re-release groups returned to Packs.
During the second week, EA confirmed that FUTTIES Teams 3 and 4 would also return to the FUT Player Item pool.
That means players now have another chance to obtain some of the strongest FUTTIES cards released throughout the FC 26 endgame.
FUTTIES Teams 3 and 4 Return to Packs
One of the biggest reasons to pay attention to this week’s update is the expanded Pack pool.
EA confirmed that all four batches of Player Items previously re-released during FUTTIES would become available across the two-week Pre-Season campaign.
The first two groups were introduced during Week 1, while Teams 3 and 4 join during Week 2.
For players still building their final FC 26 squad, this can dramatically increase the number of elite cards available.
Why Re-Releases Matter
When an expensive card returns to Packs, additional supply can reach the Transfer Market.
That can put downward pressure on prices, especially if many players are opening upgrade Packs or completing repeatable SBCs.
For Coin buyers, this creates an important opportunity.
Instead of immediately purchasing a desired FUTTIES card at the beginning of the refresh, monitor how its price changes as more copies enter the market.
Some players may become significantly more affordable after the initial excitement disappears.
Do Not Buy Based Only on Overall Rating
FC 26 is now filled with extremely high-rated Player Items.
A 98 or 99 OVR rating alone no longer guarantees that a card is the best option for your squad.
When evaluating a Pre-Season or FUTTIES card, pay attention to:
PlayStyles and PlayStyle+
Skill Moves
Weak Foot
Alternate positions
Body type
Pace
Dribbling responsiveness
Defensive ability
Physical attributes
Chemistry links
A slightly lower-rated player may perform much better if the card fits your formation and tactical style.
New Pre-Season SBC Content
EA has also confirmed a large number of new Squad Building Challenges for Pre-Season.
The campaign includes six different Challenge SBCs alongside themed Player SBCs.
These SBCs celebrate areas such as new transfers, Summer Stars and returning FUTTIES Heroes and ICONs.
This makes SBC management one of the most important parts of the current FC 26 endgame.
Check Player SBCs Before Using FC26 Coins
Before buying an expensive Transfer Market card, check whether a similar Player SBC is available.
For example, if your squad needs a striker, completing a high-level FUTTIES ICON SBC with untradeable fodder may be cheaper than spending hundreds of thousands of FC Coins on a tradeable alternative.
However, you should still calculate the real cost.
Untradeable cards already in your club reduce the effective cost of an SBC.
Buying every required card from the Transfer Market can make the same SBC much less attractive.
Save High-Rated Duplicates
Pre-Season Packs and upgrades can generate many duplicate high-rated Player Items.
Do not discard valuable duplicates without checking active SBCs.
An 89, 90 or 91-rated duplicate may be useful in a Player SBC or Upgrade SBC.
Efficient duplicate management can reduce how many FC26 Coins you need to spend on fodder.
Last Whistle Tournament
The second week of Pre-Season introduces another important gameplay activity through the Last Whistle Tournament.
EA designed the Pre-Season Live Events around completing specific challenges and earning rewards for both FC 26 and FC 27.
This gives players another reason to continue playing competitive Ultimate Team instead of simply waiting for FC 27.
Why Live Events Matter
Live Events can provide rewards that cannot be obtained simply by buying players from the Transfer Market.
These can include Packs, Evolutions, Player Picks and FC 27 carryover rewards.
If you are planning to start FC 27 Ultimate Team, those carryover rewards may be more valuable than another temporary FC 26 squad upgrade.
Prioritise objectives with future FC 27 value before spending all of your time on ordinary matches.
FC 27 Carryover Rewards
One of the most important parts of FC 26 Pre-Season is the ability to earn rewards for FC 27.
EA confirmed several types of carryover rewards through the Pre-Season Live Event Objectives.
These include:
An 81+ x3 Pack
A tradeable 82+ Player Pick
10,000 FC 27 Coins
A Base Hero Loan Player Pick
PlayStyle Evolution rewards
Role++ Evolution rewards
These rewards will become available after you begin FC 27 Ultimate Team, provided that you satisfy the account requirements.
Carryover Rewards Do Not Transfer Your FC 26 Club
There is an important distinction players should understand.
Your complete FC 26 squad does not transfer into FC 27.
Your FC26 Coins also do not automatically move into FC 27.
Instead, EA allows you to earn specifically designated carryover rewards.
Only rewards that are explicitly marked as FC 27 rewards will be delivered in the new game.
This means there is little reason to save FC26 Coins because you expect them to transfer.
Use them to enjoy and improve your FC 26 squad while completing the objectives that actually provide FC 27 rewards.
Same EA Account and Platform Requirement
EA states that players need to log into FC 27 Football Ultimate Team using the same EA Account and platform used to earn the relevant FC 26 Pre-Season rewards.
This requirement is important for anyone planning to change platforms.
Check your account setup before completing a large amount of carryover content.
You should also pay attention to the redemption period because EA states that earned carryover rewards must be redeemed within the specified time window.
New Daily Play and Completionist Objectives
Pre-Season also introduces new Daily Play and Completionist Objectives across the two-week campaign.
These are valuable because they reward players for consistent activity rather than requiring one extremely difficult challenge.
For players with limited time, completing daily requirements can be one of the easiest ways to build packs and additional rewards.
Complete Multiple Objectives Together
Efficiency is especially important during Pre-Season.
Before starting a match, check all active Objectives.
A single Squad Battles, Rivals or Live Event match may contribute toward several requirements simultaneously.
For example, you may be able to complete:
Daily Play progress
Pre-Season Objective progress
Player Objective requirements
Season Points
Token progress
Using one squad to advance several objectives saves time.
New Champions Objectives
EA has also confirmed that a new Champions Objective will be released during each week of Pre-Season.
This gives competitive players additional rewards beyond ordinary Champions progression.
If your squad is already strong enough for Champions, consider prioritising these objectives before buying unnecessary replacements.
A premium new player is only valuable if the upgrade meaningfully improves your results.
More Evolutions During Pre-Season
FC 26 Pre-Season also adds a significant number of Evolutions.
EA confirmed ten Evolutions through the Evolutions Store and six additional Evolutions through the Token Store.
That gives players many options for upgrading favourite cards before the FC 26 cycle ends.
Check Evolutions Before Buying a Replacement
Suppose you have a winger you already enjoy using.
Instead of spending 500,000 FC Coins on a new winger, check whether an active Evolution can improve your current player.
If the Evolution fixes the card’s major weaknesses, the upgrade may provide much better value.
Choose Evolution Players Carefully
Do not select an Evolution candidate based only on overall rating.
Consider whether the final version fits your team.
For attackers, look at Pace, Dribbling, Finishing, Skill Moves and Weak Foot.
For midfielders, Passing, Ball Control, Stamina and defensive ability can all matter.
For defenders, Recovery Pace, Strength, Defensive Awareness and Tackling remain important.
Best FC26 Coin Strategy During Pre-Season
The FC 26 Transfer Market is now very different from earlier stages of the game.
Many elite cards have returned to Packs.
Upgrade SBCs increase supply.
High-rated untradeable cards are easier to obtain.
As a result, players should be much more selective when spending FC Coins.
Buy After Pack Supply Increases
Major re-release updates can cause prices to change quickly.
If a popular Player Item returns to Packs, its price may decline as supply increases.
You do not always need to buy during the first minutes of the update.
Watch the market first.
If supply continues increasing, waiting may save a meaningful number of FC26 Coins.
Upgrade Your Weakest Position
Do not simply buy the newest 99-rated attacker.
Look at your current squad.
If your attack already contains elite FUTTIES cards, upgrading your centre-back or defensive midfielder may improve your results much more.
Spend Coins where the difference is noticeable.
Keep Part of Your Balance Liquid
New SBCs and Evolutions continue to appear throughout Pre-Season.
If you spend your entire balance immediately, you may not have enough flexibility when a valuable SBC becomes available.
Keeping part of your Coin balance liquid allows you to react.
Should You Open Packs Now?
Pre-Season is one of the most attractive late-game periods for opening saved Packs because many high-rated promotional cards are returning.
However, players should still understand that Pack results are random.
Do not assume that opening more Packs guarantees one of the most desirable FUTTIES cards.
Whenever possible, combine Pack opening with SBC recycling.
Low-value Player Items can be submitted into upgrades.
High-rated duplicates can be placed into Player SBCs.
This creates a cycle that allows you to get more value from your club.
Best Positions to Upgrade
If you plan to use FC Coins to finish your FC 26 squad, concentrate on positions with the greatest impact.
Striker
An endgame striker should have elite finishing, strong movement and enough Pace to attack space.
Five-star Skill Moves or a strong Weak Foot can also make the card much more unpredictable inside the box.
Central Midfield
A balanced midfield is essential.
Avoid filling every midfield position with attacking players.
At least one midfielder should be capable of recovering possession and protecting the defence.
Centre-Back
Pre-Season attackers are extremely fast.
Centre-backs need enough recovery speed to defend transitions.
Strength, Defensive Awareness and reliable tackling are also important.
Full-Back
Modern Ultimate Team full-backs often need to contribute both defensively and offensively.
Look for Pace, Stamina, Passing and defensive PlayStyles.
Prepare for FC 27 at the Same Time
FC 27 launches globally on September 25, 2026.
Eligible Ultimate Edition players can begin with Early Access on September 18.
This means FC 26 Pre-Season should now serve two purposes.
The first is enjoying your final FC 26 team.
The second is preparing resources for FC 27.
Complete every worthwhile carryover Objective before concentrating entirely on Transfer Market upgrades.
Buy FC Coins With a Clear Goal
Players who still want to improve their FC 26 squad can find FC Coins and FC26 Coins on iGVault.
Before buying, decide exactly which players or SBCs you want to complete.
Check their current Transfer Market prices.
Calculate the amount of Coins required.
Then keep part of your budget available for future Pre-Season content.
A clear purchasing plan is more efficient than buying Coins first and deciding how to spend them afterward.
Final Thoughts
FC 26 Pre-Season Batch 2 is one of the final major opportunities to enjoy Ultimate Team before FC 27 arrives.
Returning FUTTIES Teams 3 and 4, themed SBCs, Last Whistle Tournament content, new Champions Objectives, Daily Play rewards and additional Evolutions create plenty of reasons to continue playing.
At the same time, FC 27 carryover rewards make Pre-Season progression more important than an ordinary endgame promotion.
Use FC26 Coins on iGVault for targeted squad improvements, monitor prices as more FUTTIES cards return to Packs and prioritise Objectives that provide FC 27 value.
The best approach is to finish FC 26 with a strong team while also preparing yourself for a better start in FC 27.
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