FC 26 Players

While EA FC 26 features a large number of UEFA Primetime updates, they haven't brought any revolutionary content to the game. This week's patch 1.2.0 also fell short of expectations, with widespread feedback indicating no significant changes to the gameplay experience and even more problems.

This week's FIFA 26 experience has undoubtedly been quite boring, even terrible. However, this situation might change with Friday's new promotion. The content of the next promotion and some players have already been leaked: Festival of Football Captains.

Patch 1.2.0 Unfixed Bugs

Before discussing Festival of Football Captains promotion, let's briefly look at why patch 1.2.0 is so bad. Mainly, this patch fixes almost nothing.

In Gauntlet mode, trophy models still appear in the corner flag area and even on the field. The official patch notes claim to have fixed this issue, but it hasn't actually been resolved. Furthermore, using the multi-select function to quickly switch players causes the game to crash; the temporary workaround is to manually switch players one by one.

The patch also claimed to fix an inaccurate SP display issue and add a single digit, but now a new error has appeared for players with over 10,000 SP. The patch also mentioned fine-tuning AI defenders' marking of passers on the edge of the penalty area, but players don't perceive any difference in actual gameplay.

This patch either didn't work or made almost no real changes, and even introduced new bugs. Reverting to the previous version might result in a smoother game.

Festival Of Football Captains Promotion

Next is Festival of Football Captains promotion, and it will as usual begin after UEFA Primetime promotion ends on Friday.

This promotion is a themed campaign featuring national team captains, similar to Captains promotion in FIFA 22, but combined with the international tournament theme of Festival of Football.

The cards in this promotion are not limited to veteran captains, but also include content related to National Team Showdowns, Icon Matchday Player Picks. A total of over 60 special cards will be added to the card packs, more than UEFA Primetime.

Leaked Players

Player cards are always leaked before promotions, and this time is no exception. A list of some very strong players has been leaked:

• 92 OVR Mbappé ST France
• 90 OVR Kane ST England
• 89 OVR Van Dijk CB Netherlands
• 89 OVR Donnarumma GK Italy
• 89 OVR Lewandowski ST Poland
• 89 OVR Pajor ST Poland
• 89 OVR Cristiano Ronaldo ST Portugal
• 89 OVR Irene Paredes CB Spain
• 88 OVR Marquinhos CB Brazil
• 88 OVR Szoboszlai CAM Hungary
• 88 OVR Marta CAM Brazil
• 88 OVR Williamson CB England
• 88 OVR Heaps CAM America
• 88 OVR Ødegaard CM Norway
• 88 OVR Hegerberg ST Norway
• 87 OVR Bernardo Silva CM Portugal
• 86 OVR Tchouaméni CDM France
• 86 OVR Morata ST Spain
• 86 OVR Robertson LB Scotland
• 85 OVR Casemiro CDM Brazil
• 85 OVR Otamendi CB Argentina
• 85 OVR Højbjerg CDM Denmark
• 84 OVR Henderson CM England
• 84 OVR Stanciu CM Romania

Players To Watch

92 OVR Kylian Mbappé ST France

• PAC: 98
• SHO: 92
• PAS: 83
• DRI: 94
• DEF: 39
• PHY: 78

Kylian Mbappé's gold card already makes him the strongest striker in FC 26, which need over 1,800,000 FC 26 coins, and this time he's been further strengthened. While the increases in almost every stat are not significant, This version of Mbappé receives Finesse Shot+ Playstyle, making him even more lethal.

This is Mbappé's third special card, but such a powerful card may contradict FC 26's claimed strategy of slowing down the ability curve.

89 OVR Virgil Van Dijk CB Netherlands

• PAC: 76
• SHO: 62
• PAS: 73
• DRI: 73
• DEF: 91
• PHY: 88

Virgil van Dijk has acquired Anticipate+ Playstyle, the strongest defensive style in the game. With this style, Virgil van Dijk will undoubtedly become the best CB.

89 OVR Cristiano Ronaldo ST Portugal

• PAC: 89
• SHO: 90
• PAS: 84
• DRI: 88
• DEF: 30
• PHY: 82

Cristiano Ronaldo's second special card also improves speed and other stats, and boasts excellent Playstyle combinations including Aerial Fortress and Trickster. While players may not actually need another Cristiano Ronaldo card, his inclusion is justified given the event theme.

88 OVR Martin Ødegaard CM Norway

• PAC: 75
• SHO: 80
• PAS: 89
• DRI: 88
• DEF: 70
• PHY: 70

Compared to his 87 OVR gold card, Martin Ødegaard's pace in the 88 OVR version has improved from 68 to 75, a significant upgrade. He also possesses Incisive Pass+, which is extremely useful for an attacking midfielder.

87 OVR Bernardo Silva CM Portugal

• PAC: 81
• SHO: 80
• PAS: 87
• DRI: 92
• DEF: 67
• PHY: 65

Bernardo Silva's pace has received a huge boost (from 61), changing his previous situation where his slowness made him less effective. Combined with his top-tier dribbling stats and Ticky Tacky+, his performance will be outstanding.

Overall, the player cards released in this promotion are considered to have significantly addressed the weaknesses of many players and given players like Virgil van Dijk a dominant style. The overall quality is high and will undoubtedly bring significant changes to the transfer market.

Upcoming SBC Content

According to leaked information, the following target players' SBCs will be released:

87 OVR Ángel Di María RW

• PAC: 87
• SHO: 85
• PAS: 88
• DRI: 89
• DEF: 50
• PHY: 72

According to the leak, this card has Technical+, which is currently the strongest dribbling playstyle. Furthermore, its dribbling and passing stats are excellent, making it a highly anticipated Winger or CAM card.

88 OVR Wendie Renard CB

• PAC: 83
• SHO: 65
• PAS: 74
• DRI: 75
• DEF: 88
• PHY: 89

Wendie Renard can enrich French women's national team's lineup, and this card has the strongest defensive playstyle, Anticipate. Her 6-foot-2 height also gives her a significant advantage in defense.

The above is a general overview of Festival of Football Captains promotion. These special cards are generally much better than UEFA Primetime promotional cards. If you're looking to invest, you can sell your gold cards now to accumulate FUT 26 coins.

While FC 26 is a virtual football game, it's closely connected to the real world of football in every aspect. In fact, this is true of almost every sports game, as their audience largely overlaps with fans from various fields.

At least in FIFA 26, the player cards correspond to real-world players, most events are based on real football leagues, and there are regular opportunities to enhance players within FC 26 based on player changes.

Among all these similar events, Team of the Week (TOTW) is a must-mention. It updates weekly after the game's launch, letting you know the latest must-have players.

This time, we'll introduce the newly released TOTW 9 lineup to help you build a stronger team in future games.

Team Of The Week Introduction

This mechanism first appeared in earlier EA Sports FC games and continues to this day, aiming to give both new and veteran players the opportunity to see the best player lineups as soon as possible.

In FC 26, Team of the Week roster is usually announced every Wednesday, featuring players who have performed exceptionally well in real-world football matches over the past week.

Team of the Week provides them with in-game upgrades, typically obtainable through Ultimate Team card packs. Even if you're busy collecting UEFA Primetime cards lately, don't forget TOTW!

Including TOTW 9, the current TOTW promotion dates are as follows:

• TOTW Week 1: 17/09/2025
• TOTW Week 2: 24/09/2025
• TOTW Week 3: 01/10/2025
• TOTW Week 4: 08/10/2025
• TOTW Week 5: 15/10/2025
• TOTW Week 6: 22/10/2025
• TOTW Week 7: 29/10/2025
• TOTW Week 8: 05/11/2025
• TOTW Week 9: 12/11/2025

All TOTW 9 Players

Based on the performances of all players in their respective clubs and leagues during the week of November 5th to 12th, FUT 26 has awarded the following players a Team of the Week 9 promotion opportunity. Their locations and OVRs are listed below:

• Vitinha - CM - OVR 90
• Buhl - LM - OVR 88
• Messi - ST - OVR 87
• Ballard - CB - OVR 86
• Laia Aleixandri - CM - OVR 86
• Berardi - RW - OVR 85
• Doku - LW - OVR 94
• Leuchter - ST - OVR 84
• Maza - CM - OVR 83
• Toure - RB - OVR 83
• Sander - CB - OVR 83
• Said - LW - OVR 83
• Til - ST - OVR 83
• Tierney - LB - OVR 83
• Godfrey - RM - OVR 83
• Shaw - ST - OVR 83
• Zeballos - CAM - OVR 83
• Edu Espiau - ST - OVR 83
• Horn - GK - OVR 83
• Cozier-Duberry - RM - OVR 83
• Agyei - RM - OVR 83
• Martinez - ST - OVR 83
• Mika Marmol - CB - OVR 83

How To Obtain These Players?

After TOTW Week 9 begins, all standard and promotional Ultimate Team Packs will contain relevant player cards for this week. Each pack will display the probability of obtaining a TOTW player.

If you're not confident in your luck and don't want to gamble, you can directly find your desired TOTW player in the transfer market and exchange for them. Of course, the better the player's rating and performance, the more coins will be required.

In addition, FC 26 SBCs include a type of TOTW Upgrade SBC, specifically for obtaining TOTW players. Simply complete the challenge with a player lineup that meets specific conditions to redeem a pack that guarantees a TOTW player.

Sometimes other promotional SBCs may also offer packs containing Team of the Week players, but the probability is relatively low and you need to pay attention, so dedicated SBCs are more recommended.

Another way is to complete some special objectives released in FC 26 basic or season challenges, which may reward you with a specific TOTW player item or a TOTW Player Pick.

If you don't get TOTW 9 player you want in time, their corresponding player item will enter the secondary market at the end of the week or when the new week's TOTW roster is announced, at which time the number of coins required may change.

What Are TOTW 9 Players Used For?

As with previous weeks or previous FUT games, if Team of the Week 9 players are suitable for your team, you can add them directly to your roster or use them to complete appropriate SBCs to help you earn more rewards.

However, if you already have a better player for a position on your team than the one you drew, don't leave them idle. You can sell the extra TOTW players for coins.

Which TOTW 9 Players Are More Valuable?

The value and ability of players in TOTW 9 vary, so not every player is worth having. Overall, the most noteworthy is undoubtedly Messi. Although he's no longer in his prime, age doesn't matter in the game. His in-game stats are:

• Position: RW
• OVR: 86
• Pace: 78
• Shooting: 85
• Passing: 85
• Dribbling: 90
• Defending: 33
• Physical: 64

Another recommended TOTW 9 player is Dan Ballard, who scored a goal for his team against Arsenal last Saturday, and scored a header in the final moments to equalize the score. Here are his key stats for FC 26:

• Position: CB
• OVR: 86
• Pace: 79
• Shooting: 45
• Passing: 70
• Dribbling: 73
• Defending: 85
• Physical: 90

Of course, a player's effectiveness isn't solely determined by stats. It also depends on how effectively you integrate them into the team to maximize overall performance, as football is a team sport.

That concludes the information on TOTW 9 and all related players. We hope you have a wonderful week in FC 26!