Ultimate Team is built for competition. At least that’s what EA SPORTS promises with FC 26 – and it intends to back up its words with major restructuring, a comeback, and a new game mode.
There’s no question about it: if you want to compete in FIFA or FC, there’s no getting around Ultimate Team. The online mode for trading cards is not only of utmost importance to EA SPORTS itself. Football Ultimate Team (FUT), as it has been officially called since its separation from FIFA, is also one of the most sought-after gaming experiences in the community.
In FC 26, the developer wants to further improve this gaming experience, taking a surprisingly self-critical approach that was already evident in the reveal trailer. Here’s an overview of the resulting new features:
FUT 26: “Challengers” becomes Champs for casual players
On Tuesday, EA SPORTS confirmed one of the biggest leaks about FC 26: FUT Champs, the Weekend League, will become a two-tier society. In future, only players from Rivals Divisions five and above will participate in the elite league. For all players in Division six and below, there will be a “Challengers” mode.
The “Challengers” players will compete at the same time as the ‘Champs’ players on the weekend, but will receive significantly reduced rewards for their efforts. The Vancouver-based studio hopes this will counteract “Smurfs”: players who deliberately play in leagues below their skill level in order to earn rewards more easily.
The two weekend competitions will be held in the new competitive gameplay mode. This is mandatory for all online modes and competitive matches and is therefore the only option in Ultimate Team.
FC 26: Champs qualifiers canceled
Both modes for the weekend have in common that no dedicated qualification is required. The previous playoffs have been completely eliminated. Instead, players must secure the necessary qualification points during the weekly Rivals matches. Depending on their league affiliation, these points entitle them to participate in the corresponding Weekend League.
FUT 26 gets Rivals “Bounty” & “Limited Checkpoints”
Rivals is the daily business for most FUT players. In FC 26, there are a few new features to keep in mind. First, there are the new “Bounties.” These are small additional goals that are rewarded with packs or Rivals points regardless of the outcome of the game. For example, for the first or last goal scored in a match.
EA SPORTS has also revamped the progression system in Rivals. Checkpoints will no longer be set in stone in FC 26. Instead, players can slip off the “Limited Checkpoints” if they exceed a maximum number of defeats. In this way, the developers in Canada want to ensure that players no longer have to remain in spheres above their actual performance level after reaching them through a winning streak.
Winning streaks, on the other hand, will see a positive adjustment: starting with two wins in a row, further wins will not only move you up two steps at a time on the Rivals ladder, but will also earn you double the number of Rivals points. This means that the points required each week for various rewards can be earned more quickly.
New game mode for FUT 26: “Gauntlet” & tournament comeback
EA SPORTS has not only focused on existing modes for FUT 26. A completely new one is also included. It’s called “Gauntlet” and is the spiritual successor to the discontinued Champs Playoffs. As in the Weekend League qualifiers, five games are played, with rewards depending on the number of wins. The twist lies in the team selection: a new lineup must be chosen after each game.
While “Gauntlet” is making its debut, there’s a comeback in terms of live events: tournaments are back in FUT. This development was already hinted at in FC 25, and now it’s set to continue on a larger scale in FC 26.
Just like the new Rush tournaments in clubs, there will be up to four knockout rounds per tournament. Participation conditions and game rules may vary, as in the current online friendly matches. Matchmaking will ensure that opponents are always found in the same round. EA SPORTS also promises attractive rewards.
FUT 26 should not include game crashes if possible. However, if an opponent does leave the match, a victory will now be awarded even if the score is tied when the second half is in progress, a red card has been given, or a penalty kick has been awarded.
In Rush, leaving games also results in a timeout. The more often players leave Rush games, the longer they are banned from participating in the mode.
FC 26: “Linked Events” an exclusive FUT club?
Another new feature is “Linked Events.” These are restricted-access tournaments and friendly matches for which a task must first be completed. The inspiration comes from real-life sports: where, for example, the best four teams in national leagues qualify for the Champions League, only players from the Elite Division could take part in “Linked Events.” Qualification tournaments are also conceivable.
FUT 26 gets Evos for goalkeepers – game interruptions punished more severely
Finally, two major community issues will be addressed: evolutions and game interruptions. In FC 26, goalkeepers will also be included in evolutions in the third year. In addition, evolutions will be repeatable and will no longer be overwritten when various visual adjustments are made. Instead, a changed frame and a crest, for example, will create an overall image that incorporates both adjustments.
