Happy Monday, FUTcast crew. The weekend is over, and EA has just dropped the biggest content bomb of the week. Forget the market for a second, the new Ultimate Gauntlet 4 objective is live, and it's a must-do grind with a massive reward pool, including a live Primetime card, multiple upgrade packs, and fodder. If you've been looking for a reason to log in, this is it.
On top of that, we have official confirmation that a massive gameplay patch is coming soon. The update is set to nerf some of the community's biggest complaints, including AI defending, rainbow flick volleys, and short corners, while improving goalkeeper performance and AI attacking runs. It's a huge list of changes that could shake up the meta. Let's get into the new content.
Promo & Event Updates
TOTW 9 Leaks: Messi & Lewa Are Coming
After a lackluster TOTW 8, the predictions for Team of the Week 9 look stacked with top-tier attackers. Based on weekend performances, the clear headliners are some of the biggest names in the game.
Get ready for a potential 87 ST Lionel Messi, an 89 ST Robert Lewandowski, and an 88 LM Klara Bühl. The rest of the team includes solid cards like Vitinha, DiMarco, and Al-Dawsari, but the chase items are all at the top. Start saving your Champs rewards for Wednesday.
Star Performers Explained
If you saw new Gold Star Performer cards in packs over the weekend for players like Luis Díaz (88 LW), Micky van de Ven (87 CB), and Victor Osimhen (88 ST), here's the deal: they are not live cards.
This was a flash promo, meaning these specific items were only available in packs for 48 hours to add hype. Unlike the blue Primetime cards, they do not upgrade.
Objective: Ultimate Gauntlet 4
This is the big one for the week. The new Ultimate Gauntlet 4 objective is live for the next seven days, and the rewards are massive.
The Grind: You must use three unique squads to complete the objectives. You get 14 entries per day.
The Rewards: Pure value. Completing the gauntlet will net you:
A 10x 83+ Rare Gold Players Pack
A UEFA Primetime 86 RM Giuliano Simeone (a live card that upgrades)
An 85-89 Upgrade Pack
An 85-87 Upgrade Pack
An 84 OVR Hadjam
10,000 Coins
Two Evolution consumables
SBC Spotlight
A fresh batch of gamble SBCs and player challenges is live. Here’s what to do and what to avoid:
Base Icon Matchday Pick (~338k) — Hard Skip. This is a 1-of-3 pick between Essien, Vidic, and Zambrotta. At this price, it's a massive coin drain, and none of the players are worth the 332k gamble.
Alba Redondo (86 ST, ~109k) — Overpriced. It's a live UWCL Primetime card with 4-star/4-star, good stats, and great links. However, at over 100k, it's just too expensive for what you get, especially when other cards are better for cheaper.
Base Hero Pack (~96k) — Worth the gamble. Unlike previous versions, this pack has no max rating. This is a huge win. For under 100k, you have a shot at packing any Base Hero in the game, making it a solid roll of the dice.
Nick Pope (86 GK, ~48k) — Decent value. This is a cheap Player Moments card with solid stats for the Prem. While keepers aren't exciting, it's cheap, but be aware that there are plenty of cheaper tradeable options that do the same job.
UEFA Primetime Challenge 2 (2.5k) — Must-Cop. A single, cheap squad that rewards a Small Prime Gold Players Pack (Tradeable). Complete this, sell the contents, and enjoy the free coins.
Cheapest Solution For Base Hero Pack
Task | Requirements | Recommended players (rating) |
Task 1: 85-rated squad | Team overall rating: Minimum 85 | Alexandra Popp: 85 Foord: 85 Girelli: 85 Granit Xhaka: 85 Giugliano: 85 Svenja Huth: 85 Vivianne Miedema: 85 Kim Little: 85 Caroline Weir: 85 Damaris Egurrola: 84 Manuel Locatelli: 84 |
Task 2: 86-rated squad | Any Team of the Week players: Minimum one in your starting eleven Team overall rating: Minimum 86 | Marie Katoto: 88 Irene Paredes: 88 Ada Hegerberg: 87 Millie Bright: 87 Ruben Neves: 84 Maanum: 84 Isco: 84 Sergej Milinkovic-Savic: 84 Bia Zaneratto (TOTW): 84 Pedro Goncalves: 83 Gimenez: 83 |
Market Watch
The new market index data shows a tale of two markets. While the overall Index 100 is down, that doesn't tell the whole story.
Risers (Low-Tier Fodder): The real action is in low-rated fodder. Index 82 is up 3.75%, Index 84 is up 2.81%, and Index 83 is up 1.75%.
Fallers (High-Tier Fodder): Meanwhile, high-rated fodder is dropping. Index 86 is down 1.85% and Index 85 is down 0.77%.
Takeaway: Your strategy must be precise. SELL your 82-84 rated fodder NOW to cash in on this spike. It's a great time to buy high-rated 85s and 86s while they are at a low point.
Evolutions: Wing Wizards (20000 Coins / 300 FC Points)
A new, high-value EVO is here.
Requirements: Max 79 OVR, Must be RW
The Upgrade: This is a massive 4-level EVO. It gives a +10 OVR (to 86), +10 Pace (to 90), +10 Dribbling, +10 Passing, and most importantly, a +1 to Weak Foot (for a 4-star WF). It also adds PlayStyles like Quick Step and Tiki Taka.
Best Candidates: Popular choices include Estevão, Amad, and Donyell Malen.
Verdict: For 20k, this is a fantastic and cheap way to create a top-tier winger.
Quick Hits
Grind Now: Ultimate Gauntlet 4 is live for 7 days. Start it now for a free 86 Simeone, a 10x83+ pack, and more.
Patch Incoming: A major gameplay update is coming soon to nerf AI defending, short corners, and more.
SBC Gamble: The Base Hero Pack (~96k) is worth doing, as it has no max rating. The Base Icon Pick (~338k) is a hard skip.
Market Check: The market is split. Low-tier fodder (82-84) is spiking — sell it now. High-tier fodder (85-86) is dropping — buy it now.
Must-Do EVO: The Wing Wizards Evo costs 20k and turns a 79 RW into an 86-rated beast with a 4-star weak foot.
TOTW 9 Leaks: Get ready for a huge attacking TOTW, headlined by Messi, Lewandowski, and Bühl.
That's the playbook for this week. Get that Gauntlet grind started, sell your low-tier fodder, and get ready for the new patch,
Shahmeer