Hey Team, welcome back to the FUTcast.
It’s Wednesday, and the content train is officially moving full steam ahead. We are deep in the Team of the Year (TOTY) voting season, but EA isn't letting us rest just yet. Today brings us a fresh Team of the Week (TOTW 17), some intriguing SBCs that are draining fodder, and a massive leak for the upcoming Time Warp Team 2.
Whether you're saving packs for later this month or looking to upgrade your squad right now, today’s newsletter has you covered. Let’s dive into the market madness, the new meta threats, and whether you should be completing that Arturo Vidal throwback.
Promo & Event Updates
Team Of the Week 17
The new TOTW is live in packs, and honestly, it’s a surprisingly strong selection for this time of year. While most eyes are on TOTY, there are some legitimate weekend league options here.
Lautaro Martínez (90 ST): The headliner. He’s received a massive boost to finishing and physicals. With 90 Shooting and 85 Physical, he is clinical inside the box and strong enough to hold off elite defenders.
Declan Rice (89 CDM): Finally, a Rice card that feels elite defensively. He’s a monster in the intercepting lanes, and with 86 Physical, he feels incredibly secure as a lone pivot.
Désiré Doué (87 RW): A fantastic budget option. He’s fast, agile, and "techy" — meaning his dribbling feels smoother than the stats suggest. A dangerous option on the wing.
Sergej Milinković-Savić (86 CM): The classic box-to-box destroyer. He’s composed, strong, and his passing is crisp. If you can link him, he’s very usable.
Promo Takeaways:
Elite Picks: Lautaro and Rice are the standouts. Rice, in particular, is a must-try for Premier League midfields.
Value: Doué (87) is the hidden gem here. He outperforms his price tag significantly.
Avoid: Scamacca (87 ST) looks good on paper but feels stiff in-game; he simply doesn't fit the current pace meta. Taylor (84 CM) is another one to skip — there are far better options for the price.
TOTY Contenders
The Team of the Year hype is officially underway. Voting is live, and the schedule for the releases has been confirmed in the game files.
Attackers: Arriving Jan 16th.
Midfielders: Arriving Jan 18th.
Defenders: Arriving Jan 20th.
Full Team: In packs Jan 22nd.
This is the calm before the storm. Expect the market to fluctuate heavily as people panic sell to liquidate for these dates.
Promo Leaks: Time Warp Team 2
The Icons & Heroes Are Coming Friday
We have confirmed leaks for Time Warp Team 2, and the power curve is about to jump. This promo seems to be focusing on flashback style stats, bringing older stars back to their prime physicals.
Homare Sawa (92 CM): The TOTY Icon from last year seems to be getting a Time Warp refresh. Expect high agility and interception stats.
Marco van Basten (92 ST): Usually let down by agility, but if this promo boosts his movement, his 93 Shooting will be lethal.
Cristiano Ronaldo (90 ST): The big one. A 90-rated CR7 with boosted pace (90 PAC / 93 SHO) is going to be incredibly expensive and likely the chase card of the team.
Philipp Lahm (90 RB): The ultimate defensive fullback. 90 Defense and 86 Passing makes him perfect for playing out from the back.
Other Notables: Nedved (89 LM), Moore (91 CB), Walker (89 RB), and Casemiro (89 CDM).
Verdict: The inclusion of a 90 Pace CR7 and a Kyle Walker card makes this team significantly stronger than Team 1. Save your packs for Friday.
SBC Spotlight
We have some gamble packs and a new player SBC. Here is where you should put your fodder:
Arturo Vidal (88 CM, ~36K) — Must Do. This is fantastic value. Vidal brings "Gullit Gang" stats (80+ in almost everything) and pure aggression to the midfield. His links are bad, but for this price, he is a steal.
1 of 3 87+ Campaign Mix Player Pick (~59K) — Gamble. It’s a cheap roll of the dice. If you have the fodder, it's worth the risk for a shot at a big promo card, but don't expect a guaranteed win.
Marta Torrejón (87 CB, ~32K) — Pass. The stats are decent with 88 defending, but locking 32k into an untradeable Liga F defender isn't worth it at this stage.
Cheapest Solution For Arturo Vidal
Task | Requirements | Recommended players (rating) |
Task 1 | Team overall rating: Minimum 86 Number of players in the starting squad: 11 | Marie Katoto: 88 Irene Paredes: 88 Ada Hegerberg: 87 Millie Bright: 87 Ruben Neves: 84 Maanum: 84 Isco: 84 Sergej Milinkovic-Savic: 84 Manuel Locatelli: 84 Pedro Goncalves: 83 Gimenez: 83 |
Market Watch
Market Summary: The market is behaving exactly as expected during a pre-TOTY fodder squeeze. While high-end meta cards are holding or dipping slightly due to panic, low-rated fodder is exploding because of the gamble SBCs.
Index 100: Up slightly (+1.41%), showing some stability in the high tier.
The Fodder Boom:
Index 81: UP 11.06%
Index 82: UP 10.30%
Index 83: UP 11.64%
Index 84: UP 11.32%
The demand from the 87+ Campaign Mix and upgrade SBCs is draining supply.
Strategy: SELL everything rated 81-84. If you have tradeable golds in this range, list them immediately. You are selling into massive hype. Do not hold these cards hoping for them to go higher; take your 11% profit now and hold liquid coins for the crash coming on the 16th.
Evolutions
We have a new evolution today titled Time Traveller.
Time Traveller (20K Coins or 200 FC Points)
Requirements: Max 86 OVR, Max 10 PlayStyles, Position Not GK.
Rewards: +1 Overall, +15 Heading/Jumping/Stand Tackle, +10 Interceptions/Strength. PlayStyles: Anticipate, Aerial Fortress.
Popular Picks:
Lionel Messi (87 RW): Interestingly fits the requirements if you have his lower version, though the physical boosts are wasted on him.
Reijnders (87 CM): Becomes a very well-rounded midfielder.
Nico Williams (87 LM): Adds much-needed strength to a pacy winger.
Verdict: Value. This is a cheap evo that gives massive defensive boosts. It's perfect for turning a mid-tier midfielder or fullback into a defensive rock.
Quick Hits
TOTW 17: Rice and Martinez are the big winners; Doué is the budget king.
SBCs: Complete Vidal for the nostalgia and value; skip Marta. Do the 87+ Pick if you feel lucky.
Leaks: Time Warp Team 2 drops Friday featuring a 90-rated CR7 and Kyle Walker.
Market: Sell your 83s and 84s right now.
That’s it for this Wednesday edition. Keep grinding those objectives and voting for your TOTY favorites. I'll catch you Friday for the full Team 2 reveal,
Shahmeer