Hi Everyone, Franklin here, filling in while Shahmeer takes a much-needed Boxing Day break. And man, we have a lot ot talk about today, as even though Christmas is now a fresh memory, the arrival of two Winter Wildcards squads is sure to make the celebrations last a little longer.
The SBC festival also continues, with new additions posing an even bigger threat to your fodder reserves. But don’t worry, you are bound to get a boost via EA FC 26’s new Season Objectives. So get your eggnog ready and don’t give in to the FOMO, cause here we go.
Promo & Event Updates
Winter Wildcards Teams 2 and 3
Being released back-to-back on the 25th and 26th of December, the second and third Winter Wildcards teams brought four new duo PS+ Icons to the fray, including the Invincibles Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira. A few surprises also received duo position variants, with Kevin De Bruyne being a highlight within the second team, and both Ramires and Jaap Stam setting a new standard in the third. Here’s an overview of all players:
Team 2
Zico (92 OVR / CAM) | Lothar Matthäus (91 OVR / CM) | Aya Miyama (91 OVR / LM) | Zico (87 OVR / CAM) |
Aya Miyama (87 OVR / LM) | Jari Litmanen (90 OVR / CAM) | Sonia Bompastor (88 OVR / LB) | Jerzy Dudek (87 OVR / GK) |
Jerzy Dudek (87 OVR / RW) | Pedri (90 OVR / CM) | Julián Alvarez (89 OVR / ST) | Rodrygo (89 OVR / RW) |
Kevin De Bruyne (89 OVR / CAM) | Kevin De Bruyne (89 OVR / CDM) | Lauren James (89 OVR / ST) | Lauren James (89 OVR / RM) |
Morgan Rogers (87 OVR / CAM) | Nico Schlotterbeck (87 OVR / CB) | Nico Gonzalez (86 OVR / CDM) | Noni Madueke (86 OVR / CAM) |
Noni Madueke (86 OVR / RW) | Elliot Anderson (86 OVR / CDM) | Juan Foyth (85 OVR / CB) | Odriozola (85 OVR / RB) |
Samson Baidoo (85 OVR / CB) |
Promo Takeaways
The Meta Crashers: Zico dominates by being among the top 5 CAMs in the game, while Lothar Matthäus’s seven possible positions make him both a meta CM and a premier all-rounder (together with the 95-rated WW Zidane).
Great Finds: Both versions of Kevin De Bruyne are sure to perform, with the CDM variant getting the upper hand via its pairing of Intercept+, Tiki Taka, Anticipate, and Jockey. Pedri and Alvarez are also highlights.
Unexpected Surprises: Schlotterbeck’s PlayStyle selection might make him a sleeper hit.
Team 3
Thierry Henry (93 OVR / ST) | Ferenc Puskás (93 OVR / ST) | Cafú (92 OVR / RB) | Fabio Cannavaro (90 OVR / CB) |
Patrick Vieira (90 OVR / CM) | Patrick Vieira (86 OVR / CM) | Thierry Henry (86 OVR / ST) | Jaap Stam (89 OVR / CM) |
Jaap Stam (89 OVR / CB) | Nadine Keßler (89 OVR / CM) | Ramires (88 OVR / CDM) | Ramires (88 OVR / RM) |
Sidney Govou (87 OVR / RM) | Capdevilla (87 OVR / LB) | Patri Guijarro (90 OVR / CDM) | Patri Guijarro (90 OVR / ST) |
Marcus Rashford (90 OVR / LM) | Nico Williams (89 OVR / ST) | Nico Williams (89 OVR / LM) | Klara Bühl (89 OVR / LM) |
João Neves (88 OVR / CDM) | João Neves (88 OVR / CM) | Patrik Schick (88 OVR / ST) | Khéphren Thuram (87 OVR / CM) |
Omar Marmoush (87 OVR / ST) | Maxence Lacroix (87 OVR / CB) | David Raum (87 OVR / LB) | Croix Bethune (87 OVR / CAM) |
Matías Soulé (86 OVR / CAM) | Luke Shaw (86 OVR / CB) | Ritsu Doan (86 OVR / RM) | Roger Ibañez (86 OVR / CB) |
Barbra Banda (86 OVR / ST) | Fiamma Benítez (86 OVR / CAM) | Aarón Escandell (85 OVR / GK) | Dan-Axel Zagadou (85 OVR / CB) |
Haris Tabaković (85 OVR / ST) | Charlie Cresswell (85 OVR / CB) | Nicolas Raskin (85 OVR / CDM) | Erëleta Memeti (85 OVR / RM) |
Promo Takeaways
The Meta Crashers: Henry is the king, given his Rapid+ and Finesse Shot+ pairing. Cafu, Puskas, and Vieira then close the top four, with the latter being set to become the game’s premier defensive CM. Ramires (CDM) and Stam (CB) are also already ingraved in the meta.
Great Finds: Nico Williams and Rashford gained welcome upgrades, while CDM Patri Guijarro now pairs her excellent game-feel and Tiki Taka/Incisive Pass combo with Intercept+. Make sure to also hunt for the 86-versions of Henry and Vieira, which are dream evolution prospects.
Unexpected Surprises: Their 90 PAC and solid PlayStyles make Maxence Lacroix and Ibanez shine among the CBs, even when compared to Icon and Hero picks.
Objectives Grind: New World Tour Silver Superstars Icons
Together with the arrival of the game’s fourth season, focused on the 1990 World Cup, ten new Silver Icons have been added as Objectives. As always, they can be acquired by completing their requirements during online matches and over Semi-Pro difficulty Squad Battles. Here’s what you need to do to get each of them:
Gheorghe Hagi (71 OVR / CAM)
Score in 20 separate matches with a Romanian player, or play 30 games with at least 2x LA LIGA players in your starting 11.
John Barnes (73 OVR / LW)
Play 30 matches with at least 3x English players in your starting 11, or play 20 games with at least 2x Premier League players in your starting 11.
Gary Lineker (73 OVR / ST)
Score in 20 separate matches with an English player, or win 25 games with at least 3x LA LIGA players in your starting 11.
Roberto Baggio (73 OVR / ST)
Assist in 35 separate matches with a Serie A player, or win 30 games with an Italian midfielder in your starting 11.
Lothar Matthäus (74 OVR / CM)
Assist in 65 separate matches with a German player, or win 40 matches by at least two goals while having at least six German players in your starting 11.
Jürgen Kohler (74 OVR / CB)
Concede one or fewer goals in 10 separate matches while having at least one German CB in your starting 11, or play 30 matches with at least three Bundesliga players in your starting 11
Rudi Völler (74 OVR / ST)
Score in 30 separate matches with a German player, or win 20 games with at least two German players in your starting 11.
Ruud Gullit (71 OVR / CAM)
Win 20 matches while having at least three Serie A players in your starting 11, or score 20 Power Shot goals with players from the Netherlands.
Paolo Maldini (73 OVR / LB)
Concede at maximum one goal in 20 separate matches with at least one Italian CB in your starting 11, or win 30 matches with an Italian midfielder in your starting 11.
Ronald Koeman (71 OVR / CB)
Score five direct free kick goals using a player from the Netherlands or win 30 matches while having at least 2x Dutch players in your starting 11.
Pack Value Alerts
Stocking Stuffer II (5,000 Coins / 50 FC Points)
Contents: 11x Gold Rare Players rated between 85 and 86 (Untradable).
Verdict: A no-brainer, capable of netting your a Icon at best and a good amount of fodder at worst.
All Wrapped Up Pack (550,000 Coins / 3,500 FC Points)
Contents: 40x Rare Gold Players. rated 84+, with 20 guaranteed to be 85+, 10 to be 86+, and 4 to be 87+ (Untradable).
Verdict: A worthy purchase if you want to spend, due to its 11% chance of netting you a Winter Wildcards Icon and 24% chance of featuring a WW Hero. Just make sure to keep your hopes in check and know that you won’t make a single coin out of it, no matterthe outcome.
SBC Spotlight
Many player SBCs arrived within the last couple of days, with two Premier League picks being the show stoppers. Here’s an overview of both, as well as our thoughts regarding the new December 26 additions.
Winter Wildcards Red Moïse Bombito (87 OVR / LB / ~80K) — A must. This year’s Christmas-themed SBC, Bombito’s high stats, low price, and Quick Step+, Anticipate, Block, and Intercept combo make him the dream fullback for any Premier League squad.
Winter Wildcards Red Moisés Caicedo (89 OVR / CDM / ~130K) — Overpriced. Even if great via its PlayStyle selection, you can find many CM or CDMs capable of rivaling him for cheaper.
Winter Wildcards Red Kadidiatou Diani (89 OVR / RW / ~200K) — Overpriced. Although we all remember how dominant she was at the start of the game’s cycle, the card’s Low Driven+/Finesse combo is not enough to justify a 200K investment.
Winter Wildcards Icon Red Michael Essien (88 OVR / CDM / ~224K) — Good value. Pairing Anticipate+, Jockey, Press Proven, and Incisive Pass with the ability to play as both a CM/CDM and a top-tier LB/RB, Essien can be considered a great all-around investment.
Cheapest Solution For The Winter Wildcards Red Bombito SBC
Task | Requirements | How To Complete |
Top Form | - Team Rating: Min 84 - Min 1x TOTW | 4x 82’s, 6x 84’s, and 1x 86 |
Ligue 1 | - Team Rating: Min 84 - Min 1x TOTW Player - Min 1x Ligue 1 Player | 4x 82’s, 6x 84’s, and 1x 86 |
86-Rated Squad | - Team Rating: Min 86 | 3x 87’s, 3x 86’s, and 5x 84’s |
Market Watch
Last 24 Hours: Thanks to the large influx of mid to high-tier cards, courtesy of both daily SBCs and the promotional store packs mentioned above, the prices of most Gold Rares continue to drop, with Indexes 85 and 86 being down by 15% and 5%, respectively. On the other hand, TOTW players continue to ride high due to the increase in demand.
Takeaway: With their prices continuing to drop, now it’s the perfect time to invest in 88 to 90-rated fodder.
Evolutions:
The third Winter Wildcards squad arrived with a series of new paid evolutions, five role-focused, and one made to turn under 86-rated CBs into aerial tyrants. Here’s more on them:
Winter Wall (50,000 Coins / 500 FC Points)
Requirements: CB exclusive. Max 86 OVR. Must have fewer than 10 PlayStyles and one PS+. Cannot have more than 89 PAC or be a Silver Icon.
Overview: An evo made for those looking to raise their CBs stat threshold to the 80s while also providing them with a great selection of defensive and physical PlayStyles.
Is It Worth It?: Only if you’re working on a unique evolution, as you can currently find high-end defenders for less than 50K.
CM/CAM/LW/RW/ST Roles++ (10,000 Coins / 100 FC Points Each)
Requirements: Max 87 OVR. Must match your chosen evo’s specific position.
Overview: Each provides a ++ increase to all roles within its set position.
Is It Worth It?: Definitely, as it allows some of the game’s biggest manaces to perform even better. For example, you can use it to turn POTM Claudia Pina into a complete striker.
Quick Hits
If the Icons are your main goal, go big or go home.
Complete Moïse Bombito as quickly as possible to get a top-tier CB/LB sure to stay within the meta for the months to come.
The Upgrade SBCs are still a great way to get promo players and TOTW variants, so don’t hesitate to complete them.
Invest in 86 to 88 players now to get the most out of the market crash.
That’s all for us this week. On behalf of the whole Operation Sports team, happy holidays and good luck with your Winter Wildcards pulls.
Franklin Borges