It’s Friday, the snow is falling (in-game, at least), and the content grind just hit blizzard levels.
Welcome back to FUTcast.
It’s a big day. Winter Wildcards has officially landed, bringing the usual chaos of position changes, cracked stats, and card designs that look better than the actual gameplay. We’ve got a Ronaldinho SBC that looks like a trap but feels like a must-do, an Alexander Isak card that might break the power curve for under 100k, and a store section trying its best to drain your club before Team of the Year.
Grab a hot drink. Let’s thaw out this content.
Promo & Event Updates
Winter Wildcards Team 1
This isn’t just about festive cheer; it’s about reshaping the meta. Winter Wildcards is back with its signature mix of position swaps and boosted stats.
The team is loaded with heavy hitters who are ready to slide straight into your starting XI:
Zinedine Zidane (95 CAM) — The headliner. 95 Passing and Dribbling. He’s the complete package and likely the best CAM in the game right now.
Ronaldinho (94 LW) — The smile returns. 96 Dribbling and 92 Pace. He’s pure joy on the virtual pitch, but good luck packing him.
Johan Cruyff (94 CAM) — A 94-rated Cruyff in December is terrifying. 5-Star/5-Star with 95 Dribbling. He will glitch through everything.
Ousmane Dembélé (91 CAM/ST) — Two versions, both nightmares to defend. The ST version has 90 Shooting; the CAM version has 94 Dribbling. Pick your poison.
Federico Valverde (90 CM/RB) — The ultimate utility man. His CM card is Gullit-gang ready, while the RB version shuts down the entire right flank.
Gabriel (89 CB) — Arsenal fans, rejoice. 89 Defending and 85 Physicality make him a legitimate wall.
Alexis Mac Allister (89 CM) — A technical master with 89 Passing. Perfect for controlling the midfield tempo.
Clàudia Pina (88 LW/ST) — A sleeper hit. The ST version has 90 Shooting and superb dribbling. A finesse shot queen.
Promo Takeaways
The Chase Cards: Ousmane Dembélé (91) is the one. Whether you pull the CAM or ST version, you are getting a card that feels faster than his stats suggest. Zidane (95) speaks for himself; he controls the game effortlessly.
Solid Picks: Trinity Rodman (88 ST/RM) is electric. With 91 Pace, she stretches defenses for fun. Jonathan Tah (88 CB) is a physical monster if you can link him; he bullies attackers off the ball.
The Dead Cards: Gerard Moreno (86 ST) feels a bit behind the curve with 84 Pace in a sprint-heavy meta. Joshua King (85 ST) is decent for budget squads but won’t survive in high-ELO Champs games.
Pack Value Alerts
Deck the Halls Pack
Cost: 400,000 Coins / 2,000 FC Points.
Odds: 35 Rares (84+), 10 Guaranteed 85+, 73% Chance of Winter Wildcards Player.
Verdict: RISKY.
Why? 400k is a massive chunk of liquidity. While a 73% chance at a promo card sounds high, you are more likely to pull a discard-price Wildcard than a Cruyff or Zidane. Only open with points if you are desperate for fodder.
Winter Wildcards Guarantee Pack
Cost: 200,000 Coins / 1,000 FC Points.
Odds: 10 Rares (85+), 1 Guaranteed Winter Wildcards Player (No Heroes/Icons).
Verdict: AVOID (With Coins).
Why? You are paying 200k for what will likely be a 20k card like Dier or Moreno. The "Guarantee" is a trap. Save your coins for the market crash or specific players you actually want.
SBC Spotlight
New promo, new grind. Here is what to cop and what to ignore:
Ronaldinho (88 OVR) ~796K — Expensive Meta. It’s expensive, but it’s Dinho. If you have the fodder stockpiled, this is an endgame fun card. If you're liquid, maybe buy him, but for untradeable grinders, this is the project for December.
Alexander Isak (89 OVR) ~96K — MUST DO. This is the steal of the day. For under 100k, you get a 6'4" striker with 90 Shooting, 5-Star Weak Foot, and high agility for his size. He fits the lenghty meta perfectly and will finish everything in the box. Do not skip this.
Álex Baena (86 OVR) ~28K — Fair Value. A cheap La Liga option with 90 Pace and 86 Dribbling. He’s a decent super sub or objective card, but he won’t displace top-tier wingers. At 28k, it’s low risk.
83+ TOTW Upgrade ~8K — Skip. The weight is terrible. Unless you strictly need an untradeable IF for an SBC requirement, save your coins and buy who you need.
Cheapest Solution For Alexander Isak
Task | Requirements | Recommended players (rating) |
Task 1: Top Form | Team of the Week players: Minimum one in your starting lineup 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 Jordan Pickford: 84 Sergej Milinkovic-Savic: 84 Viktor Tsygankov (TOTW): 84 Pedro Goncalves: 83 Gimenez: 83 |
Task 2: Premier League | Premier League players: Minimum one in your starting eleven Team overall rating: Minimum 87 Number of players in the starting squad: 11 | Endler: 88 Irene Paredes: 88 Robert Lewandowski: 88 Marie Katoto: 88 Gabriel: 88 Ella Toone: 85 Giugliano: 85 Girelli: 85 Milinkovic-Savic: 84 Maanum: 84 Jordan Pickford: 84 |
Market Watch
Market Overview: The market is stabilizing after the initial panic selling, but fodder is behaving predictably.
Low Fodder (81-82s): UP.
Index 81 is sitting at ~101 points. Upgrade packs and puzzle SBCs are keeping these inflated.
Action: SELL. Clear out your club of low-rated golds while they hold value.
High Fodder (86+): HOLD/RISING.
With the Ronaldinho and Isak SBCs demanding high-rated squads, expect 86s and 87s to creep up. If you invested early, you are in the green.
Evolutions
Frostbite Finisher (75k Coins)
EA dropped a massive striker upgrade today.
The Upgrade: Boosts a max 86 ST to an 88 OVR beast.
The Hook: Grants +10 Pace, +20 Finishing, and the Low Driven Shot PlayStyle+.
Top Pick: Randal Kolo Muani. He goes to 92 Pace and 90 Finishing with 4-Star/4-Star. He becomes a deadly poacher.
Verdict: Worth it. 75k is steep, but the stat boosts (specifically +20 Finishing) turn good cards into clinical finishers.
Winter Wildcards Red Icon (25k Coins)
Verdict: HARD PASS.
Why? It costs 25k just to change the card shell color. It provides zero stat upgrades. Unless you care purely about aesthetics, do not waste coins on this.
Roles++ Upgrades (10k Coins each)
Verdict: Situational.
EA released specific EVOs for LB, RB, CB, CDM, and GK to add Roles++. If you have a specific player like Zinchenko or Trent who needs that role mastery to function better in your tactical setup, 10k is cheap. Otherwise, skip.
Quick Hits
Promo: Winter Wildcards Team 1 is live. Dembele and Zidane are the kings; Isak is the people's champion.
SBCs: Alexander Isak (96k) is a mandatory completion. Ronaldinho (796k) is the premium grind.
Packs: The 200k Guarantee pack is a coin sink. Avoid it.
Market: Sell your 81-82 rated fodder now; hold high-rated cards as people start crafting Dinho.
EVO: Frostbite Finisher is pricey (75k) but makes Kolo Muani a monster. Avoid the Red Icon cosmetic EVO.
Enjoy the winter madness, grind that Isak card, and I'll catch you on Monday for the Weekend League recap,
Shahmeer