The final FUTcast of 2025 is here, and so is FC 26’s 16th Team Of The Week, spearheaded by Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz, who managed to clinch a spot in the year's final weekly eleven following a stellar performance against Wolves on Saturday.
But that’s not all, as new Time Warp Team 1 leaks revealed that, to the despair of all saving for TOTY, the promo might actually be able to keep the momentum of Winter Wildcards going. So put the Champagne on ice and get ready, we have a lot to talk about.
Promo & Event Updates
Team Of The Week 16
Having the Premier League duo of Florian Wirtz and Martin Ødegaard as its main stars, the 16th Team Of The Week might be a godsend for those looking to stack up 86+ variants. Here’s the full lineup:
Florian Wirtz (90 OVR / LM) | Martin Ødegaard (88 OVR / CM) | Malcom (87 OVR / RW) | Martin Dúbravka (86 OVR / GK) | Yanis Begraoui (86 OVR / CAM) |
Lewis Wing (86 OVR / CDM) | Ollie Watkins (86 OVR / ST) | Manuel Akanji (86 OVR / CB) | Nico Paz (86 OVR / CAM) | Rayan Cherki (85 OVR / RM) |
Pierre Kalulu (85 OVR / CB) | Christos Tzolis (85 OVR / LM) | Patrick Dorgu (84 OVR / RM) | Kevin Schade (84 OVR / LM) | Semih Kılıçsoy (84 OVR / ST) |
Oliver Sørensen (84 OVR / CM) | Jovane Cabral (84 OVR / LM) | Matías Vargas (84 OVR / ST) | Francisco Calvo (84 OVR / ST) | Nikolaos Vergos (84 OVR / ST) |
Maksim Paskotši (84 OVR / CB) | Imrân Louza (84 OVR / CM) | Michael Cheek (84 OVR / ST) |
Promo Takeaways
Best Pick: Malcom is the true highlight here, as his 94 PAC, Winger++, excellent dribbling, and Rapid+/Low Driven Shot combo can give birth to a demon.
Solid Finds: You cannot go wrong with Wirtz, who received good upgrades when compared to his Cornerstones and Gold Rare versions. Dorgu also clinches a mention for his evo potential and pairing of Quick Step+, Jockey, and Bruiser.
Might Perform: Although his PS+ choice might hurt when outside of the CAM position, Ødegaard’s PAC and Incisive/Pinged Pass PlayStyles can surprise. Watkins, Cherki, and Akanji also received substantial upgrades.
Promo Leaks: Time Warp Team 1
The GOAT is back to his prime, and more double PlayStyle beasts join the fray.
Here are the highlight players joining Messi as part of the first Time Warp team and their official face stats/PlayStyles+, as revealed by leaker FutDonk on X. Keep in mind that all cards come with full chemistry and are expected to arrive on January 2nd.
Garrincha (93 OVR / RW): 91 PAC, 87 SHO, 93 PAS, 95 DRI, 41 DEF, and 67 PHY. Quick Step+ and Technical+
Andrea Pirlo (91 OVR / CDM): 85 PAC, 82 SHO, 94 PAS, 91 DRI, 83 DEF, and 73 PHY. Pinged Pass+ and Dead Ball+
Carles Puyol (90 OVR / CB): 83 PAC, 47 SHO, 70 PAS, 68 DRI, 92 DEF, and 90 PHY. Block+ and Bruiser+
John Barnes (89 OVR / LW): 91 PAC, 87 SHO, 86 PAS, 91 DRI, 47 DEF, and 85 PHY. Rapid+
Roy Keane (88 OVR / CM): 82 PAC, 75 SHO, 84 PAS, 83 DRI, 86 DEF, and 89 PHY. Intercept+
Here are Messi’s official stats and PS+, also according to FUTDonk:
Lionel Messi (90 OVR / ST): 90 PAC, 90 SHO, 89 PAS, 94 DRI, 37 DEF, and 70 PHY. Finesse Shot+
SBC Spotlight
Two new player SBCs have joined the FC 26 ranks within the last couple of days, with both being considerably cheaper when compared to the most recent arrivals. The debut of a new 1 of 3 86+ pick can also allow you to get some last-minute Winter Wildcards. You can check out our thoughts on the new players below:
Winter Wildcards Red Charles De Ketelaere (88 OVR / CAM / ~70K) — Solid. His multitude of roles, Incisive Pass+, Low Driven, and Pinged Pass allow De Ketelaere to play above his stats and excel in multiple positions. Just don’t expect him to be a dribbler, with his low Agility and Reactions being felt even at the hands of a skill master.
Winter Wildcards Red Carlos Baleba (86 OVR / CDM / ~70K) — Hard Pass. Given his lack of passing PlayStyles, not even his solid defending can make Baleba a must-complete.
Cheapest Solution For Winter Wildcards Red Ketelaere
Task | Requirements | Recommended players (rating) |
Top Form | - Team Rating: Min 84 - Min 1x TOTW | 4x 82’s, 6x 84’s, and 1x 86 |
Serie A | - Team Rating: Min 85 - Min 1x Serie A Player | 2x 82’s, 5x 84’s, and 4x 86’s |
86-Rated Squad | Team Rating: Min 86 | 5× 84’s, 4× 86’s, 1× 87, and 1× 88 |
Market Watch
Market Summary: As we say goodbye to Winter Wildcards, the market steadily recovers, with pretty much all under 89 Indexes being up. Among the biggest risers, we have Index 86 with +9%.
Strategy: Hold onto your 87+ cards while they continue to gain value. Selling your 86-rated fodder might be your best bet when looking to mitigate losses.
Evolutions
Two new free evolutions debuted, offering timid but stackable stat boosts to under 85-rated players. Before you ask, yes, both can be applied to Silver Icons.
Balancing Act (Free)
Requirements: Be under 85 OVR. Must not be a GK.
Overview: Offers a +2 in Balance after completing one match with your desired player. Can be performed up to 30 times.
I Can See You (Free)
Requirements: Be under 85 OVR. Must not be a GK.
Overview: Offers a +2 in Vision after completing one match with your desired player. Can be performed up to 30 times.
Quick Hits
No matter if you want to boost your chances for Time Warp or try your luck at the end of Winter Wildcards, completing the new 86+ Player Pick SBC is a must.
Save your 87+ cards as the market surge starts.
That’s it for today. Before we go, though, I would like to once again thank you all for your support during 2025 and wish you the best in 2026. In other words, may your goals become a reality and your packs net you at least one meta Icon in the year to come.
Franklin Borges