The long-awaited FC 26 preseason rewards from FC 25 have finally started rolling out and they are shaking the game’s economy in a big way. According to EA Sports, these carryover rewards officially become claimable on October 14, 2025, inside EA SPORTS FC 26 Ultimate Team.
Players can claim their rewards by logging into FC 26 using the same EA Account and platform family they used in FC 25. That means PlayStation rewards can only be redeemed on PlayStation, Xbox on Xbox, and so on. EA also confirmed that it may take some time for all packs and items to appear in accounts, so if your rewards haven’t arrived instantly, patience is key.
These preseason rewards are a thank-you gift for players who completed specific objectives during the final weeks of FC 25. They include valuable untradeable packs such as:
- 84+ x5 Player Pack
- 83+ x3 Player Pack
- 80+ x10 Player Pack (x2)
- Icon and Hero loan player picks
- Evolution consumables and celebrations
The preseason rewards spark massive market shifts
While the rewards were meant to celebrate progression from FC 25, their arrival has had an explosive effect on the FC 26 transfer market. As soon as the packs dropped, player prices tumbled. Panic selling began as thousands of users opened their untradeable packs, filled their clubs with fodder, and immediately started selling off tradable duplicates.
This influx of supply and untradeable content created a ripple effect across all price ranges. High-rated golds, promo cards, and even icons saw rapid price cuts within hours. Traders describe it as one of the most severe early-season crashes in recent Ultimate Team history.
For example, top-tier cards like Rinders and Julián Álvarez lost between 20 and 30 percent of their value overnight, with many others following. Some investors saw hundreds of thousands of coins wiped off their clubs in a single day.
Why preseason rewards caused such a big drop
The market crash can be explained by a few simple mechanics.
- Oversupply of fodder: The large number of 80+ and 84+ untradeable packs instantly added millions of cards to the game, flooding the market with duplicates that players tried to quick-sell.
- Low coin circulation: FC 26 has much smaller coin rewards compared to FC 25. Since players don’t earn as many coins from FUT Champs and Rivals, the economy was already fragile. Adding massive pack drops into that thin liquidity caused prices to collapse faster.
- Less demand for tradable players: Many of the preseason rewards also gave players high-rated untradeables, meaning fewer reasons to buy cards from the market. With fewer buyers and thousands of new sellers, prices nosedived.
- Emotional panic selling: The FUT community reacts fast. When prices started slipping, everyone rushed to sell at once. That caused heavy undercutting and a full-blown market spiral.
What players can do after the preseason crash
The key now is timing. With rewards still rolling out and EA confirming delays for some users, there’s potential for further dips before a rebound. If you’re planning to build a team, it might be worth waiting another 24 to 48 hours to see if prices settle even lower.
For investors, this kind of market chaos also opens opportunities. Buying during the panic and holding through the recovery often leads to strong returns. Cards that were 100,000 coins before the crash might rebound to 80 or 90 percent of that price once the market stabilizes and the flood of new packs slows down.
Fodder investments remain a safer play. With new SBCs and evolutions arriving this week, demand for 84 to 88 rated players is expected to rise again as players spend their free fodder completing new challenges.
What to expect next in FC 26 Ultimate Team
Market watchers predict that prices may remain unstable for the next few days, especially as EA continues rolling out missing rewards to players. Once all preseason rewards are distributed, the market should begin to recover slightly as traders and club builders use their new fodder on SBCs and evolutions.
The next major content drops, including the Max 87 Hero SBC and Ratings Reload Team 2, will likely dictate whether the market bounces back or continues to slide. If those SBCs require high-rated fodder, expect prices of 85 to 88 cards to climb again.
Until then, patience is the smartest move. Avoid panic selling, use your untradeable items wisely, and watch for rebound opportunities once the influx of preseason packs finally slows down.
FAQ about FC 26 preseason rewards and the market
When did FC 26 preseason rewards release
They began rolling out on October 14, 2025.
How do I claim my preseason rewards
Log into FC 26 Ultimate Team on the same EA account and platform used in FC 25.
My rewards haven’t appeared yet. What should I do
EA says it may take time for all rewards to appear, so check back later.
Why did the FC 26 market crash
The mass opening of preseason packs caused oversupply and panic selling.
Will the market recover soon
Yes, partial recovery is expected once rewards stop flooding the game.
