Packs are the absolute biggest part of Team of the Year. We have been saving them for weeks leading up to this moment, and now that we are here, we want to open as many as we possibly can. However, we are still missing the most crucial piece of the puzzle, which is the Team of the Year pack grind. This specific grind allows us to pack blue cards, but more importantly, it enables us to rinse and repeat the process for hours. With upgrade packs, we can virtually craft every SBC we want for free.
That is the best part of this time of year. Today is the day we finally get those upgrade packs and start the process. Whether you start opening your saved packs now or wait, we are going to be able to start crafting. We are going to cover everything you need to know about the league upgrades, the new Team of the Year midfielders, and the Michael Olise SBC which we will be wanting to craft very soon.
Mastering the league upgrade rotation
If you are not familiar with this process, this is the OG Team of the Year pack grind which has dropped for years. We receive league-specific upgrades that allow us to generate unlimited fodder. This is the best way to craft the high-end SBCs currently available, such as Sophia Smith, Marcelo, or the new Michael Olise. While it is not always the guaranteed best chance to pack a TOTY item compared to store packs, it is the method that allows you to play the menus for hours.
The grind revolves around the Premium Upgrade Packs. These packs have been added to the code and are expected to follow the same format as previous years. They typically give eight commons and three rares from a specific league, such as the Premier League mixed with the WSL or La Liga mixed with Liga F. To complete these, you turn in eleven gold rares.
The strategy is simple but effective. You start by collecting gold rares. You can buy these on bid for 600 or 650 coins. If you spend 100,000 coins on gold rares, you can craft roughly 12 to 15 Premium Upgrade packs. When you open these packs, you get your three rares and eight commons back. The rares go back into the pile for more Premium Upgrades, while the commons are used for the secondary part of the grind.
You have two main options for your commons. You can put them into the base level league upgrades, which usually require eight golds and give three commons and one rare back. Alternatively, and perhaps more effectively this year, you can put them into the Winter Wildcards Crafting SBC which is still available. This requires two rares and five commons. This is often the better route because it is not league-specific, meaning you can pack any Team of the Year card or even Team of the Year Icons.
By cycling your cards through this process, your initial investment of 15 packs can easily turn into 30 or 40 packs opened. You never quick-sell anything; everything goes into storage or straight into an SBC. This is the time to build the packs, even if you do not want to open them until the full team is in packs. You can simply stack them up and wait for the honorable mentions to join the rotation.
FC 26 Team of the Year Pack Grind FAQ
When do league upgrade packs release?
They are expected to drop today, following the traditional schedule of the first Monday after Team of the Year begins.
Which league upgrade is the best?
Premier League and La Liga are generally considered the best due to the high number of TOTY cards available.
