The biggest promotion of the year is just around the corner. Team of the Year (TOTY) kicks off on Friday, January 16th, and if you’re like most of us, you are probably torn between two feelings: the urge to rip every pack now to improve your team, and the discipline to save everything for a shot at that elusive blue card.

The good news? You don’t have to choose one or the other.

We’ve broken down a strategy inspired by the grinding methodology of Chem Expert EAFC that lets you build a massive stockpile of packs for the 16th while still keeping your club ticking over with fodder and daily dopamine hits.

The Philosophy: “Feed the Grind”

The core of this method is the Premium Mixed League Upgrade. This SBC is the engine that keeps your club running. It generates tradeable packs (for coins) and untradeable players (to recycle).

Your goal is to reach a state of “infinite” recycling where you are spending minimal liquid coins while generating high-value packs to save.

The Prerequisites

  • Time: This requires active menu grinding.
  • Coins: You need a small coin balance to start the engine (approx. 10-20k daily for the “Cheap” option).
  • TOTW Cards: A stocked club helps, but isn’t strictly necessary.
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Choose Your Path

There are two ways to approach this grind depending on your budget and how desperate you are for high-rated fodder right now.

Option 1: The “Smart Saver” (Budget Friendly)

Best for: Players who want to save packs without going broke.

The Loop:

  1. Open Daily Gold Upgrades: Do this first to get low-rated golds.
  2. Spam Premium League SBCs: Complete the segments. Open ALL packs from these segments until you pack enough fodder to complete the Winter Provision Upgrade.
  3. Target: You are looking for roughly 12x 85/86 rated cards to complete the Winter Provision SBC 4 times.
  4. The Result: You get 4x Winter Provision Packs. KEEP THESE.

The Rinse & Repeat: Between your League SBC runs, you will generate a lot of lower-rated fodder. Use them in this specific order:

  • OPEN: TOTW Upgrades (You need these to fuel other SBCs).
  • OPEN: 85-87 Upgrades (If available/needed for fodder).
  • OPEN: 78+ Player Picks (Do these after you finish the Daily Upgrades).
  • KEEP: 82+ x10 Packs.
  • KEEP: 85+ x2 Packs.
  • KEEP: Crafting Upgrades.
  • KEEP: Daily Rare Gold Upgrades.

The Cost: If you have to buy the odd TOTW or missing player (usually from LIB/SUD or Pro League), expect to spend 10-20k coins per day. This is significantly cheaper than buying fodder off the market, and you are banking high-potential packs for TOTY.

Option 2: The “Whale Grind” (Expensive)

Best for: Players with 100k+ daily budget who want maximum packs stored.

The Difference: You follow the same loop as above, but with one major change: You do NOT open the untradeable packs from the Premium League SBCs.

  • Tradeable Packs: Open them to recoup some coins.
  • Untradeable Packs: Save them for TOTY.

The Cost: Because you aren’t opening the untradeable packs to recycle players back into the grind, your “fuel” runs out much faster. You will have to buy nearly every player for the upgrades.

  • Estimated Cost: 8k-10k per run (not per day).
  • Daily Spend: Expect to drop 100k+ coins per day if you want to complete all available upgrades.

Why This Works (The “Fun” Factor)

Many players burn out before TOTY because saving packs is boring. Watching a number go up on your “My Packs” screen isn’t gameplay.

Option 1 solves this because it allows you to open packs every single day.

  • You are constantly opening League SBC packs to find that high-rated fodder.
  • You are opening TOTW packs.
  • You are opening 78+ Picks.

You still get the thrill of seeing a walkout (which you then recycle into a saved Winter Provision pack), but you arrive at January 16th with a club full of high-value packs: 82+ x10s, 85+ x2s, and Winter Provisions.

Quick Tips for the Grind

  • LIB/SUD Cards: These are often the “blockers” for League SBCs. If you are doing Option 1, compare the price of buying the specific player vs. buying a “Bronze Pack” to see if you can pack them yourself.
  • TOTW Management: If you run out of TOTWs, prioritize the TOTW Upgrade SBC immediately. Do not buy TOTWs off the market unless absolutely necessary as they are inflated right now.
  • Don’t Over-Save Low Rated Packs: Save the “Big Boys” (82+ x10, etc.). Don’t be afraid to rip a standard Gold Pack if you need 3 common golds to finish a puzzle.

Good luck, and see you on the 16th!

(Full credit for the statistical breakdown and loop strategy goes to Chem Expert EAFC on X. Go drop them a follow for more market insights.)