EA Sports FC 26 officially launches soon (with early access starting today), and fans are already buzzing about a spooky surprise potentially lurking around the corner. According to recent leaks from usually reliable FUT insiders, the popular “Ultimate Scream” promotion is set to make a comeback in EA Sports FC 26 around the Halloween period.

This has the FIFA Ultimate Team community excited and nostalgic in equal measure, as Ultimate Scream hasn’t been seen since FIFA 20. What exactly was the Ultimate Scream event, and what can players expect if it returns this year? Let’s break it down.

What is the Ultimate Scream Promo?

Ultimate Scream was a beloved annual Halloween-themed event in previous FIFA titles, running each year from FIFA 17 through FIFA 20. In a nutshell, it introduced special “Scream Team” player items with eye-catching card designs and boosted stats that added a fun, spooky twist to Ultimate Team. Here are the key features that made Ultimate Scream so memorable:

  • Spooky Upgraded Players: EA would release a squad of around 21–23 Ultimate Scream players in packs. These cards featured dramatically boosted attributes, turning familiar players into absolute monsters on the pitch. For example, a typically slower or lower-rated player might get insane pace or shooting upgrades, making them suddenly terrifying for opponents.
  • Halloween Vibes: The promotion embraced its Halloween theme wholeheartedly. Card designs had creepy motifs (think glowing eyes, bats, pumpkins) and even pack opening animations in FIFA 20 had pumpkin and orange lighting effects. The whole FUT menu got a Halloween makeover, adding to the festive atmosphere.
  • Special SBCs and Objectives: Each Ultimate Scream event included themed Squad Building Challenges (SBCs) and objectives. These often rewarded additional Scream players or spooky cosmetic items. For instance, in past FIFAs you could unlock a Halloween kit and even a free Ultimate Scream player by completing objectives. FIFA 20’s Ultimate Scream featured SBC reward players like James Milner, Jesús Navas and Hulk, while an Edin Džeko “Scream” card was obtainable via weekly objectives.
  • Dynamic Stat Twists (Earlier Years): In some of the early iterations, Ultimate Scream cards had unique dynamic mechanics – their stats would temporarily super-boost during certain periods (like over the Halloween weekend or on full moons!). This meant your Scream cards could turn into 90+ rated beasts for a few days. However, this gimmick was toned down in later years due to fan feedback. By FIFA 20, the Scream items had permanently boosted stats (with four stats moderately upgraded and two stats given huge boosts) rather than changing over time.

Overall, Ultimate Scream was about having fun with FUT content – it wasn’t just about meta competitive cards, but enjoying the Halloween spirit. Fans have missed that spooky flair ever since the promo was shelved.

Guide: Claim your secret free FC 26 Icon pack today
Read more

Guide: Claim your secret free FC 26 Icon pack today

Last Seen in FIFA 20

The last Ultimate Scream promo occurred in FIFA 20 (October 2019), and it was a blast. EA released two teams of Scream players across late October, aligning with the Halloween season. Notable players included the likes of James Rodríguez (88 CAM), Zlatan Ibrahimović (88 ST), Edin Džeko (87 ST) and Dele Alli (87 CAM) in Team 1, with a second squad following a week later. Each of these cards had significant stat boosts – for example, Ibrahimović’s Scream card received pace and dribbling upgrades that made the towering striker far more agile and explosive than normal.

In addition to the pack squads, FIFA 20’s event kept players busy with extra content:

  • SBC Reward Players: As mentioned, FIFA 20 gave us Scream-themed SBCs that unlocked players such as James Milner (86 CM), Jesús Navas (85 RM), Hulk (86 RM), and later Julian Draxler (86 CAM). These were available for a limited time and required solving squad-building puzzles with specific criteria (often cheekily named challenges like “Ghost Stories” or “Witch Hunt”).
  • Objective Players: Edin Džeko (Roma) received a special objectives card with boosted stats, earned by completing Halloween-week tasks. Later in the promo, Mesut Özil got a Scream objective card as well. These objectives typically had thematic requirements (e.g. score a certain number of goals with players from specific leagues or with a scary-looking squad).
  • Themed Content: EA also dropped a free Halloween kit, daily “Puzzle SBCs” with smaller rewards, and store pack offers every day throughout the event. The FUT community fondly remembers how the menus and pack animations featured pumpkins and bats – truly embracing the holiday spirit.

The Ultimate Scream cards from FIFA 20 were permanently upgraded (no stat fluctuations) but still delivered on the “freaky” boosts. Some of those cards were so powerful for their ratings that they remained useful for months. (One fan famously kept a Scream Gerard Piqué in his lineup until Team of the Season because of its excellent stats!). After FIFA 20, however, EA discontinued Ultimate Scream and introduced the Rulebreakers promo in FIFA 21 as a sort of replacement during the Halloween window. Rulebreakers had its own twist (altering players’ usual strengths), but many long-time players missed the classic Halloween aesthetic and fun that Ultimate Scream provided.

Ultimate Scream Expected in EA Sports FC 26

Fast forward to now: EA Sports FC 26 (this year’s edition of the game) looks set to revive the Ultimate Scream promo, if leaks are to be believed. The rumor originated from well-known FUT community leakers on social media (for example, FutSheriff on X/Twitter) who have a strong track record of accurate information. They claimed that “Ultimate Scream is back” and slated for a release around the end of October – just in time for Halloween. While EA Sports has not officially confirmed this yet, the news has spread like wildfire among FUT fans.

So, what can we expect from an Ultimate Scream revival in FC 26? Here’s what might be in store based on past promos and current speculation:

  • A Halloween-Themed Squad: We will likely see a squad of special Halloween-themed player items released into packs, probably in the range of 11–23 players. These could come all at once or split into two squads over consecutive weeks (similar to FIFA 20’s Team 1 and Team 2 format). Expect the card design to be brand-new but channel the spooky vibe – perhaps glowing jack-o’-lantern eyes or other creepy flourishes to distinguish them in your club.
  • Monstrous Stat Boosts: Ultimate Scream cards should feature massive stat boosts that make them stand out. Traditionally, this promo takes players who might have one weak area and supercharges certain attributes to make wildly enhanced versions. For example, imagine a normally slow, physical defender suddenly given 90+ pace, or a small playmaker receiving a huge strength boost – these “freakish” stat combinations are what make Scream cards so fun. Leakers have hinted at “insane boosted stats”, so we might even see some stats maxed out at 99 on certain cards to fit the Halloween monster theme.
  • SBCs and Objectives: It wouldn’t be Ultimate Scream without extra ways to earn rewards. Players can anticipate themed SBCs – possibly an “Ultimate Scream SBC Player” (or a couple of them) that you can complete for a special untradeable card. Likewise, a time-limited Objective player is very likely, giving everyone a chance at a free Scream card by completing gameplay challenges. Don’t be surprised if the objectives have punny spooky names and require using players from certain clubs or with certain physical traits (past Halloween objectives have gotten creative with requirements!). Also, expect a special Halloween kit or stadium cosmetic item to be up for grabs as part of the fun.
  • Halloween Event Timing: Based on the FUT calendar, the Ultimate Scream promo should drop right around Halloween. In FIFA 20 it started on October 18 and ran through early November. This year, Halloween falls on a Friday (October 31, 2025 is a Friday), which is perfect timing since FUT promos usually begin on Fridays. We might see Ultimate Scream kickoff on the Friday before Halloween or even on Halloween day itself, lasting about one to two weeks. Mark your calendar for that timeframe and keep an eye out – the futfc.gg FC 26 promo calendar is a great resource to track all expected event dates for the season. It looks increasingly likely that the late-October slot is reserved for something spooky!
  • Nostalgia Meets New Features: This being the first time Ultimate Scream would appear in the new EA Sports FC era, EA might also add a fresh twist. There’s speculation that the developers could integrate modern FUT features into the promo – for example, perhaps an Evolution path for a Scream card, or live stat changes during specific Halloween matches. While that’s just wishful thinking at this point, one thing is certain: the community will be looking for any new surprises that make the comeback even more exciting.

Get Ready for a Frighteningly Fun FUT

If the rumors hold true, Ultimate Scream’s return will be a huge highlight of the FC 26 cycle. Long-time FUT veterans are eager to relive the spine-chilling excitement of past Halloweens, while newer players (who never experienced a Scream promo before) are in for a treat (no tricks… we hope!). The combination of nostalgic theme, creative card upgrades, and engaging content could make this one of the most popular events of the year.

As of now, remember that this is still unofficial information – EA has kept tight-lipped so far. However, given the consistency of leaks and the fact that early access players will be combing through game code and menus starting today, an official announcement might not be far away. Don’t be surprised if a teaser or loading screen hints at Ultimate Scream as we approach late October.

For now, enjoy the launch of EA Sports FC 26 and start building up your FUT squad. And if you’re a fan of all things Halloween, start dreaming up which players you’d love to see get a Scream card – perhaps that towering striker from your club with 99 pace, or your favorite playmaker with supernatural dribbling skills. In a few weeks, those Halloween dreams might just become reality on the virtual pitch.