Why the 88+ Encore icon upgrade is a must-complete SBC ⇒ FUTFC

We have seen plenty of gamble packs throughout the FC 26 cycle, but the 88+ Encore icon upgrade that dropped yesterday is hitting different. Usually, we are the first to tell you to steer clear of risky SBCs that drain your hard-earned coins or fodder, especially when the weight is heavily skewed toward base icons that no longer make your bench. This time, the math actually works in our favor.

The favorable weight of the Encore icon pool

What makes this specific upgrade stand out is the restriction to promo icons only. By removing base icons from the equation, EA has significantly narrowed the pool to cards that actually possess the playstyles and stats needed to compete in the current power curve. When we look at the numbers, there are roughly 40 icons currently valued above the 280,000 coin completion cost, while only 22 fall below that mark.

Those are some of the best odds we have seen all year for a repeatable icon pack. Since you can complete this three times and it refreshes every two days, it is becoming a primary sink for the high-rated fodder we are all sitting on. If you have been grinding the 83x10s or the 85×3 upgrades, this is exactly where you should be funneling those 87 and 88 rated squads to actually improve your starting eleven.

Guide: Claim your secret free FC 26 Icon pack today

Jackpot pulls: The best icons in the Encore upgrade

If you see these players walk out, you have hit the absolute ceiling of the SBC. These cards are currently valued at over 1 million coins and are considered game-changers in the current meta.

Name	Promo Version	Rating	Position	Market Value
Ronaldo	Champions Icon	92	ST	5.24M
Cruyff	Winter Wildcard	94	CAM, ST	4.63M
Maradona	Thunderstruck	96	CAM, ST	4.17M
Thierry Henry	Winter Wildcard	93	ST, LW	3.89M
Ronaldinho	Winter Wildcard	94	LW, CAM	3.60M
Zlatan Ibrahimović	Champions Icon	92	ST	3.48M
Zidane	Winter Wildcard	95	CAM, CM	3.10M
Zico	Winter Wildcard	92	CAM, CM	2.92M
Maldini	Thunderstruck	93	CB, LB	2.69M
Matthäus	Winter Wildcard	91	CM, RB	2.15M
Eusébio	Thunderstruck	92	ST	2.10M
Thierry Henry	Champions Icon	91	ST, LW	1.93M
Vidic	Unbreakables	89	CB	1.98M
Vieira	Winter Wildcard	90	CM, CDM	1.91M
Garrincha	Time Warp	93	RW, RM	1.68M
Gareth Bale	Thunderstruck	89	RW, ST	1.60M
Franz Beckenbauer	Thunderstruck	93	CB, CDM	1.49M
Homare Sawa	Time Warp	92	CM, CAM	1.49M
Puskás	Winter Wildcard	93	ST	1.41M
Lotta Schelin	Thunderstruck	91	ST, LW	1.41M
Roberto Carlos	Thunderstruck	91	LB	1.30M
Samuel Eto’o	Thunderstruck	90	ST	1.21M
Puyol	Time Warp	90	CB, RB	1.20M
Alex Morgan	Champions Icon	91	ST	1.11M
Andrea Pirlo	Time Warp	91	CDM, CM	1.08M
Cafu	Winter Wildcard	92	RB, LB	1.06M

Disappointing pulls: The worst icons in the Encore upgrade

These are the pulls that fall below the 200,000 coin mark. Landing one of these usually means you have lost coins or fodder relative to the SBC completion cost.

Name	Promo Version	Rating	Position	Market Value
Roberto Baggio	Time Warp	92	RW, RM	186K
Dennis Bergkamp	Thunderstruck	91	ST, CAM	169K
Robert Pirès	Unbreakables	89	LM, CAM	157K
David Beckham	Thunderstruck	89	RM, CM	145K
Sissi	Champions Icon	88	CAM	145K
Steffi Jones	Champions Icon	89	CB	134K
Caroline Seger	Champions Icon	90	CM, CDM	131K
Julie Foudy	Winter Wildcard	91	CM, CDM	127K
Schweinsteiger	Thunderstruck	89	CM, LM	123K
Pavel Nedved	Time Warp	89	LM, CAM	117K
Cha Bum Kun	Champions Icon	88	ST, RW	114K
Toni Kroos	Champions Icon	90	CM	99K
Luis Figo	Winter Wildcard	90	CAM, RM	93K
Steven Gerrard	Champions Icon	89	CM	88K
Julie Foudy	Winter Wildcard	88	CM, CDM	36K

You can see 40 Icon Packs being opened in this video from AuzioMF

How the market is reacting to high-tier fodder demand

Whenever a “must-do” SBC drops, the transfer market reacts instantly, and we are seeing a massive spike in fodder prices. 88s are holding firm at 10,000 coins, while 87s have flown up to nearly 6,000. If you were smart enough to pick these up during the Squad Battle rewards dip on Sunday, you are looking at easy profit right now.

We expect these prices to remain elevated or even climb further as the week progresses. With the weekend supply drying up and the Ultimate Gauntlet returning today, the demand for mid-to-high rated cards will stay high. If you are looking to invest, keep an eye on Informs. Snatching them up at 11,000 to 11,500 coins is a safe play, as they consistently hit 13,000 or higher when these repeatable packs are active.

Managing the overwhelming Future Stars Academy evolutions

While the icon pack is the highlight of the menu, the sheer volume of Future Stars Academy evolutions has left many of us feeling overwhelmed. It is a “love it or hate it” situation: the customization is deeper than ever, but the menu is a mess of overlapping requirements. The key is to use the in-game roadmap to ensure you do not accidentally over-level a card before it hits the next step.

For those of you looking to create truly broken cards, the real secret lies in chaining these academy players into regular EVOs like Power Play or Creative Director. As long as the card type remains Future Stars Academy and you stay under the 84-rating cap before starting the contract EVO, you can stack playstyles that EA probably did not intend. We recommend using a builder tool to plan your path before committing your cards, as some of these chains require high-level season pass unlocks that might be impossible to reach before the EVO windows close.

New opportunities for fodder in the Ultimate Gauntlet

Monday content is usually quiet, but the return of Ultimate Gauntlet number 10 provides the exact resources we need to keep crafting. The rewards have not changed, but their value has increased because of the icon SBC. Winning just two matches gets you an 83×10, while a perfect round nets an 87+ player pick.

These packs are essential for anyone trying to finish expensive player SBCs like Micah Richards or the Doru. The gameplay grind is heavy right now with swap tokens and FUT Champs, but the Gauntlet is the most efficient way to restock your club without spending coins. We will be diving into the best tactics to breeze through these three-round sessions during our stream today to maximize your return on time.