FC 26’s Team of the Year promo is live, and this FC 26 TOTY guide walks through the confirmed squads, release dates, and the smartest times to rip your saved packs. You’re playing in Ultimate Team on PC, PlayStation, or Xbox, and the event floods menus with boosted items, SBCs, and special shop packs across casual and competitive modes. Knowing when attackers, midfielders, defenders, and goalkeepers rotate in and out of packs is the difference between pulling real value and burning coins. This overview focuses on the official men’s and women’s XIs, the positional windows, and how TOTY Icons and future upgrade content slot into the wider Ultimate Team guides hub.
| Dates (Jan) | Cards in Packs |
|---|---|
| 16–18 | Attackers + Icons Team 1 |
| 18–20 | Midfielders |
| 20–22 | Defenders + Goalkeepers |
| 22–30 | Full Team + Icons Team 1 & 2 |
| 23+ | 12th Man/Woman + Hon. Mentions |
FC 26 TOTY guide: official men’s and women’s squads
Both TOTY squads are now confirmed, with separate men’s and women’s XIs built around the best performers of the year. The men’s team features Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, a back line of Jules Koundé, Virgil van Dijk, William Saliba, and Nuno Mendes, plus a midfield of Declan Rice, Vitinha, and Pedri. Up front, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Ousmane Dembélé deliver elite pace and finishing.
The women’s XI is captained by Lucy Bronze, joined by Millie Bright, Leah Williamson, and Selma Bacha in defence, with Christine Endler in goal. Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, and Mariona Caldentey control midfield, while Claudia Pina, Ewa Pajor, and Alessia Russo complete a very aggressive front three. These lineups form the backbone of the event and set the ceiling for every other promo card.
Is there a 12th player vote in FC 26 TOTY?
Yes. Voting for the 12th TOTY player opens on January 17 at 6 PM GMT, with the winner added alongside the main squad later in the promo.
FC 26 TOTY guide: full release schedule and pack windows
The promo runs on short positional windows before everything lands together, which matters a lot if you’re timing saved packs. Attackers are in packs from January 16–18, midfielders from January 18–20, and defenders plus goalkeepers from January 20–22. During this stretch, TOTY Icons Team 1 overlaps with the early phase.
From January 22–30, the full TOTY XI is available in packs, along with honorable mentions and 12th player cards starting January 23. This is the broadest pull window but also when pack volume spikes, so you see more fodder flying into the market. For more timing frameworks around promos, it pairs neatly with a general Ultimate Team events hub on your site.
When is the best time to open TOTY packs?
If you care about one position group, open during that two‑day window; if you just want any TOTY, wait until the full squad period from January 22.
Can TOTY cards appear in free packs?
Yes. Any pack that can contain regular players, including free or objective packs, can include TOTY items while the promo is active.
FC 26 TOTY guide: Icons, Marcelo SBC, and other specials
Alongside the main squads, EA is shipping TOTY Icons in at least two waves. Team 1 launches with attackers on January 16, while Team 2 arrives around the defenders window, with both sets returning when the full TOTY is live. Names confirmed or strongly indicated by repeated credible leaks include Zlatan Ibrahimović, Jairzinho, Thuram, and Wayne Rooney.
Marcelo headlines the early SBC slate as a new 94‑rated TOTY Icon, upgrading his 89 Icon into a high‑pace, high‑dribbling left‑back with Tiki Taka+ and Anticipate+ PlayStyles according to reliable reporting. That same reporting suggests a cost near 1.5 million coins, which is steep but realistic once fodder supply increases during the event. You can link this coverage to a broader Ultimate Team SBC and squad‑building hub for readers who want comparison builds.
Is the Marcelo TOTY Icon SBC confirmed by EA?
No. At the time of writing, Marcelo’s TOTY Icon SBC details come from trusted community leakers and are not yet in the live menus, so treat stats and price as tentative.
FC 26 TOTY guide: coins, fodder, and smart trading
TOTY heavily moves the transfer market, especially on fodder and outgoing meta cards. Historically, mid‑range fodder (around 84 OVR) climbs before the promo as players pre‑build SBCs, then dips once lightning rounds and saved packs start flooding supply. Selling excess fodder right before the first attacker window, then rebuying later in the week, usually secures extra SBC value.
On the player side, popular golds like Mbappé and top women’s forwards often rise before they leave packs, then start drifting down after their TOTY versions land and more owners cash out. During that time, out‑of‑packs specials that are clearly not getting TOTY cards can rebound as safer picks. For deeper nightly trading patterns, it helps to cross‑reference this with a dedicated Ultimate Team trading hub rather than trying to cram every flip strategy into this FC 26 TOTY guide.
Should you hoard or use Team of the Week cards during TOTY?
Team of the Week items often gain value when upgrade SBCs require them, then drop when requirements change, so only hold if you can sit through volatility.
