Oct 14 FC 26 Market Update: New Crucial Trial & Preseason Rewards Shake Up Prices

Time: 2025-10-14

Let's dive into today's new content and its impact on the ever-volatile FC 26 transfer market.

New Content Overview:

A new Jean-Philippe Mateta Squad Building Challenge (SBC) is now live. He's not expensive to complete and looks like a classic "bulldozer" striker—a giant, physical presence ideal for overpowering headers. He may not be the meta-defining card, but he promises to be a fun addition to any squad.

The second "Crucial Trial" event is also available, rewarding an El-Hadji Diouf card. At first glance, his stats seem fairly balanced. We'll put him through his paces later once we've acquired him.

Regarding yesterday's leaks, the Golden Tiki-Taka Evolution and the Deep-Lying Playmaker CDM Evolution with the double-plus boost are confirmed as part of group rewards, not standalone Evolutions.

Market Impact & Analysis:

The market, which was already showing signs of fatigue, has taken another significant hit following the release of the "Mini-Bomb" promo packs on Monday.

Furthermore, as previously announced by EA, rewards for completing FC 26 Preseason Objectives are being distributed today.

This one-two punch of pack supply is putting massive downward pressure on mid-to-low-tier meta cards, especially Gold items. However, it's a blessing for fodder prices (high-rated cards for SBCs). As players open their reward packs and build their club stockpile, they are more inclined to complete SBCs—like the anticipated 87+ Hero Pick SBC expected this Wednesday.

Our Investment Strategy & Market Outlook:

We entered positions in 85-88 rated fodder over the weekend. As per our plan, our portfolio is now concentrated almost exclusively on these fodder cards, a few out-of-pack specials, and some near-minimum-priced Team of the Week (TOTW) meta cards.

This week's market has been far less dynamic than the last. Short-term holds on Division Rivals (DR) reward days were weaker. While Saturday saw better momentum, short-term flips around Squad Battles (SB) windows were sluggish—some profitable, some break-even, and some at a loss, with all Real Madrid gold cards ending in the red.

Thankfully, our primary focus on fodder has been our saving grace. Even if this week's SBC doesn't cause a massive price spike, fodder remains the most stable store of value in a declining market.

We anticipate the market decline to continue this week. Counterintuitively, the steeper the drop, the greater the opportunity that follows. We expect the market low point to arrive around the release of the Hero Pick SBC. A rebound is likely thereafter. Last week's post-DR performance may scare off many investors this time, which ironically creates an opportunity. With fewer speculative buyers, genuine demand can drive a healthier and more sustainable market recovery.

Conversely, if the market has an exceptionally strong week, it would be a signal to exercise extreme caution the following week.

Ultimately, solving the market's underlying weakness falls on EA. Without improvements to in-game rewards, the overall coin supply will continue to shrink, leading to reduced liquidity and a less vibrant market.

A Quick TOTW Prediction Note:

A quick note on TOTW predictions: Lionel Messi has been leaked to be part of the upcoming weekend's promo event and will therefore not be in the TOTW. If you invested in his gold card based on our earlier call, it has already seen a significant rise, and now is a good time to sell for profit.

Disclaimer & Partner Shoutout: Navigating the FC 26 market can be challenging. For players looking to quickly and safely strengthen their squad, we recommend purchasing your FC 26 Coins and players through our trusted partner, MMOMAX. They offer a secure and reliable service to get you the resources you need.