Nofil KhanFor the first time, EA is directly tying Ultimate Team upgrades to the official Fantasy Premier League (FPL). During Week 2 of the Fantasy FC promo, you can earn up to two FPL Live players by playing the Fantasy FC Flash Rush Event between February 28 and March 3.
These players will receive massive upgrades—up to +5 OVR, 5-Star Skill Moves, and 5-Star Weak Foot, 2nd PlayStyle+ and 2 Base PlayStyles—based entirely on the official FPL points they score during Matchweek 29 (March 3 to March 5). For a full breakdown of FPL scoring rules, you can check the official EA article here.
How to Unlock FPL Live Players
These special live items will not be in packs. The only way to get them is by targeting them through specific objectives in the Rush game mode. You can unlock a maximum of two "Live" players.
- The Event: Fantasy FC Flash Rush Event (Live from February 28 to March 3).
- The Method: To unlock a specific FPL Live player, you must play a match in the Fantasy FC Rush Event using a player from that specific club.
- Example: If you want the "Live" Mathys Tel, you must play a Rush game using any player from the Tottenham Hotspur men's team.
- The Limit: Each of the 10 players has a linked objective. Once you complete two of these objectives, the entire group locks, meaning you are capped at a maximum of two FPL Live players. Choose wisely!
The Upgrade Path: How FPL Points Translate to FC 26
After Matchweek 29 concludes, EA will apply permanent upgrades based on the players' official FPL points total:
| Points Earned | Upgrades |
|---|---|
0 - 1 Point | +1 OVR & an additional Role++ |
2 - 3 Points | +2 OVR & all Roles++ for main position |
4 - 5 Points | +3 OVR, all Roles++ for all positions, a 2nd PlayStyle+, and 1 base PlayStyle |
6 - 7 Points | +4 OVR, all Roles++ for all positions, a 2nd PlayStyle+, and 2 base PlayStyles |
8+ Points | +5 OVR, all Roles++ for all positions, a 2nd PlayStyle+, 2 base PlayStyles, & 5-Star Skill Moves or Weak Foot |
(Note: If one of your selected 'Live' players does not play at all, they will default to the 0-1 Point upgrade path).
How Are FPL Points Scored?
If you don't play FPL, here is a quick summary of how players earn points during their real-life match. Your player needs to combine these actions to hit that magic 8+ point mark.
- Playing Time: +1 point for playing up to 60 mins; +2 points for 60+ mins (excluding stoppage time).
- Goals: +6 points (DEF), +5 points (MID), +4 points (FWD). (Goalkeepers get +10).
- Assists: +3 points for any position.
- Clean Sheets: +4 points (DEF/GK), +1 point (MID).
- Action Accumulation: +2 points for hitting specific defensive/recovery thresholds (10 actions for DEF; 12 actions for MID/FWD).
- Bonus Points: The best players in a match receive 1 to 3 bonus points.
- Note: Points are deducted for yellow/red cards (-1/-3), missing penalties (-1), conceding every 2 goals (-1 for DEF/GK), and scoring own goals (-2).
The FPL Live Player Pool & Matchweek 29 Fixtures
When planning your Rush squad, these are the 10 players available to target. Their upgrades depend entirely on how they perform in these specific fixtures played between March 3 and March 5.
- Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Everton) vs. Burnley
- Álex Jiménez (AFC Bournemouth) vs. Brentford
- Mathys Tel (Tottenham Hotspur) vs. Crystal Palace
- Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United) vs. Sunderland
- Raúl Jiménez (Fulham) vs. West Ham
- Milos Kerkez (Liverpool) vs. Wolves
- Amad Diallo (Manchester United) vs. Newcastle United
- Leandro Trossard (Arsenal) vs. Brighton
- Robert Sánchez (Chelsea) vs. Aston Villa
- Matheus Nunes (Manchester City) vs. Nottingham Forest
Is the FPL Crossover Worth the Grind?
This FPL crossover is one of the smartest integrations EA has done this year. Instead of tracking upgrades over many weeks, this is a fast-paced, high-stakes mid-week event. Because the FPL scoring system rewards a wide variety of actions—from goals and clean sheets to bonus points and defensive recoveries—the path to that top-tier upgrade is genuinely achievable. The key to success here isn't just picking the biggest name; it's looking at the Matchweek 29 fixtures and selecting players who are guaranteed to start and have favorable matchups.
Which two FPL Live players are you banking on? With the +5 OVR and 5-star upgrades on the line, picking the right players is crucial. Drop into the comments below and let us know who you think will haul the most points in Matchweek 29!