FUT Birthday in FC 26: What to Expect from Ultimate Team’s Biggest Celebration

FUT Birthday is Ultimate Team’s annual anniversary celebration, and it is expected to arrive in early to mid-March. Based on the mechanics established in recent years, the defining feature of this promo is the double 5-Star upgrade—giving players maximum Skill Moves and Weak Foot.

While we await official details for FC 26, last year's event set a massive precedent with the introduction of FUT Birthday Heroes, unique Evolution consumables, and heavy doses of nostalgia. Here is exactly what we expect to see return.

The Core Mechanic: 5-Star Skill Moves & Weak Foot

The signature of the FUT Birthday promo is eliminating player weaknesses.

Last year, every single FUT Birthday player released in packs received both 5-Star Skill Moves and a 5-Star Weak Foot. This instantly turns previously clunky or one-dimensional players into elite, unpredictable meta options. We expect this double 5-Star mechanic to remain the foundation of the FC 26 event.

Content Drops: SBCs, Evolutions, and Heroes

If FC 26 follows the blueprint of FC 25, players will be busy every single day of the promo. Last year featured:

• Daily Player SBCs: A new, premium player Squad Building Challenge released every day during the event.
• Daily Evolutions: Fresh Evolution paths dropping daily, allowing players to consistently upgrade their club stock.
• FUT Birthday Icons: Legendary players returning with massive stat boosts and the signature 5-Star/5-Star upgrades.
• FUT Birthday Heroes: Introduced for the first time last year, giving Hero cards the anniversary treatment.

Will Retro Cosmetics and Consumables Return?

One of the most popular additions in FC 25 was the introduction of specific Birthday consumables and cosmetic tweaks. Players are hoping these make a return for FC 26:

• 5-Star Upgrade Consumables: Last year, players could earn special Evolution consumables via Objectives and SBCs. These could be applied to eligible players in your club, permanently upgrading them to either 5-Star Skill Moves or a 5-Star Weak Foot.
• Retro Item Shells: Through specific Cosmetic Evolutions, players could change the visual design of their cards to mirror classic Ultimate Team designs, specifically the card shells from FUT 18, FUT 19, and FUT 20.

A Nod to Ultimate Team History

FUT Birthday is built on nostalgia. In FC 25, EA heavily leaned into Ultimate Team lore, highlighted by the release of the infamous "Roma Trio."

Players were able to unlock the legendary, sweat-inducing combination of Seydou Doumbia, Víctor Ibarbo, and Gervinho via gameplay objectives. This was tied directly into Season 6, titled "Memory Lane," which celebrated the most iconic and feared players from Ultimate Team's past.

Is FUT Birthday the Best Promo of the Year?

Historically, FUT Birthday marks the point in the cycle where the power curve shifts dramatically. The guarantee of 5-Star/5-Star upgrades means that almost every card released is instantly viable in FUT Champs. The sheer volume of content—daily SBCs and Evos—makes it one of the most engaging grinds of the year, rewarding players who log in consistently.

We will update this page as soon as EA confirms the official release date and Team 1 lineup for FC 26!