Knockout Royalty in FC 26: The Ultimate Guide (Tournaments, Evos & Rewards)

Knockout Royalty brings a dedicated tournament grind to FC 26, offering some of the best gameplay rewards we've seen this year. The headline feature is the ability to unlock two PlayStyles+ on cards via reward Evolutions.

If you are grinding this week, your goal is to chain wins from Lightweight to Heavyweight Royalty Tournaments to unlock the 89+ Knockout Royalty Guarantee and the massive Bruiser+ & Tiki Taka+ Evolution slots.

Knockout Royalty Tournament Rewards & Requirements

This promo features a three-tier tournament structure. You must progress through them sequentially—winning in the lower tiers unlocks access to the higher ones.

Lightweight Royalty Tournament

• Entry Requirements:
  
  • Max 3 players 88 OVR or higher in squad
  • Max 1 player 90 OVR or higher in squad
• Key Rewards:
  
  • 3x 84+ Rare Gold Players Pack
  • 2x 85+ Rare Gold Players Pack
  • Cosmetic Evolution Unlock

Here is the complete Lightweight Royalty Tournament Objective.

Middleweight Royalty Tournament

• Entry Requirements:
  
  • Win Lightweight Royalty Tournament Quarterfinal
  • Min 1 Knockout Royalty Player in squad
  • Max 4 players 91 OVR or higher in squad
• Key Rewards:
  
  • 87+ Knockout Royalty Guarantee Pack
  • Block+ Evolution Unlock (2nd PlayStyle+)
  • 2x 85+ Rare Gold Players Pack
  • 4x 84+ Rare Gold Players Pack

Here is the complete Middleweight Royalty Tournament Objective.

Heavyweight Royalty Tournament

• Entry Requirements:
  
  • Win Middleweight Royalty Tournament Semifinal
  • Min 1 Knockout Royalty Icon AND Min 1 Knockout Royalty Hero in squad
• Key Rewards:
  
  • 89+ Knockout Royalty Guarantee Pack
  • Tiki Taka+ Evolution Unlock (2nd PlayStyle+)
  • Complete Finisher Evolution Unlock
  • 3x 85+ Rare Gold Players Pack

Here is the complete Heavyweight Royalty Tournament Objective.

Completionist Bonus

Winning all tournaments once and the Heavyweight Royalty Tournament twice unlocks the Knockout Royalty Bonus Completionist set:

• Bruiser+ Evolution Unlock (2nd PlayStyle+)
• Positional Excellence Cosmetic Evolution Unlock
• 3x 88+ Rare Gold Players Pack
• 3x 86+ Rare Gold Players Pack
  • Loan Knockout Royalty Micky van de Ven & Roy Makaay

Here is the complete Knockout Royalty Bonus Completionist Objective.

What Evolutions have been released during Knockout Royalty?

This is the headline feature. For the first time in FC 26, we can craft players with two PlayStyles+. There are paid options and free repeatable paths designed to upgrade your club stock.

Check out the full requirements and upgrades on our Evolutions Hub.

New Heroes and Icons in Packs

The promo team is live now, featuring upgraded Heroes and Icons with boosted stats tailored for the current power curve.

• Dunga (ICON)
• Geoffrey Hurst (ICON)
• Roy Makaay (Hero)
• Gilberto Silva (Hero)
• Oliver Bierhoff (Hero)
• Uli Hoeneß (Hero)

Check out the full team and their prices on our Knockout Royalty Player Page.

Best SBCs Released During Knockout Royalty

The promo has dropped some top-tier SBCs, from essential Showdowns to massive Icon picks. Here are the standouts you should consider crafting.

Gilberto Silva (Hero)

The headline SBC of the week. He is the ultimate "destroyer" CDM for Premier League squads. With Anticipate+ and high defensive work rates, he anchors the midfield perfectly, offering a cheaper alternative to top-tier Icons like Vieira. Verdict: Craft him if you need a pure stay-back defensive midfielder.

Winter Wildcard Icon Matchday Pick

A massive SBC where you choose between Baby Henry or Baby Vieira after completing the segments. Verdict: Vieira is the meta choice for that midfield dominance, but Henry offers elite pace with both being great evo options.

End of an Era Crystal Dunn

A versatile, high-stamina midfielder perfect for NWSL hybrids. Her agility and relentless work rates make her a top box-to-box option.

Giorgio Chiellini (Icon)

A nostalgic, physical CB who still bullies attackers, though his pace split requires a Shadow chemistry style.

Is the Tournament Grind Worth Your Time?

This is a solid grind for gameplay-focused players. The progression system—forcing you to win in lower tiers to access Heavyweight rewards—adds real stakes to the matches. The 87+ Guarantee and Block+ Evolution are excellent rewards for the Middleweight tier, making it the sweet spot for most players' time investment. If you can handle the requirements, the Completionist set offers huge fodder value with two amazing second PlayStyles+ in Tiki Taka+ and Bruiser+ for your players.

Have you started the Knockout Royalty grind?

Build your ultimate tournament squad using our Squad Builder and let us know which Evolution you're unlocking first!