Challengers is EA’s newest addition to FC 26, an exciting weekend game mode similar to FUT Champions competitive mode. While both of these events take place over the weekend, they vary drastically in terms of requirements to qualify, number of matches, required skill level, and earned rewards.
Today, I’ll be going over what the Challenger game mode is exactly, focusing more on the reward comparison between the two modes. If you’re new to these weekend-based competitions, this guide will serve as a great starter on what you need to do in order to get into these and what you should expect afterwards. Let’s dive right into what the Challenger mode holds.
What Is Challengers In EA FC 26?
Before we dive into the reward comparison, it’s important to know what Challengers actually is. FUT Challengers is a weekly, real-time event that takes place every weekend. Players who qualify for this competition can play up to 5 matches and will earn rewards based on the number of wins. The rewards are based on the no. of wins and not relative ranking amongst the competition.
The first filter is for everyone who qualified for FUT Challengers before registration closed. The second filter is based on skill level. While FUT Challengers might not be at the same level as FUT Champions, you’re bound to find people just slightly better/worse than yourself. With the limited matches, high competition ratio, and win-based rewards, it is essential to make every match count.
Challengers Requirements
I mentioned that for both Challengers and Champions, you need to meet a certain criterion in order to qualify. For Challengers, that criterion is:
- 3 matches on Division 7 or below
- 1,000 FUT Qualification Points
You might see similarities between the requirements for Champions and Challengers, and that’s because Challengers is designed for players who fall just outside the range of Champions. It allows them to experience the thrill of weekend competitions without the disparity in skill level between players.
They scrapped the PlayOff mechanic players had to go through in older versions for a qualification point system. Collect enough qualification points over the week, and rank in the required Division to automatically qualify for these weekly tournaments.
Matches & Rewards
Unlike Champions, with 15 matches per player, Challengers limit this to 5 matches per player. Not to worry, though, since all the players will be of matching skill level. However, as you win more matches, you’ll be matched against players who also have similar win streaks. Hence, more wins mean tougher opponents.
Now, onto the part everyone’s been waiting for: the rewards. Here are the rewards for each win in Challenger mode:
| No. of Wins | Rewards |
| 1 | 75+ Rare Player Packs (5) 1 of 2 75+ Rare Player Pick (1) |
| 2 | 75+ Rare Player Packs (5) 1 of 2 75+ Rare Player Pick (2) |
| 3 | 75+ Rare Player Packs (5) 1 of 2 75+ Rare Player Pick (2) 1 of 2 77+ Rare Player Pick (1) |
| 4 | 75+ Rare Player Packs (5) 1 of 2 75+ Rare Player Pick (2) 1 of 2 77+ Rare Player Pick (1) 1 of 2 78+ Rare Player Pick (1) |
| 5 | 75+ Rare Player Packs (5) 1 of 2 75+ Rare Player Pick (2) 1 of 2 77+ Rare Player Pick (1) 1 of 2 78+ Rare Player Pick (2) |
These are the rewards you can receive based on the no. of wins you accumulate throughout the tournament. Remember that Challengers has a 5-match limit, so make every match count. Now you know what the rewards look like for Chalengers, the question is: Are these rewards worth it? Do they justify the effort you’ll need to get them? Let’s talk about that.
Challenger Rewards: Are They Good Enough?
There’s no doubt that Challenger rewards are significantly lower compared to Champions’ rewards. But that’s simply because Champions is set at a higher tier and seen as the endgame in FUT. But whether or not Challenger rewards are enough for even a lower skill level is still debatable. Here’s my take.
Challenger rewards are clearly not amazing. The untradeable card packs rarely give out 78+ OVR cards, meaning the others are just fodder. However, if you’re competing in Challengers, it means your team isn’t that well-built yet. The fodder cards can be great for SBCs that reward you with higher OVR and better playstyle cards.
Secondly, if you’re able to get at least 3 wins, you automatically get to pick 1 77+ OVR card. Win all 5 matches, and you can get the choice of 2 78+ OVR rare players without any monetary investment. While we understand these cards lose value once your squad enters the 80s, these cards are tradeable and can easily be sold or traded in for higher value cards.
Now moving on to the drawbacks of Challengers. The other edge of the spectrum completely agrees with these benefits, but argues that the time and effort investment required to get into and play Challengers is not worth it. You’ll need to reach Division 7 every week and play 5 matches on the weekend in order to get any rewards. Some Redditors say, “Guess I gotta grind that div 6 before Champs start. Honestly, these rewards are not worth the hassle of playing.”
Whether or not these rewards are classified as good is completely subjective. For newer players, we’d highly suggest putting in the effort to get into Challengers and play those 5 games. Even if you only win 1 or 2, you’re still getting something for free. Not only are the rewards themselves useful, but you also learn how to play in a tournament setup, making each match count.
If you’re a more seasoned player and think you can crack the top 6 Divisions for Champs qualification, go for it. But remember that the skill-level will drastically change since you’ll be up against some of the top players in FUT. Keeping that in mind, you can definitely progress much further if you’re up for a challenge.
