You just started playing EA FC 26’s Ultimate Team mode, but the thought of collecting premium players, especially F2P, is daunting. If that’s something going through your mind, you came to the right place. Building your first Ultimate Team can seem like hard work and a lot of grinding. Acquiring top-tier players like Haaland and Mbappé isn’t easy or cheap. But with the reworks this year, building a budget team has become so much easier.
EA FC 26 Ultimate Team has been revamped and fitted with new balancing mechanics, the most prominent being the chemistry style system. Do these mechanics help build a competitive team, and how can you use them to your advantage? These are all questions we’ll answer today, so keep reading if you want an amazing budget squad to take on those A-list teams.
Understanding Chemistry Stars & Styles
We’re going to start with explaining the Chemistry mechanic because that’s just how important it is. First, understand that chemistry stars and chemistry styles are interrelated but not the same. Chemistry Stars are achieved by placing players from the same league/club/nationality on the same squad, while chemistry styles are boosts that activate once a certain number of chemistry stars are reached, i.e., 3, 6, and 9.
Chemistry Stars
Let’s talk about chemistry stars first. Each player is from a certain club, league, and nationality. If you have other players from the same club/league/nationality, they will each gain chemistry stars. Moreover, if the manager shares the similarities, this will further increase the stars. But how does this help you? Players can no longer stack top-tier OVR players from all over the world to build a world-class team; you need to focus on chemistry as well.
Players can gain chemistry stars from:
- National Links: Players sharing nationality.
- League Connections: Players from the same league.
- Club Synergy: Multiple players from the same club.
- Manager Boost: A manager matching the squad’s nationality or league.
Chemistry Styles
And what about chemistry styles? Chemistry styles are add-ons on player cards. You can consume these add-ons to give players situational attribute boosts. The conditions are connected to the chemistry stars. Some chemistry styles might activate on 3 stars, while others will require 9 stars. Once the conditions are met, your player will receive the stat boost. Make sure to read the style first, though, since some styles increase one stat while decreasing another.
Chemistry styles ensure that low OVR cards can also receive stat boosts to compete in the big leagues. You don’t just need big names from all over the world; you need to think strategically and prefer getting players from the same club/league/nationality as much as possible. Ignoring the chemistry mechanic can make renowned players feel like amateurs, especially paired against average players who utilize the chemistry mechanic to its full potential.
Managing Coin Revenue
Chemistry is important, but you need a good coin flow in order to buy those particular players. Having a steady in-game currency stream is essential for creating a good budget UT. Not because you’re going to be buying players left and right, but because you want to sign the maximum number of your targeted players when prices drop. However, remember this can only be done if you know which players you’re going for.
Best Events To Acquire Coins
EA FC 26 is filled to the brim with events, so you have to take your pick. We’ll break it down for you to make things simpler:
- Squad Battles: Offline matches against AI opponents. Minimal coin gain, but good for testing out new formations and strategies. Low investment, low reward.
- Rival Matches: Online matches against real players. It can be competitive, but the rewards are much better. Complete bounties during Rival matches to earn extra rewards, regardless of the outcome. Also gives out seasonal milestone bonuses.
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Squad Building Challenges: One of the most popular modes in FUT. Build a squad that fulfils certain requirements to receive a reward. A great way to earn particular cards or recycle lower-tier cards. The rewards are as follows:
- Upgrade SBCs: Trade in low-rated cards for higher-rated ones.
- Limited Time SBCs: Linked to promo packs or real-world events.
- Player SBCs: Receive a special, untradeable card of a specific player.
- Champions/Challengers: Takes a lot of preparation, but gives out tons of rewards. Try to take part and get as far as possible. The first few tries will be rocky, but it will teach you to play against top-tier strategies.
Use these events to your advantage by prioritizing them whenever they come up. Look at which ones are more favourable for you, rather than randomly collecting cards all over.
Capturing The Trade Market
Earning coins is important, but so is spending them wisely. The last section talked about how you can earn an abundance of in-game currency, while this section shows you how to spend it efficiently. The first thing you must learn is never to immediately buy a player. Look at the price history and wait for a dip in the transfer market. You’ll often find these dips right after promotional drops.
Sell extra cards you aren’t recycling before any events that award those cards, since their prices will go down. Prices hike before Weekend League, since players want to complete their UTs, and on specific SBCs, where players require specific cards to complete sets. A good tip while starting with the trade market is to avoid popular leagues, particularly the Premier League. Players from this league are quite expensive, and it’s difficult to create a budget team from here.
Best Budget Picks For Each Position
We’ve gone over all the basic tips and tricks to build a budget Ultimate Team. Now, let’s talk about some good picks to get you started. These picks might not contribute towards each other’s chemistry stars, so it’s best to pick a few and fill in the other positions around them.
| Name (Position) | Club | League | Nationaility |
| Nick Pope (GK) | Newcastle United | Premier League | England |
| Edmond Tapsoba (CB) | Leverkusen | Bundesliga | Burkina Faso |
| Dávid Hancko (Versatile/CB) | Athletico Madrid | La Liga | Slovakia |
| Dani Ceballos (CM) | Real Madrid | La Liga | Spain |
| SalemAl Dawsari (LM) | Al Hilal | Saudi Pro League | Saudi Arabia |
| AlexanderSørloth (ST) | Athletico Madrid | La Liga | Norway |
These players are available for absolute bargains on the trade market and provide insane value. If you’re looking to begin your FC 26 Ultimate Team journey, we’d recommend starting with these players and then building your squad using our tips and tricks. By doing so, you’ll be making the most out of your resources.
