Similar to College Football 26, going NMS in Madden 26’s Ultimate Team feels extremely rewarding. In an era where microtransactions can get you powerful in-game resources, achieving comparable success without spending a dime can boost your confidence and set you apart.
In MUT, adopting a ‘no-money-spent’ mindset means being patient and resourceful to maximise the mode’s full potential. By doing so, you will put in the hours and gain as many coins and cards as you can through normal ways — all without spending your real-life money on shortcuts. To make sure you go all-in with this mindset, here’s our comprehensive guide on how to go no money spent in Madden 26’s Ultimate Team.
Have A Solid Foundation From The Beginning
This means being mindful as soon as you boot Madden 26 for the first time. Use all the initial resources correctly to get a head start. Below are some key aspects to consider.
Preorder Bonuses
Preordering Madden 26 gets you 4600 MUT points. If you are one of those who pre-ordered the game, you can be a little ahead of other NMS players — only if you invest them smartly.
Firstly, purchase the premium pass for 1,500 and earn premium rewards. These include:
- 80+ OVR Defensive Jaire Alexander or Leonard Williams
- 82 OVR S1 Upgrade Token
- 80+ OVR Offensive Mark Andrews or Nico Collins
- 80+ OVR Platinum Elite player and much more
Now, go to the store and open a Platinum Pack for 500 points, an Elite Platinum Pack for 1,050 points, and a Precision Elite Pack for 1,500 points. Opening these will grant you incredible rewards, such as coins and cards that will provide a promising start for an NMS approach.
Training Camp Challenges
After spending preorder points wisely, head to Training Camp Challenges in MUT. Here, you just have to complete a single challenge sitting in the basic drill labelled “Practicing Plays”. Just beat the play and get yourself a 70+ OVR JJ McCarthy, who’ll work as a promising QB at the beginning of your MUT journey.
Additionally, in the milestones, beat a Tier 1 mission to earn a Training Set Token. With this token, claim a 79+ OVR Xavier Worthy card from Sets. With an 87 Speed, Worthy is one of the quickest players in the game. This will set you up for success later on.
Coin Packs
There are coin packs available in the Madden 26 Ultimate Team marketplace that are easy to purchase and can provide immense rewards in return. Selling or keeping these rewards can significantly cement your UT foundation.
Simply navigate to the Beginner Offers tab of the store, and you’ll find powerful packs listed for just one coin! After buying, whatever comes out of it can be quickly sold for thousands of coins.
Efficient Grinding: The MUT Challenges
After ticking all the boxes above, the next step is to focus on the backbone of the MUT journey: solo battles, daily and weekly challenges, and special ones like Tempest & Turmoil.
Solo Battles
Competing in solo battles promises a steady income with no entry fee required. This means you can play as much as you want until you secure a win. While winning is the key factor, if you manage a 10-0, it can boost the rewards flow, granting you dirt packs and valuable coin bonuses. Take these battles seriously, since your team is currently in the building stage.
Daily and Weekly Challenges
These challenges are your bread and butter in a ‘no money spent’ approach. From scoring a couple of touchdowns to recording tackles, these challenges require tasks that are often simple to complete. As a reward, you’ll earn a decent amount of keys, coins, and tokens.
Complete all the UT Daily challenges, since you can easily make 5000 XP each day, which is crucial for levelling up your Field Pass.
Tempest & Turmoil
Apart from Training Camp challenges, you should also be focusing on Tempest & Turmoil. Expect end zone packs, dirt packs, and even clutch elites by completing these simple tasks (rush to 10 yards or similar easy pickings). Plus, if you keep grinding, you can bag some training points as well, which can either be traded in for coins or used to upgrade players.
Giving your best in these challenges can help create a steady flow of resources. By using these resources, you can then build a strong team without draining your actual wallet.
The Grind Continues: MUT Game Modes
At this point, you’ve probably bagged a good amount of coins, collected cards, and have a good player lineup. Now, it’s time to put these resources to the test and go further. The following are the modes that can help you attain maximum rewards with minimal effort, ideal for NMS.
Solo Seasons: The Run
The Run is an offline mode against the CPU. Here, you can get decent resources if you keep leveling up by beating the AI. As you progress, the rewards keep getting higher and higher, with each level allowing you to generate resources in a short time.
Pregame Access: Racing to Kickoff
Apart from the offline solo mode, Racing to Kickoff is a wise choice for competing online without putting too much pressure on yourself. This mode, located in the Events section, is all about winning! Expect incredible rewards, including end zone packs, clutch elite packs, and 50,000 coins!
H2H
Head-to-head is for those who are ready to face the actual Madden 26 competition online. If you are ready, these two H2H modes are ideal for an NMS player.
- H2H Seasons: Expect quick rewards here. Just play through the NFL season, win a Super Bowl, and call it a day.
- H2H Ranked: This requires more attention than Seasons. Similar to all other Ranked modes, the higher the rank, the better the rewards.
These modes work as a great test for your team. We highly recommend playing them, as they offer promising rewards in a short time.
Auction House: An NMS Player’s Best Friend
So far, we have a promising NMS-friendly team that is bringing home some great rewards, along with interesting wins. Now, we need to act smart in the auction house to maximise the benefits and earn some extra coins.
- Look for trends: Understanding what’s currently hot on the market or what’s the next best thing can help you auction out good players at their peak times for maximum coins.
- Control your spending: As an NMS player, avoid overspending on new sets or promo players. Again, market trends play a vital role here; either wait for price dips or utilise your packs to acquire some good players.
- Quickly sell low-tier players: If you have valuable cards such as JJ and Xavier, selling them for coins is a bad move, since they are crucial to your team. Instead, auction off low-tier players at the right time to get some extra coins in your hand.
That’s everything you need to know to go NMS in MUT. Additionally, we recommend staying connected to the Madden 26 community, since they often share valuable insights beneficial for an NMS player.
