EA FC 26 Festival of Football: Answer the Call Team 1 Guide

The Festival of Football is about to kick off in EA FC 26 with the brand-new Answer the Call promo. Team 1 is already teased in-game and heavily leaked by reliable FUT insiders, so this is the perfect time to plan your club upgrades, coins, and packs.

• What is Festival of Football: Answer the Call in EA FC 26?
• All EA FC 26 Answer the Call Team 1 Players (Leaked)
• Best Meta Cards & Must-Pull Players
• How Answer the Call Upgrades Work
• Release Date & Time for Answer the Call Team 1
• Managing Coins, Packs & ItemD2R Tips
• FAQ: Answer the Call Promo in EA FC 26

What is Festival of Football: Answer the Call in EA FC 26?

Festival of Football: Answer the Call is one of the first big promos of the EA FC 26 cycle that ties directly into the build-up to the 2026 World Cup. EA is spotlighting players who are likely to be key figures for their national teams, giving them huge stat boosts, premium PlayStyles+, and the potential for future upgrades.

A special loading screen in Ultimate Team kicked things off, teasing three silhouettes that the community quickly identified as Julián Álvarez, Jude Bellingham, and Ryan Gravenberch. Trusted leakers then revealed a full list of 29 players expected to be in Answer the Call Team 1, along with their overall ratings and face stats.

Unlike some promos that let you choose or unlock specific PlayStyles, this one comes with preset PlayStyles+ on each card, defining how they feel in-game from day one. On top of that, these special items are rumored to be upgradeable depending on World Cup call-ups, making them potentially long-term endgame options.

All EA FC 26 Answer the Call Team 1 Players (Leaked List)

According to well-known FUT leakers, these are the 29 players expected to be in Answer the Call Team 1, including their positions, overall ratings, key stats, and PlayStyles+ combinations. Keep in mind that final in-game stats may tweak slightly at release, but this should be very close to the final team.

Forwards & Wingers

• Julián Álvarez (93 OVR / ST) – 91 PAC, 93 SHO, 90 PAS, 93 DRI, 63 DEF, 87 PHY. PlayStyles+: Low Driven Shot+, Power Shot+.
• Nico Williams (92 OVR / LM) – 97 PAC, 87 SHO, 88 PAS, 92 DRI, 42 DEF, 80 PHY. PlayStyles+: Rapid+, Quick Step+.
• Karim Adeyemi (91 OVR / ST) – 98 PAC, 88 SHO, 87 PAS, 91 DRI, 49 DEF, 84 PHY. PlayStyles+: Finesse Shot+, Quick Step+.
• Jean-Philippe Mateta (91 OVR / ST) – 90 PAC, 92 SHO, 80 PAS, 89 DRI, 52 DEF, 93 PHY. PlayStyles+: Low Driven Shot+, Enforcer+.
• Xavi Simons (91 OVR / CAM) – 90 PAC, 90 SHO, 91 PAS, 93 DRI, 68 DEF, 80 PHY. PlayStyles+: Low Driven Shot+, Technical+.
• Salem Al Dawsari (90 OVR / LM) – 92 PAC, 87 SHO, 87 PAS, 90 DRI, 66 DEF, 88 PHY. PlayStyles+: Quick Step+, Technical+.
• Roony Bardghji (90 OVR / RM) – 90 PAC, 89 SHO, 87 PAS, 91 DRI, 49 DEF, 80 PHY. PlayStyles+: Technical+, Gamechanger+.
• Jens Petter Hauge (90 OVR / LW) – 92 PAC, 89 SHO, 87 PAS, 91 DRI, 57 DEF, 82 PHY. PlayStyles+: Finesse Shot+, Incisive Pass+.
• Giovani Lo Celso (90 OVR / CAM) – 88 PAC, 90 SHO, 91 PAS, 92 DRI, 82 DEF, 85 PHY. PlayStyles+: Finesse Shot+, Tiki Taka+.
• Leroy Sané (90 OVR / RM) – 93 PAC, 90 SHO, 88 PAS, 91 DRI, 51 DEF, 84 PHY. PlayStyles+: Low Driven Shot+, Rapid+.
• Roman Yaremchuk (89 OVR / ST) – 88 PAC, 89 SHO, 83 PAS, 87 DRI, 61 DEF, 90 PHY. PlayStyles+: Finesse Shot+, Power Shot+.
• Ché Adams (88 OVR / ST) – 90 PAC, 89 SHO, 75 PAS, 88 DRI, 54 DEF, 84 PHY. PlayStyles+: Low Driven Shot+, Quick Step+.
• Kieffer Moore (88 OVR / ST) – 88 PAC, 89 SHO, 81 PAS, 87 DRI, 65 DEF, 91 PHY. PlayStyles+: Low Driven Shot+, Power Shot+.

Midfielders

• Jude Bellingham (93 OVR / RM) – 88 PAC, 90 SHO, 88 PAS, 93 DRI, 86 DEF, 90 PHY. PlayStyles+: Finesse Shot+, Technical+.
• João Neves (92 OVR / CM) – 87 PAC, 81 SHO, 91 PAS, 93 DRI, 90 DEF, 90 PHY. PlayStyles+: Incisive Pass+, Technical+.
• Ryan Gravenberch (92 OVR / CDM) – 87 PAC, 85 SHO, 91 PAS, 92 DRI, 91 DEF, 91 PHY. PlayStyles+: Intercept+, Bruiser+.
• N’Golo Kanté (92 OVR / CDM) – 87 PAC, 73 SHO, 85 PAS, 91 DRI, 93 DEF, 87 PHY. PlayStyles+: Intercept+, Incisive Pass+.
• Weston McKennie (91 OVR / CM) – 88 PAC, 88 SHO, 88 PAS, 90 DRI, 91 DEF, 91 PHY. PlayStyles+: Pinged Pass+, Bruiser+.
• Sandro Tonali (91 OVR / CDM) – 88 PAC, 86 SHO, 91 PAS, 90 DRI, 88 DEF, 91 PHY. PlayStyles+: Pinged Pass+, Anticipate+.
• Sofyan Amrabat (90 OVR / CDM) – 86 PAC, 82 SHO, 86 PAS, 88 DRI, 90 DEF, 91 PHY. PlayStyles+: Bruiser+, Jockey+.
• Angelo Stiller (90 OVR / CDM) – 86 PAC, 75 SHO, 90 PAS, 91 DRI, 90 DEF, 85 PHY. PlayStyles+: Pinged Pass+, Anticipate+.

Defenders & Full-Backs

• Grimaldo (91 OVR / LM) – 90 PAC, 90 SHO, 94 PAS, 92 DRI, 86 DEF, 85 PHY. PlayStyles+: Technical+, Rapid+.
• Nuno Tavares (91 OVR / LB) – 93 PAC, 84 SHO, 86 PAS, 88 DRI, 90 DEF, 87 PHY. PlayStyles+: Quick Step+, Bruiser+.
• Harry Maguire (90 OVR / CB) – 86 PAC, 71 SHO, 81 PAS, 82 DRI, 90 DEF, 91 PHY. PlayStyles+: Intercept+, Anticipate+.
• Julian Araujo (89 OVR / RB) – 92 PAC, 51 SHO, 86 PAS, 87 DRI, 87 DEF, 89 PHY. PlayStyles+: Quick Step+, Tiki Taka+.
• Tariq Lamptey (89 OVR / RB) – 93 PAC, 74 SHO, 85 PAS, 90 DRI, 89 DEF, 80 PHY. PlayStyles+: Rapid+, Intercept+.
• Leonardo Spinazzola (89 OVR / LB) – 93 PAC, 77 SHO, 87 PAS, 89 DRI, 88 DEF, 84 PHY. PlayStyles+: Jockey+, Rapid+.
• Mateo Chávez (88 OVR / LB) – 91 PAC, 60 SHO, 86 PAS, 88 DRI, 86 DEF, 87 PHY. PlayStyles+: Whipped Pass+, Jockey+.
• Alidu Seidu (88 OVR / CB) – 85 PAC, 57 SHO, 75 PAS, 86 DRI, 88 DEF, 87 PHY. PlayStyles+: Anticipate+, Block+.

That’s a stacked squad covering every area of the pitch, from hyper-agile full-backs to powerful strikers and complete midfielders.

Best Meta Cards & Must-Pull Players

Not every promo card is a must-buy, but some names in Answer the Call Team 1 clearly stand out as potential meta-defining items, especially with the rumored World Cup upgrades.

Top Attackers

Julián Álvarez (ST, 93 OVR) looks like one of the premier strikers in EA FC 26. With 91 pace, 93 shooting, elite dribbling, and both Low Driven Shot+ and Power Shot+, he covers nearly every finishing style in the game. If he receives the national team upgrade, you’re looking at a frighteningly complete attacker.

Karim Adeyemi and Nico Williams offer almost maximum pace with dangerous shooting, making them perfect for through-ball focused playstyles and wide overload formations. They fit the meta for 4-3-2-1, 4-2-2-2, and 4-3-3 users who rely on pace and 1v1 dribbling.

Elite Midfielders

Jude Bellingham (RM, 93 OVR) remains a dream card for many. Even though he’s listed as RM in this team, his all-round stats (high defending and physical) mean he can be played centrally with the right chem and instructions. Finesse Shot+ and Technical+ make him deadly around the box while still dominating the midfield.

João Neves, Ryan Gravenberch, N’Golo Kanté, and Weston McKennie all fall into the “complete box-to-box or CDM” category. These cards have high 80s or 90s in pace, passing, dribbling, defending, and physical. They are exactly the kind of midfielders who can carry your squad well beyond the early game.

Defense & Full-Back Standouts

Grimaldo and Nuno Tavares are especially attractive as left-sided options. They offer a blend of shooting, passing, and defending you rarely see on LB/LM cards, which is perfect for overlapping full-backs in modern tactics.

Harry Maguire (90 OVR) with 86 pace and 91 physical is far from his real-life pace memes. With Intercept+ and Anticipate+, he overperforms AI blocks and auto-defending, making him an extremely strong central defender if you can link him.

How Answer the Call Upgrades Work

One of the most exciting aspects of this promo is the possibility of future upgrades related to the 2026 World Cup. Leaker information indicates that every Answer the Call player can secure two possible upgrades:

• A third PlayStyle+ added to the card.
• A +1 overall rating boost.

The condition for these upgrades is reportedly tied to whether the player is called up by their national team for the 2026 World Cup. That means cards from nations with a very high chance of qualifying and calling up their stars – like Álvarez (Argentina), Bellingham (England), Gravenberch and Grimaldo (strong European sides), or Nico Williams (Spain) – are extra appealing.

In practice, this makes some cards potential long-term investments for both playable squads and traders. A 93 OVR player with three PlayStyles+ is essentially top-tier for months, especially if their base card already fits the meta.

Release Date & Time for Answer the Call Team 1

Based on the usual Ultimate Team promo cycle and the information shared by leakers, EA FC 26 Festival of Football: Answer the Call Team 1 is expected to go live on:

• March 20
• At the daily Ultimate Team refresh: 10 AM PST / 1 PM EST

A second team (Answer the Call Team 2) is then anticipated to arrive one week later, around March 27, continuing the World Cup build-up theme. During this window, you can expect themed SBCs, objectives, and potentially additional packs or upgrade challenges designed around these special cards.

Managing Coins, Packs & ItemD2R Tips

Promo periods like Answer the Call are when your club economy matters most. Between lightning rounds, upgrade SBCs, and new cards entering the market, it’s easy to burn through your balance chasing one meta item.

If you want to actually compete for top-tier Weekend League rewards or grind Rivals efficiently, having a stable coin base is crucial. That’s where smart trading, good reward management, and sometimes external help come in.

For players who don’t have the time to sit on the transfer market all day, services such as fc 26 coins price tracking and delivery can make a big difference. ItemD2R specializes in secure, fast coin transfer, allowing you to build competitive squads around promos like Festival of Football without relying purely on pack luck.

When you are buying fifa ultimate team coins through a dedicated provider, you’re effectively choosing to spend on a guaranteed outcome – coins you can directly reinvest into specific Answer the Call cards – instead of hoping for a miracle pull from packs. This can be especially useful early in the game cycle, when meta cards are at their most expensive and trading margins are unpredictable.

ItemD2R’s focus is on reliability and speed, which means you spend less time waiting for transactions and more time experimenting with new tactics, building hybrids around your favorite Answer the Call players, or preparing for the next Weekend League. As always, any third-party coin usage should be considered carefully, but many players see it as a way to shortcut repetitive grinding and get straight to what matters: playing matches with a team that actually feels competitive.

Whether you’re opening packs, grinding SBCs, or planning targeted transfers on the market, having a clear coin strategy going into a major promo like this is just as important as deciding which cards are actually worth buying.

FAQ: Answer the Call Promo in EA FC 26

Are these player stats final or still subject to change?

The stats listed above are based on reliable leaks and the in-game loading screen, but EA can always make last-minute adjustments before the promo goes live. Treat them as very accurate early information rather than official confirmation until the cards appear in packs.

Do Answer the Call cards replace regular versions in packs?

As with most promos, during the promotion window, these special items will be available in packs alongside the usual card pool. Their regular gold or base versions are typically not available at the same time, so if you pack one of these players, it should be the upgraded promo version.

Is there any PlayStyle selection for this promo?

No. Unlike promos where you can choose between multiple versions or select a specific PlayStyle, Answer the Call cards come with fixed PlayStyles+. However, the rumored World Cup upgrade can add a third PlayStyle+ later on, making the cards even more unique.

Which Answer the Call players are the safest long-term investments?

Players from strong national teams who are almost guaranteed a World Cup call-up are your best long-term bets. That includes cards like Julián Álvarez, Jude Bellingham, Nico Williams, João Neves, and Ryan Gravenberch. All of them already look top-tier and could become true game-breakers with a plus-one overall and a third PlayStyle+.

Should I save packs or open them at the start of Team 1?

Opening during Team 1 guarantees access to these leaks-turned-live cards, but many players prefer to split packs between Team 1 and Team 2 in case the second squad ends up stronger. If you have limited resources, consider checking community sentiment and early performance reviews before committing all your saved packs.

However you choose to engage with the Festival of Football: Answer the Call promo, building a plan for your squad and your coins before the content drops will make the entire event far more rewarding—and a lot less stressful.