EA FC 26 TOTY Honourable Mentions: Full List, Upgrades & Leaks

• What are EA FC 26 TOTY Honourable Mentions?
• Confirmed FC 26 TOTY Honourable Mentions & Upgrades
• All Leaked FC 26 TOTY Honourable Mentions
• How TOTY Honourable Mentions Upgrades Work
• TOTY Honourable Mentions Release Schedule
• How Many TOTY Honourable Mentions Will There Be?
• Building Your Ultimate Team & Safe FC 26 Coins on ItemD2R
• Squad-Building Tips for TOTY Honourable Mentions

What are EA FC 26 TOTY Honourable Mentions?

The EA FC 26 Team of the Year (TOTY) Honourable Mentions are essentially the "lucky losers" of the TOTY vote. These are players who were nominated for the main TOTY XI, received a significant number of votes, but narrowly missed out on a spot in the final team.

Instead of going home empty-handed, they receive their own special cards in FC 26 Ultimate Team. These TOTY Honourable Mentions (TOTY HM) items sit just below the real TOTY cards in power level, usually landing in the high 80s to low 90s for overall rating, but they are often easier to link and cheaper on the transfer market.

For many players, TOTY HM cards are the realistic way to tap into TOTY-level performance without paying the extreme prices that the main blue cards command. They can also fill gaps in your squad in positions that the main TOTY XI doesn’t fully cover.

Confirmed FC 26 TOTY Honourable Mentions & Upgrades

Below is an overview of the first confirmed TOTY Honourable Mentions in EA FC 26 Ultimate Team, along with their key upgrades compared to their base cards. Ratings and details are based on early in-game data and may be updated as EA adds more cards.

Michael Olise – TOTY Honourable Mention

Overall rating: 90 (base 86)
Club: FC Bayern München
Weak Foot / Skill Moves: 4★ / 4★ (from 4★ / 2★)

Olise’s TOTY HM card makes him a much more complete attacker. He receives a sizeable boost to his dribbling, passing and shooting, and most importantly a weak foot upgrade, which turns him into a reliable finisher on either foot.

PlayStyle+ highlights:

• Tiki-Taka+ – excellent for quick passing combinations in tight spaces
• Trivela / Curled Shot+ – allows him to score spectacular outside-the-box shots

Best positions in FC 26 systems:

• RM or RF as an inverted winger cutting inside
• CAM (ZOM) as a creative playmaker

Sakina Karchaoui – TOTY Honourable Mention

Overall rating: 90 (base 87)
Club: Paris Saint-Germain (Women)
Weak Foot / Skill Moves: 4★ / 5★ (unchanged, but boosted stats)

Karchaoui’s HM item is one of the most versatile left-backs in the game. Strong pace, technical dribbling and excellent passing make her ideal for players who like their full-backs to push high and contribute offensively.

Key improvements:

• Better attacking positioning and crossing
• Stronger defending with improved interceptions and tackling
• Additional PlayStyles that boost her ability in tight build-up play

Scott McTominay – TOTY Honourable Mention

Overall rating: 90 (base 85)
Club: SSC Napoli
Weak Foot / Skill Moves: 4★ / 4★ (from 3★ / 3★)

McTominay’s TOTY HM card receives a huge upgrade, transforming him from a decent box-to-box midfielder into a powerhouse capable of dominating both ends of the pitch.

Why he’s meta-relevant:

• Big physical presence with improved stamina and strength
• Boosted shooting, especially from distance and headers
• New PlayStyles geared toward late runs into the box and incisive passing

Elena Julve – TOTY Honourable Mention

Overall rating: 88 (base 78)
Club: FC Levante Badalona
Weak Foot / Skill Moves: 4★ / 4★

Julve gets one of the biggest single-card jumps in the promo, with +10 overall compared to her base version. She is a nimble and creative forward with strong links in the Spanish league.

Best roles:

• RF or RM as a pacy winger
• False 9 striker in systems that rely on fluid front threes

Marc Cucurella – TOTY Honourable Mention

Overall rating: 88 (base 84)
Club: Chelsea
Weak Foot / Skill Moves: 3★ / 4★ (upgraded skills)

Cucurella’s HM item is a great option for Premier League squads. With higher defending, better ball control and improved passing, he can be used either as a classic overlapping full-back or as an inverted full-back tucked into midfield.

Key PlayStyle changes: new defensive PlayStyles such as improved interceptions and blocking make him far more reliable in 1v1 situations and in cutting passing lanes.

All Leaked FC 26 TOTY Honourable Mentions

Several well-known FC leakers and data miners (such as FutSheriff, Fut Scoreboard, FTR and others) have hinted at a much larger TOTY HM squad coming later in the promo. These leaks are not officially confirmed by EA, so ratings and even players can change at any time, but they give a good idea of what to expect.

Leaked top-tier attackers

• Mohamed Salah – 94 OVR (Liverpool): lightning-fast right-sided forward with lethal finishing and multiple attacking PlayStyles+, likely to be one of the strongest right wingers in the game.
• Harry Kane – 93 OVR (Bayern München): clinical finisher with excellent shooting and passing, suited as a traditional number 9 who can also drop deep.
• Lamine Yamal – 93 OVR (Barcelona): a highly technical winger with 5★ skills on his base card, projected to get big boosts to dribbling and acceleration.
• Lautaro Martínez – 93 OVR (Inter): aggressive striker with strong physical stats and aerial threat, expected to receive a Gamechanger PlayStyle+.
• Kadidiatou Diani – 92 OVR (Olympique Lyon, Women): versatile forward who can play on the wing or centrally, combining pace, strength and heading.
• Melchie Dumornay – 90 OVR (Olympique Lyon, Women): creative forward who thrives as a false 9, with strong dribbling and shooting upgrades.
• Luis Díaz – 89 OVR (Bayern München): agile, high-intensity winger with good shooting and excellent dribbling, ideal as an inside forward.

Leaked defensive and goalkeeping options

• Matthijs de Ligt – 92 OVR (Manchester United): strong, no-nonsense centre-back with powerful tackling and shooting PlayStyles.
• Gabriel – 90 OVR (Arsenal): physically dominant centre-back, expected to be outstanding in aerial duels.
• Marquinhos – 90 OVR (PSG): ball-playing defender with a mix of interception and anticipation PlayStyles, ideal in high-line defenses.
• Marc Guéhi – 88 OVR (Crystal Palace): balanced centre-back with solid passing and defensive awareness.
• Willian Pacho – 88 OVR (PSG): aggressive front-foot defender suited to a high pressing style.
• Denzel Dumfries – 88 OVR (Inter): powerful right-back with pace, physicality and a long throw-in PlayStyle.
• David Raya – 89 OVR (Arsenal): sweeper-keeper type with PlayStyles that boost claims and ball-playing from the back.

Leaked midfield engines

• Patri Guijarro – 92 OVR (Barcelona, Women): deep-lying playmaker with excellent passing and composure, perfect as a CDM or hybrid CM.
• Rose Lavelle – 91 OVR (NJ/NY Gotham FC): technically gifted midfielder, mixing dribbling, through balls and long shots.

Again, treat all of the above as subject to change. EA can adjust ratings, positions, or even decide to hold some players back for other promos.

How TOTY Honourable Mentions Upgrades Work

TOTY Honourable Mentions follow a similar upgrade pattern to other special cards, but they are tuned to sit slightly below the main TOTY items.

Attribute boosts and overall ratings

Each TOTY HM card receives targeted boosts to core attributes like Pace, Shooting, Passing, Dribbling, Defending and Physical. The overall rating usually lands in the:

• High 80s for lower-profile nominees
• Low to mid 90s for superstars like Salah or Kane

These boosts largely follow EA’s internal Inform-style upgrade rules, but TOTY HM cards often jump more than a regular IF, sometimes gaining several full upgrade tiers in one go.

Weak Foot, Skill Moves and positions

On top of their stat boosts, many TOTY HM items also receive:

• Weak Foot upgrades – for example, a 3★ weak foot becoming 4★
• Skill Move upgrades – turning certain players into 4★ or even 5★ skillers
• Additional positions – such as a right winger gaining CAM or CF as an alternate position

While position changes are less common than WF/SM upgrades, they do happen and can make a big difference for squad building and chemistry flexibility.

PlayStyles and PlayStyle+ changes

TOTY HM cards frequently gain new PlayStyles and sometimes even a second PlayStyle+. Examples from confirmed and leaked cards include:

• Attacking boosts like Trivela, First Touch, Gamechanger
• Defensive boosts like Interception, Block, Anticipate
• Passing boosts such as Tiki-Taka, Pinged Pass, Incisive Pass

These PlayStyle upgrades often matter as much as the raw stats, especially in competitive modes where small edges can decide a match.

TOTY Honourable Mentions Release Schedule

EA typically releases TOTY Honourable Mentions in multiple waves throughout the Team of the Year event.

Based on the current FC 26 schedule, the main HM team is expected around the end of the second TOTY week, with the full batch hitting packs on a Friday evening (for example, January 23, 2026, 19:00 local server time).

In addition to the bulk pack release, EA also sprinkles in individual HM cards via:

• Squad Building Challenges (SBCs) – single-player objectives that reward an untradeable HM card
• Objectives / Milestones – grindable content in Squad Battles, Rivals or friendlies

These SBC and Objective cards often have slightly different stat profiles or positions, so keep an eye on menus even if you are not opening many packs.

How Many TOTY Honourable Mentions Will There Be?

EA has increased the size of the TOTY HM roster almost every year. In recent editions we saw:

• Around 16 TOTY HM cards in older titles
• 23 cards the following year
• 25 cards in the most recent iteration

For FC 26, it is reasonable to expect a similar or slightly higher number of TOTY Honourable Mentions, especially as women’s football is now fully integrated into Ultimate Team, expanding the pool of high-profile nominees.

Building Your Ultimate Team & Safe FC 26 Coins on ItemD2R

TOTY Honourable Mentions are powerful, but they rarely come cheap, especially during the peak of the promo. If you want to compete in Weekend League or Elite Rivals with multiple HM and TOTY cards, you will need a strong coin balance and good market timing.

Many players choose to speed up this process by purchasing coins from trusted external marketplaces. When doing so, the two most important factors are account safety and delivery reliability. That is where ItemD2R comes in. The platform specializes in digital game services and has years of experience serving Ultimate Team players. Their focus is on secure transfers that minimize the risk of account issues, with clear instructions and support if you are new to the process.

If you are looking to top up your balance to afford your favorite TOTY HM players, you can ea26 coins through ItemD2R’s dedicated FC 26 section. The site offers competitive pricing, fast delivery windows and multiple payment options, which makes it easier to react quickly to market changes—for example, when a new SBC drops or a leaked HM card finally becomes available in packs.

For players who mainly grind gameplay but still want an extra push during big promos, ItemD2R also supports bulk orders so you can buy fut 26 coins ahead of time and then snipe cards as soon as they are released. As with any third-party service, you should always follow their recommended transfer methods and avoid suspiciously cheap offers from unknown sources. Sticking to an established provider with transparent policies greatly reduces the risk of losing your hard-earned club.

Squad-Building Tips for TOTY Honourable Mentions

To make the most of TOTY HM cards in FC 26 Ultimate Team, keep these strategic tips in mind:

1. Use HM cards to solve chemistry and balance problems

Because they cover a wide range of leagues, nations and positions, Honourable Mentions are perfect for bridging different parts of your squad. For example:

• Use a Premier League HM defender like Gabriel to link Brazilian or Arsenal players.
• Combine a Ligue 1 HM full-back like Karchaoui with PSG and French nationals for easy chemistry.
• Exploit hybrid links by pairing LaLiga midfielders like Patri Guijarro with Barcelona attackers.

2. Prioritize meta PlayStyles and WF/SM upgrades

Not all 90-rated cards feel equally strong in-game. When choosing between HM options, look beyond the overall rating and prioritize:

• 4★ or 5★ weak foot for strikers and attacking mids
• At least 4★ skills for wide players who rely on dribbling
• Key PlayStyles like Trivela, First Touch, Gamechanger, Intercept or Block depending on the role

Sometimes a slightly lower-rated card with the right PlayStyle+ feels far better than a higher-rated but less optimized option.

3. Time the market around pack supply

HM prices usually spike in the first hours after release, then drop once supply ramps up during lightning rounds and weekend pack openings. If you are not desperate to use a card immediately, waiting 24–48 hours can often save you a large chunk of coins.

On the other hand, some highly desirable cards rise again once they leave packs. Monitoring price trends and acting fast—especially if you already prepared a coin balance via trading or services like ItemD2R—can give you a significant advantage.

4. Build around your best TOTY HM pulls

If you pack an untradeable HM card, consider building your team around them rather than forcing them into your existing system. TOTY HM items are designed to be near-meta level; supporting them with the right formation, tactics and links can dramatically raise your overall squad strength.

For example:

• Pulled a top HM striker like Lautaro Martínez? Switch to a two-striker formation and pair him with a pacey partner.
• Packed a strong HM defender like Marquinhos? Push your defensive line higher and play a more aggressive style, trusting his anticipation and recovery speed.

As TOTY progresses and more Honourable Mentions are officially revealed, we’ll see new combinations and meta squads emerge. Stay flexible, keep an eye on leaks and official announcements, and be prepared to adapt your team when the right card appears.