FC 26 TOTY Attackers Guide & Honorable Mentions Evolution Review

• FC 26 Team of the Year Attackers Overview
• How the TOTY Honorable Mentions Evolution Works
• CAM, CM & CDM Builder Paths Explained
• Live Events, Objectives & Rewards
• Current Evolutions: New Boots, Positional Excellence & More
• Key SBCs: Sophia Wilson, Calvert-Lewin, Marcelo & the Yamal Glitch
• Packs, Market Trends & Price Forecast
• Using FUT Coins Cheap Safely: ItemD2R & FC26 Coin Strategy
• Is the TOTY Honorable Mentions EVO Worth It? Final Verdict

FC 26 Team of the Year Attackers Overview

Team of the Year in FC 26 has officially kicked off, and the first wave brings TOTY attackers and TOTY Icons into packs for a limited 48-hour window. For many players, this is the most exciting promo of the year: ultra-meta attackers, special playstyles, and some of the strongest Icon cards we have seen so far.

Alongside the pack content, EA has also launched a free evolution path built around TOTY Honorable Mentions. On paper it sounds huge: free upgrade, extra playstyle+, and long-term scalability. In practice, though, the implementation is much more controversial, especially once you dig into the stat caps and role restrictions.

This guide breaks down everything that dropped with the start of TOTY content in FC 26: the Honorable Mentions EVO, live events, objectives, SBCs, a surprising Lamine Yamal situation, and what it all means for the transfer market. If you are debating whether to put your club resources into evolutions, SBCs, or packs, read this before you commit.

How the TOTY Honorable Mentions Evolution Works

The headline free feature is the “Build Your Team of the Year Honorable Mentions” evolution. EA positioned it as a way to craft a long-term midfield star, but there are several important limitations that you should understand before choosing a player.

At a high level, the process works like this:

• You submit a qualified player into the Honorable Mentions EVO.
• That player receives an upgrade and a new “Honorable Mention” rarity.
• Once upgraded, that card becomes eligible for a second evolution coming next Friday, which will add another playstyle+ based on the path you choose.

The catch is that this evolution is locked to central midfield roles: CAM, CM, and CDM. Even if your club is full of wingers or strikers, they are not directly eligible unless you use specific position-change consumables tied to this experience.

The creator who tested it was harshly critical of the stat caps. Acceleration, shooting, passing, and dribbling are all capped at levels that make the final item feel like a mediocre, mid-tier card rather than a centerpiece TOTY-level midfielder. If you were hoping to create a truly elite box-to-box machine, expectations need to be adjusted.

CAM, CM & CDM Builder Paths Explained

Within the Honorable Mentions evolution, EA has provided three distinct builder paths. Each path aims at a different midfield role and offers a specific playstyle+ combination.

CAM Builder Path

The CAM route focuses on creativity and flair in the final third. Completing this path grants:

• Finesse Shot playstyle (upgraded shooting from range and in tight angles)
• 5★ skill moves for advanced dribbling and skill cancels

This looks ideal for attacking midfielders who already have decent shooting and dribbling. However, because passing and dribbling are stat-capped fairly low, even a promising CAM can end up feeling like an average creator at the highest level of play.

CM Builder Path

The CM route is tailored for possession-based, link-up play. The path rewards:

• Tiki Taka playstyle, helping with quick, short-passing combinations
• 5★ weak foot, making your CM much more two-footed

On paper, this is an attractive combination for a deep-lying playmaker or box-to-box CM. The downside is again the stat ceiling; if passing can only reach mid-level ratings, the card will struggle to compete with untradeable promo items and top-tier meta CMs already in many clubs.

CDM Builder Path

The CDM route is the defensive specialist option, aiming to strengthen interceptions and anticipation in midfield. It includes:

• Anticipate+ playstyle, which greatly enhances interceptions and defensive AI
• 5★ weak foot, particularly useful for passing out of the back

This path is arguably the most appealing on a pure gameplay level, because Anticipate+ can be game-changing. However, the caps on pace and passing still limit the ceiling. You are not turning a budget CDM into a TOTY-level destroyer; you are making a solid but hardly elite defensive unit.

Second-Step Evolution: Extra Playstyle+

Once your Honorable Mentions card is upgraded, it will qualify for a future evolution releasing next Friday. This second evolution offers one of three playstyle+ options:

• First Touch+
• Long Ball+
• Press Proven+

You can only choose one of these, so you will have to decide whether you prefer better control, long passing, or pressing ability. In theory this layered system could create unique hybrids; in practice, the low overall caps may still leave you feeling like you invested time for a card that looks “just okay.”

Position-Change Consumables for the EVO

Before starting the Honorable Mentions experience, EA provides three evolution consumables that can adjust positions so more players qualify:

• Striker to CAM
• Wide midfielders (LM/RM) to central roles (CAM/CM)
• Center-back to CDM

These consumables open up some fun possibilities, such as turning an attacking striker into a creative CAM, or converting a solid CB into a shield in front of the defense. Just be aware that no matter how high the original card’s potential looks, the EVO’s hard caps will stop them from reaching truly elite levels.

Live Events, Objectives & Rewards

The TOTY launch in FC 26 also brings a set of live events and campaign objectives that reward packs, upgrades, and an additional evolution token.

TOTY Live Event Structure

In the live events section, a dedicated Team of the Year event offers an 84x10 pack as the main group reward. Along the way you can earn:

• Packs such as 82x5
• Cosmetics (badge and blue fire-themed item)
• A playstyle item (described as PS/PS+ but behaves like a standard playstyle)

Completing milestones within this event feels reasonably straightforward: play matches, score goals, and gradually build toward your big pack payout.

Live Event Completionist Rewards

A separate “live event completionist” reward track further incentivizes grinding. If you clear everything, you can unlock:

• A new evolution called “positional excellence”
• An 86x2 pack
• Additional packs like 83x4, 84x2, and 83x3

The positional excellence EVO is especially interesting for club builders, since it offers a more flexible improvement route than the Honorable Mentions one. If you are sceptical of the HM EVO, focusing on this evolution instead might be a better use of your time.

Football Fanatics Campaign Objectives

On the campaigns side, the Football Fanatics – Week 1 set drops with an 86x2 pack as the group reward. Objectives are structured across multiple matches and linked to:

• Specific nationalities
• Leagues
• Scoring or assisting with certain types of players
• SP (Season Progress) rewards

Completing both Week 1 and Week 2 nets an 87x5 pack as a completionist reward, which is a nice injection of fodder or potential promo players without spending coins.

Marc Cucurella Honorable Mentions Objective

EA has also released an objective card for Team of the Year Honorable Mentions Marc Cucurella. The verdict from early impressions:

• It is a decent left-sided option with usable playstyles.
• However, it is not a game-breaking defender and lacks standout stats compared to premium full-backs.

If you enjoy grinding objectives and need a new LB/LWB, this is a harmless side project. If your club already has strong untradeables in that role, Cucurella may not make your final squad.

Current Evolutions: New Boots, Positional Excellence & More

Beyond the Honorable Mentions EVO, EA has several other evolutions live, some of which have recently expired. A few are still worth reviewing for club building strategy.

“New Boots” Evolution

The “new boots” evolution is a repeatable upgrade that adds small boosts and extra playstyles to a player. The big limitation is a max overall rating of 85.

For many players, this makes the evolution feel underpowered. When squads are filled with 86+ promo cards, putting time and matches into an 85-rated cap does not move the needle much. Most high-level players will skip it unless they are specifically building a fun RTG-style club around lower-rated favorites.

“Positional Excellence” Evolution

The positional excellence evolution, earned via the live event completionist track, looks more promising. While the exact caps may vary, the concept is to improve a player’s effectiveness in their best position and sometimes offer a useful secondary role.

If you are looking to upgrade a versatile player who is just outside your starting XI, this EVO may provide a more impactful boost than the Honorable Mentions system, particularly because it is not as tightly constrained to CAM/CM/CDM roles.

Key SBCs: Sophia Wilson, Calvert-Lewin, Marcelo & the Yamal Glitch

The TOTY content drop also refreshed the SBC (Squad Building Challenge) tab with several big-name items and one particularly strange situation involving Lamine Yamal.

Sophia Wilson SBC (15 Squads)

The Sophia Wilson SBC initially looks intimidating with 15 required squads. Once you inspect the requirements, though, the structure is more reasonable than expected.

On the pitch, Wilson is an extremely strong card:

• Can play at striker, CAM, and left wing
• Well-rounded stats for pace, dribbling, and shooting
• Top-tier playstyles including Finesse Shot+ and First Touch+

She stands out as one of the best value SBC attackers currently available, especially for players who want a versatile forward that fits several formations.

Lamine Yamal Player of the Month Inside the Wilson SBC

While browsing the Wilson SBC, a surprising discovery emerged: completing one of the squads—specifically an 86-rated squad—was rewarding Player of the Month Lamine Yamal.

This was particularly strange because the original Yamal POTM SBC was still active in the game. That means players who completed the full POTM SBC paid considerably more than the cost of submitting a single 86-rated squad in the Wilson challenge. The creator immediately labeled this as a likely error from EA and rushed to complete it.

After some struggle buying a Team of the Week card due to menu lag and expired listings (eventually paying around 18,000 coins), he submitted the squad and confirmed he did indeed receive the POTM Yamal item. If you are reading this late, there is a good chance this has been patched, but it is a perfect example of why checking SBC rewards carefully can sometimes save you a lot of coins.

Player of the Month Dominic Calvert-Lewin

The Dominic Calvert-Lewin POTM SBC is a much simpler two-squad challenge. The card offers:

• Decent pace and physicality
• Reasonable shooting stats
• A 3★ skills / 4★ weak foot combination

Estimated around 20,000 coins in cost, it is not a terrible deal for Premier League grinder squads, but it lacks the elite playstyles and top-end stats that would make it a must-complete item for competitive teams.

Marcelo SBC (12 Squads)

The Marcelo SBC adds a nostalgic fan-favorite to FC 26 with a stacked stats profile and multiple strong playstyles. However, it comes in at 12 squads and is still relatively expensive, even when compared to other high-end SBCs during TOTY.

For Real Madrid fans or players who love Marcelo’s animations, this card will be tempting. For others, the cost-to-performance ratio may be difficult to justify, especially in a rapidly dropping market.

Upgrade SBCs & Team of the Week Picks

Standard upgrade SBCs remain in the menus, including various player picks and pack exchanges. The creator specifically mentioned leaning heavily on the Team of the Week upgrade, both to stock his club with informs (still relevant for SBC requirements) and to take advantage of relatively cheap fodder.

Packs, Market Trends & Price Forecast

Alongside the in-menu content, TOTY inevitably shakes up the market with a flood of packs, lightning rounds, and promo offers.

Store Packs & Cheap Gambles

In the store, players currently see a mix of low-cost and promo packs. The creator opened:

• A 10-coin pack that delivered a walkout and the player Victor, who he wanted for club collection purposes.
• A low-cost player pick guaranteeing 85+, which turned out to be good value, yielding an 87 and an 86.
• An 85x3 pack containing an inform walkout, highlighting again the importance of informs as SBC fodder.

These kinds of packs are particularly attractive during TOTY because the ceiling is huge (TOTY or TOTY Icon pulls), while cheap or untradeable packs still help you complete SBCs and evolutions.

Market Movement: Icons, TOTY Cards & EVO Influence

After checking prices on a database site, several trends are clear:

• High-end Icons and TOTY attackers are arriving at impressive stat levels with premium playstyles.
• Some TOTY cards have already started falling in price quickly, which is typical for early promo windows.
• The overall market appears to be trending downward as packs flood supply and players liquidate older cards.

An important nuance this year is the existence of strong EVO cards. Because many players can evolve existing club items into near-meta options, TOTY items may feel slightly less “must-have” than in past years. That perceived redundancy can accelerate price drops, especially on cards that do not have standout unique traits or playstyles.

Using FUT Coins Cheap Safely: ItemD2R & FC26 Coin Strategy

With TOTY content driving intense market volatility, having enough coins on hand becomes critical. Whether you want to complete expensive SBCs like Marcelo, invest in top Icons, or simply mass-enter upgrade SBCs, coin management matters as much as pack luck.

Many players look for ways to obtain FUT Coins Cheap to keep up with the meta. However, it is essential to prioritize security and reliability when you step outside pure in-game grinding. Third-party platforms vary drastically in terms of delivery speed, customer support, and risk of account issues.

ItemD2R has built a reputation in the wider gaming community as a long-standing marketplace for in-game currencies and items. For FC 26, their dedicated fc26 coin page focuses on delivering coins quickly while minimizing risk through safer transaction methods. The goal is to help players participate fully in promos like TOTY without spending weeks trading on the market for marginal gains.

When evaluating any external coin service, including ItemD2R, consider factors such as:

• Transparent pricing and clear delivery methods for FUT Coins Cheap
• Customer reviews from FC 26 players and other titles
• Responsiveness of support if you encounter any issues

Even if you rely mostly on gameplay and trading, having a reliable source of fc26 coin can make it easier to react quickly when SBC glitches appear (like the Lamine Yamal situation) or when market crashes create short-lived buying windows. The key is balancing your budget, your time, and your appetite for risk—so you can enjoy TOTY content without constantly worrying about your coin total.

Is the TOTY Honorable Mentions EVO Worth It? Final Verdict

After testing the Build Your Team of the Year Honorable Mentions evolution with real players, the overall verdict is mixed at best.

On the positive side:

• It is free, aside from your time and match grind.
• You can secure useful playstyle+ upgrades (Finesse Shot, Tiki Taka, Anticipate+, and a second future playstyle+).
• Position-change consumables allow some creative choices, like turning a striker into a CAM.

However, there are several substantial drawbacks:

• Harsh stat caps on pace, shooting, passing, and dribbling, which keep the final card firmly below elite level.
• Strict limitation to CAM/CM/CDM roles, reducing flexibility.
• A final product that feels like a “bang average” upgrade rather than a marquee TOTY centerpiece.

The creator summed it up as “horrible” and “wildly underwhelming” considering how heavily EA marketed the feature. If your time is limited and you want maximum impact on your starting XI, evolutions like positional excellence or high-value SBCs like Sophia Wilson may offer more meaningful upgrades.

As TOTY continues, expect more evolutions, SBCs, and market swings. Stay flexible, keep an eye out for unexpected value (or outright mistakes) in SBC rewards, and use your coins—whether earned in-game or via trusted sources like ItemD2R—where they bring the biggest upgrade to your squad. That way, even if the Honorable Mentions EVO disappoints, your TOTY experience in FC 26 will not.