
Introducing high‑profile players and exclusive Heroes reshapes the Ultimate Team market, driving pack sales and secondary‑market trading. Early leaks give collectors and investors a chance to strategize before the cards hit live play.
The Knockout Royalty promotion marks EA Sports’ latest effort to keep FIFA 26’s Ultimate Team fresh and monetizable. By bundling a mix of current superstars, historic icons, and undisclosed Heroes, EA taps into both nostalgia and the desire for fresh content, a strategy that has proven effective in sustaining player engagement across multiple seasons. The timing—coinciding with the end of the Future Stars promo—creates a seamless transition that maintains momentum in pack purchases and SBC participation, essential revenue streams for the franchise.
The leaked roster reads like a who’s‑who of global football, featuring Vinicius Jr., Kai Havertz, Marta, and Gerd Müller among others. Such a blend of active talent and legendary figures typically drives a spike in card values, especially for icons and Heroes that often command premium prices on the transfer market. The promise of four new Heroes, whose identities remain secret, adds a speculative layer that can inflate demand for packs as collectors hope to secure rare items without relying on luck, thanks to guaranteed promo SBC rewards.
From a business perspective, the staggered global release times (10 am PT to 7 pm CET) reflect EA’s intent to maximize live‑event hype across regions, encouraging simultaneous social media buzz and real‑time trading. As the community digests the leak, we can expect a surge in discussion forums, content creator analysis, and predictive pricing models. This promotional cycle not only fuels immediate microtransaction revenue but also sets the stage for future content drops, reinforcing EA’s long‑term strategy of iterative, event‑driven engagement in the competitive sports gaming market.

Knockout Royalty is all set to be the next promo in FC 26, and it will feature some amazing cards in Ultimate Team if the leaks are to be believed.
EA Sports might have remained tight-lipped about the cards, but the promo has been confirmed. The upcoming campaign is brand new and will make its debut in Ultimate Team. Let's look at all the cards that have been revealed on social media.
The Knockout Royalty promo will have special cards of active footballers and legends alike. Expect to find promo items, Icons, and Heroes in packs when the campaign goes live. Here's a list of all the leaked cards that have appeared on social media as of writing.
Vinicius Jr.
Kai Havertz
Antoine Griezmann
Van de Ven
Mia Hamm
Andres Iniesta
Dunga
Marta
Benjamin Pavard
Victor Osimhen
Ole Solksjaer
Oguz
Enzo Fernandez
Dirk Kuyt
Miedema
Emiliano Martinez
Alphonso Davies
Bruno Guimaraes
Rodri
Ferland Mendy
Kvaratskhelia
Jones
Steven Gerrard
Lotta Schelin
Gerd Muller
Interestingly, EA Sports has also teased four new Heroes who will be part of the promo. However, their identities are yet to be revealed. Expect to find some promo items in SBCs and objectives. Unlike pack cards, you won't have to rely on your luck to obtain them.
Team 1 items will be live on Friday, Feb. 13, when the Future Stars promo officially ends. The following countdown will expire once the promo goes live in Ultimate Team.
hurrytimer id="1177405"
The countdown is based on the following times.
10am PT
12pm CT
1pm ET
6pm UTC
7pm CET
This is the usual schedule that EA Sports follows when it comes to releasing new promos in Ultimate Team. More leaks are expected to appear as we get closer to the release date. It will be interesting to find out which cards eventually make it to the final team release.
The post All FC 26 Knockout Royalty Team 1 players and release countdown appeared first on Destructoid.
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