FC 26 TOTY Guide: Voting, Nominees & Big Rewards Explained

FC 26 TOTY is finally here, and it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest promos of the entire cycle. Team of the Year turns the best real-world footballers into the strongest Ultimate Team items, and in FC 26 the event is bigger than ever with separate Men’s and Women’s XIs, Captains, Nominees, TOTY Icons and more. If you want to make the most of FC 26 TOTY, whether that’s voting for your favourites, packing a blue, or just preparing your club properly, this guide covers everything you need to know.

What is FC 26 TOTY and why does it matter?

In simple terms, FC 26 TOTY (Team of the Year) is Ultimate Team’s flagship event. EA Sports picks a list of nominees based on their real-world 2025 performances, then the global community votes to help decide who makes the final Men’s and Women’s Teams of the Year.

The final FC 26 TOTY XIs receive ultra-boosted special items that usually stay at the top of the power curve for months. These are the cards you build your team around, meta strikers, press-resistant midfielders, cracked full-backs and dominant centre-backs that feel totally different in-game.

This year also introduces a Men’s and Women’s Captain, awarded to the standout performer in each XI, plus special TOTY Player Items released into both EA SPORTS FC 26 and FC Mobile. In other words, FC 26 TOTY isn’t just another promo, it’s the promo.

FC 26 TOTY voting dates and how the vote works

If you care about influencing the final squads, timing is everything. FC 26 TOTY voting is live from 6:00 PM GMT on January 7, 2026 until 5:59 PM GMT on January 12, 2026. During this window, you can cast your vote for both the Men’s and Women’s FC 26 TOTY.

In FC 26, voting is handled through Player Pick voting packs found in the in-game Store. You’ll see voting packs for the four main position groups:

Goalkeepers
Defenders
Midfielders
Attackers

Open the relevant pack, browse the nominees, and select the players you believe deserve a FC 26 TOTY item. Your selection inside these Player Picks functions as your official vote.

It’s important to understand that the final Men’s and Women’s XIs are decided by a combination of community votes and EA’s own selection. So FC 26 TOTY isn’t a pure popularity contest, but your choices absolutely matter, especially for borderline players.

On top of the in-game voting, EA also promotes an official TOTY Voting Page on their website, acting as a central hub for schedules, nominees and key announcements. If you want the most accurate, last-minute info on FC 26 TOTY, that’s the place to double-check.

FC 26 TOTY nominees and card designs

The FC 26 TOTY nominees are split across Men’s and Women’s football, with four main groups: Goalkeepers, Defenders, Midfielders and Attackers.

On the Men’s side, you’ll recognise elite names all over the pitch:

Goalkeepers: Alisson, Thibaut Courtois, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Manuel Neuer, Jan Oblak and more
Defenders: Virgil van Dijk, William Saliba, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Alessandro Bastoni and others
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Nicolò Barella, Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, Pedri, Declan Rice, Mohamed Salah and more
Attackers: Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Vini Jr., Harry Kane, Robert Lewandowski, Cristiano Ronaldo and a long list of other stars

On the Women’s side, the shortlist is just as stacked:

Goalkeepers: Christiane Endler, Hannah Hampton, Chiamaka Nnadozie and more
Defenders: Lucy Bronze, Wendie Renard, Olga Carmona, Leah Williamson, Selma Bacha and others
Midfielders: Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway, Pernille Harder, Trinity Rodman and more
Attackers: Kadidiatou Diani, Khadija Shaw, Alexandra Popp, Alessia Russo, Caroline Graham Hansen, Linda Caicedo and others

These nominees are the only players who can receive a standard FC 26 TOTY item, and they also make up the pool for the fan vote and the potential 12th player (the extra TOTY item often decided by a separate community vote).

TOTY and TOTY Nominee card designs

Card design always adds to the hype, and this year FC 26 TOTY has already impressed players with its visuals:

TOTY Nominee cards feature a smart blue overall look with silver accents, leaning into the idea that these players are on the cusp of Team of the Year status.
Main FC 26 TOTY cards stick to the iconic blue and gold design that’s become synonymous with the promo across previous years.

Many in the community are already arguing that the Nominee design looks just as good, if not better, than the main FC 26 TOTY cards, which is saying something.

What content drops during FC 26 TOTY?

For most players, the biggest question about FC 26 TOTY is: what do I actually get?

Here’s what you can expect once the promo kicks off:

TOTY Player Items:

These are the headline cards, massively upgraded versions of the Men’s and Women’s XI (plus Captains and 12th players). They usually get boosted pace, physical, dribbling and key in-game traits, making them endgame-level in many positions.
Staggered pack releases:

FC 26 TOTY players are expected to be revealed in mid-January 2026, with Attackers entering packs first, followed by Midfielders, Defenders and Goalkeepers. The full TOTY squad typically rolls out across roughly two weeks, keeping the market (and pack openings) active.
TOTY Icons:

Legendary footballers with TOTY-level stats and unique card art. Team 1 of TOTY Icons should release alongside the first wave of FC 26 TOTY cards, with Team 2 arriving later in the promo.
Honourable Mentions:

These special cards celebrate players who just missed out on the final XI but still had outstanding years. They’re usually released towards the end of the event with strong, but slightly toned-down, upgrades compared to full TOTY items.
SBCs, Objectives and Promo Packs:

Expect upgrade SBCs, repeatable packs, position-specific upgrades and themed objectives. With so many players ripping packs during FC 26 TOTY, there’s a heavy focus on duplicate recycling and high pack volume.

In short, FC 26 TOTY is not just about the starting XI; it’s a full ecosystem of content that can reshape your club for months.

How to prepare your club for FC 26 TOTY

The smartest way to approach FC 26 TOTY is to treat it like a two-part event: first the voting, then the content drop.

Here’s how to prep without nuking your club:

1. During the voting window

While votes are live between January 7 and January 12:

Cast your votes early: Make sure your FC 26 TOTY picks are submitted in-game via Player Picks or the official website hub.
Start basic pack saving: Any decent, tradable packs from Rivals, Champs, or Objectives are worth stashing for mid-January when the first FC 26 TOTY cards hit packs.

2. In the run-up to the promo

Before the full promo ramps up:

Hold onto high-rated fodder: Avoid spamming random SBCs right before TOTY. You’ll want 84–90 rated cards ready for upgraded SBCs, Player Picks and special FC 26 TOTY SBC content.
Keep some coins liquid: When FC 26 TOTY drops, the market swings hard. Having coins on hand lets you snipe underpriced cards or complete key SBCs without panic-selling your team.
Avoid impulsive upgrades: That “just okay” promo card today will look terrible next to FC 26 TOTY cards. Don’t drain your club on short-term upgrades.

3. During the promo itself

When FC 26 TOTY is live:

Have a duplicate plan: With so many packs opened, duplicates become the real headache. Identify which upgrade SBCs, repeatable packs or exchanges you want to funnel duplicates into so you’re not forced into quick-selling valuable cards.
Target the right packs: If your only goal is to pack a FC 26 TOTY card, prioritize packs with high rare gold counts and good overall value over flashy promo packs with poor odds.
Be realistic: TOTY blues are rare. Use the promo to strengthen your whole squad through fodder, SBCs and smart buys, even if you never see a walkout in that iconic blue and gold animation.

Final thoughts: don’t miss your FC 26 TOTY window

FC 26 TOTY is the point in the cycle where Ultimate Team really levels up. You get your say in which stars are immortalized with FC 26 TOTY items, then you get a two-week festival of cracked cards, TOTY Icons, Honourable Mentions, SBCs, objectives and unlimited pack temptation.

If you remember just three things about FC 26 TOTY, make them these:

Voting runs from January 7–12, 2026, don’t miss the window.
The final squads are a mix of community and EA selection, so your choices matter but aren’t the only factor.
Preparation beats luck, saved packs, stacked fodder and a clear duplicate strategy will do more for your club than praying for one miracle pack.

Whether you’re trying to stuff your squad with blues or just using FC 26 TOTY to reshape your club for the rest of the year, this is the promo you want to be ready for.

Micro-FAQs about FC 26 TOTY

Q: When does FC 26 TOTY voting end?

A: FC 26 TOTY voting ends at 5:59 PM GMT on January 12, 2026. After that, you can’t change or submit new votes.

Q: How do I vote for FC 26 TOTY in-game?

A: You vote through Player Pick voting packs in the Store. Open the relevant pack for each position group, pick your preferred players, and confirm your choices.

Q: Will there be separate Men’s and Women’s FC 26 TOTY squads?

A: Yes. FC 26 TOTY features both Men’s and Women’s Teams of the Year, each with their own XI, Captain and special items released into EA SPORTS FC 26 and FC Mobile.