A fresh Ultimate Team promotion is about to arrive in EA Sports FC 26, with the upcoming Glory Hunters event bringing a new batch of special player items. Following the Greats of the Game campaign, which celebrated legendary international footballers, EA Sports is preparing another content drop during the ongoing Festival of Football.
Unlike previous promotions, Glory Hunters introduces a new feature that allows selected player items to receive customised PlayStyles, giving Ultimate Team managers greater flexibility when building their squads.
The event will run for two weeks before ending on Friday, July 10, coinciding with the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals. Here's everything we know so far.
When Does FC 26 Glory Hunters Start? Release Date and Time
Glory Hunters will go live in Ultimate Team on Friday, June 26, replacing the Greats of the Game promotion.
As with most FUT promos, the update is scheduled for the standard content refresh time:
• 6pm BST
• 1pm EDT
• 10am PDT
The promotion is expected to follow EA's familiar format, with Team 1 available at launch before Team 2 replaces it a week later on Friday, July 3.
With so many high-rated players expected to arrive in the Glory Hunters promotion, demand on the Ultimate Team transfer market is likely to increase. Whether you're planning to complete expensive SBCs, upgrade your squad, or bid on the latest special cards, having enough EA FC coins can make it much easier to secure your preferred players before prices rise during the event.
Glory Hunters leaks: Full Team 1 and Highest-Rated Cards
Well-known EA FC leaker AsyFutTrader claims to have obtained details of the complete Glory Hunters Team 1 squad. According to images shared on X (formerly Twitter), the first team contains 40 special player items, representing a wide range of nations competing at the World Cup.
Among the standout names expected to feature are:
• Tijjani Reijnders (Netherlands) – CM – 97 OVR
• Bruno Fernandes (Portugal) – CAM – 97 OVR
• Kieran Tierney (Scotland) – RB – 96 OVR
• N'Golo Kante (France) – CDM – 96 OVR
• Noah Okafor (Switzerland) – ST – 95 OVR
• Thibaut Courtois (Belgium) – GK – 95 OVR
Even players towards the lower end of the leaked ratings appear to be highly competitive. Saudi Arabia midfielder Mohamed Kanno, for example, is listed with a 92 overall rating and every face stat above 90.
Glory Hunters: Confirmed players, SBCs, Objectives and More
In an unusual move, EA Sports has already confirmed four players who will be part of the Glory Hunters promotion. While the developer regularly drops clues before new events, directly revealing featured players ahead of release is far less common.
The confirmed stars are:
• Neymar Jr (Brazil)
• Lionel Messi (Argentina)
• Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands)
• Ousmane Dembele (France)
Leaks suggest each of the four could receive a 97-rated item.
Van Dijk is expected to retain his usual centre-back role, while Dembele should appear as a right winger. Neymar and Messi may line up in different attacking positions depending on EA's final card designs.
Alongside the new player items, the promotion is expected to include the usual mix of Objectives, Squad Building Challenges (SBCs) and limited-time tournaments.
EA Sports is also likely to continue releasing both National Pride and Star Performers items throughout the event. Star Performers cards should recognise standout displays from the latest World Cup group-stage fixtures and will be available in packs. National Pride items, meanwhile, are expected to be earned primarily through SBCs and Objectives.
Another feature likely to return is the Showdown SBC, which typically highlights key upcoming international fixtures. The latest example focuses on Spain versus Uruguay in Group H.
With the group stage drawing to a close on Sunday, future Showdown SBCs will probably shift towards the knockout rounds. One fixture that could receive special treatment is Colombia vs Portugal, where both sides may still be battling for first place in Group K.
Leakers have also suggested that Week 1 could feature additional special items obtainable through SBCs or Objectives, including Cristian Romero, Anthony Gordon and Kai Havertz.
