Building a powerful Ultimate Team in EA Sports FC 26 hinges on shrewd player trades. However, if you’re finding yourself shut out of the transfer market, don’t fret! This guide will walk you through exactly how to unlock it.
Unlocking the Transfer Market in EA FC 26
For any Ultimate Team enthusiast, the start of a new season is pure magic. There’s nothing quite like pulling a top-tier player early on and leveraging the transfer market to boost your squad and coins.
But what if you’re new to the game, recently moved platforms, or your account isn’t in tip-top shape? You’ll need to complete specific objective groups under the ‘Foundations’ tab to gain access:
New Beginnings
- Complete the Passes and Shots Moment
- Play three Squad Battles
- Play Squad Battles Featured Squad
- Complete Football 101 within Foundation Moments (seven moments)
- Score 5 Goals
Venturing Out
- Play three Rush matches
- Complete the Intro to Rewards EVOs (found under Rewards once you have played three Rush matches)
- Score 10 goals in any Ultimate Team game mode
- Play five matches in any Ultimate Team game mode
Diving In
- Play five Ultimate Team Rush matches
- Play five Squad Battles matches on minimum Semi-Pro difficulty
- Play five Rivals matches
- Play 15 matches in any Ultimate Team game mode
On Your Way
- Play 10 matches in any Ultimate Team game mode
- Complete five Rush bonuses
- Assist 25 times in any Ultimate Team game mode
- Complete any two SBC groups
While these four objective groups offer great rewards, they will demand a significant time investment. Remember, early access to the transfer market is vital for your Ultimate Team’s success! Focus on completing ‘New Beginnings’ first, then integrate the other general objectives into your regular gameplay.
It’s crucial to understand that even after completing these objectives, you won’t immediately gain full transfer market functionality. You’ll be able to list players, but searching for specific players or bidding on items will remain locked until a short waiting period.
Specifically, PC players face a wait of up to 48 hours, while console players can expect to wait up to 24 hours.
Why is the FC 26 Transfer Market Initially Locked?
EA implements these restrictions to safeguard the integrity of the FUT economy, preventing widespread coin selling and botting. It also serves as a tutorial, gently guiding new players through the game’s fundamental mechanics using Moments and Milestones, preparing them for more competitive play.
Even the web and companion app versions of the transfer market will remain inaccessible until you’ve logged a sufficient number of in-game hours. EA states that an account in good standing typically gains access after two active days (playing at least three games per day). Be aware, though, that if multiple accounts are created on the same device, this waiting period usually extends to four days.