EA Sports has rolled out a new Squad Building Challenge in FC 26 tied to the Summer Tournament event. The 89+ Summer Tournament Historical Nations Upgrade SBC offers players a path to high-rated cards by completing nation-specific squad requirements.
The SBC tasks players with constructing squads around historical nations featured in the Summer Tournament promo. Completing these challenges rewards players with 89-rated or higher cards from the Summer Tournament Historical Nations pool. This card tier sits at the sweet spot for building competitive squads without requiring endgame icons or Team of the Year cards.
FC 26's SBC system remains central to its card acquisition strategy. Rather than forcing players toward the transfer market or pack pulls, upgrade SBCs let grinders convert lower-rated fodder into usable players. The Summer Tournament event itself pushes themed cards with boosted stats, making them more attractive than standard gold cards at similar ratings.
The Historical Nations angle suggests the promo celebrates iconic national teams or eras. Previous FC iterations have leaned hard into nostalgia with similar events, pulling from memorable World Cup squads or classic continental championships. This approach keeps the card pool thematic and gives players narrative reasons to build specific lineups.
Completion difficulty varies depending on chemistry requirements and nation availability. Players with deep club rosters will breeze through these challenges. Those building budget squads may need to dip into the transfer market for rare nation combinations, raising the effective cost beyond the SBC's stated rating floor.
The timing matters. Summer promos typically run during the competitive window before the game's next iteration launches. Players chasing rank improvements in division rivals or squad battles modes value high-rated cards on tight deadlines. An accessible 89+ reward meets that demand without requiring massive investment.
This SBC fits FC 26's broader pattern of using themed events to drive engagement without mandatory spending. The Summer Tournament Historical Nations cards