I opened a single pack at midnight and the chat lit up like a second screen. You feel the tiny gamble — one card can reshape your squad and your weekend bragging rights. I’ve tracked promos long enough to know when the noise matters.
I’m watching EA Sports FC 26’s Greats of the Game so you don’t have to open every pack blind. Below, I break down who’s dropping, how the promo behaves, and the smartest ways to chase the cards you want.
My feed filled with ‘pack luck’ the moment Season 8 hit — All FC 26 Greats of the Game players
The promo is focused: Icons and Heroes only. Two new legends — Mario Kempes and Roberto Rivelino — join a stacked roster that reads like a football museum. These cards land like opening a time capsule, and several familiar names will flood Ultimate Team packs.
- John Barnes
- Roberto Carlos
- Chiellini
- Didier Drogba
- Bixente Lizarazu (H)
- Davor Suker
- Patrick Vieira
- Al Jaber (H)
- Gabriel Batistuta
- David Beckham
- Wesley Sneijder (H)
- Carles Puyol
- Iker Casillas
- Bobby Charlton
- Alessandro Del Pierro
- Diego Forlan (H)
- Mario Klose
- Ronald Koeman
- Vincent Kompany (H)
- Ton Kroos
- Lahm
- Lothar Mattahus
- Hidetoshi Nakata (H)
- Lilian Thuram
- Rudi Völler (H)
- Xavi
- Zico
- Gareth Bale
- Beckenbauer
- Cafu
- Ronaldinho
- Andres Iniesta
- Oliver Kahn
- Paulo Maldini
- Johann Cruyff
- Thierry Henry
- Ferenc Puskas
- Ronaldo
- Zinedine Zidane
Cards marked with (H) are Heroes; the rest are Icons. Some will land as special versions of familiar faces — overall ratings and playstyles will arrive closer to launch. If you use trackers such as FUTBIN or FUTWIZ, set alerts now: market movement starts as soon as packs drop.
Who are the Greats of the Game players in FC 26?
Every name above is slated for pack release. There will also be targets available through Squad Building Challenges (SBCs) and seasonal objectives across Ultimate Team. You’ll see a mix of Icon flashbacks and national Heroes that fill gaps for clubs that never had official Icons.
I noticed Twitter threads explode the moment EA confirmed a date — FC 26 Greats of the Game release countdown
EA Sports confirmed the promo launches on Friday, June 19. It replaces the current Path to Glory items and, importantly, these Greats won’t carry the same dynamic upgrades that Path to Glory could receive from real-world World Cup events. Expect fixed cards rather than evolving ones — a cleaner target when planning packs or SBC spends.
The standard EA release schedule applies:
- 10am PST
- 12pm CST
- 1pm EST
- 5pm UTC
- 6pm BST
- 7pm CEST
Because these cards aren’t dynamic, you can plan trades and SBCs without the worry of mid-promo rating changes. That certainty makes the market behave more predictably — the promo is already shaping up to be a magnet for nostalgia for collectors and competitive players alike.
When does Greats of the Game start?
Friday, June 19 at the times listed above. Expect packs to appear immediately at those minutes, and SBCs/objectives to be added around the same window. Path to Glory will be removed when the promo goes live, so timing your sells and purchases matters if you want the best return.
How can you get Greats of the Game players?
Packs are the primary path — open as many as you’re willing to risk. SBCs and objectives will offer guaranteed or semi-guaranteed routes for specific names, so watch FUTBIN, FUTWIZ, and the in-game news for SBC releases. If you want my tactical rule: pick one target, track its price, and chase only when the odds and market align with your budget.
Will you chase every legend as soon as the packs drop, or will you wait and snipe the market instead?