FIFAUTeam maps out FC 27 Team of the Year dates and pack phases

FIFAUTeam published its FC 27 Team of the Year Event guide on 30 October, laying out the estimated promo window, the order of pack releases and the nominee pools for the men’s and women’s squads. The site’s rundown points to a staggered TOTY rollout rather than a full squad drop on day one.

According to the guide, FC 27 Team of the Year is expected to run from 15 January 2027 to 29 January 2027. That lines up with the pattern FIFAUTeam has tracked in earlier years, when the event began on a Friday and kept the best cards in packs for two weeks.

Estimated FC 27 TOTY dates

FIFAUTeam describes Team of the Year as the longest-running and most prestigious event in Ultimate Team, and one of Electronic Arts’ most successful promos. The event honours the top eleven players of the calendar year, with the final squad chosen from a shortlist of more than 100 nominees through a combined EA and community vote.

The outlet’s estimated FC 27 release windows are:

• Only Attackers: 15/01 to 17/01
• TOTY Icons 1: 15/01 to 19/01
• Only Midfielders: 17/01 to 19/01
• Only Defenders: 19/01 to 21/01
• TOTY Icons 2: 19/01 to 22/01
• TOTY XI: 21/01 to 29/01
• Honorable Mentions: 22/01 to 29/01
• Fan Favourite: 22/01 to 29/01
• TOTY Icons XI: 23/01 to 29/01

The guide also says pack availability should follow the same position-based sequence seen in previous promotions. Defenders, midfielders and forwards are expected to enter packs separately before the complete TOTY selection is available together later in the event.

How Team of the Year works

FIFAUTeam says TOTY cards are special items awarded to the best eleven players of the past year, replacing their standard cards for a limited time with major boosts to ratings and stats. The guide adds that these items do not receive further upgrades after release; once their numbers are set, they stay fixed.

FC 27’s version of the promo is described as including both men’s and women’s squads. Each squad contains one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards, and a 12th player is also selected through a community vote. FIFAUTeam also includes a brief explanation of a TOTY Captain card, which it says is a leadership-themed item with much improved stats, although the page does not assign that label to a specific player.

The guide says TOTY cards can be obtained in packs or bought on the transfer market. They can also appear in packs that include player cards, including some free ones. FIFAUTeam’s advice is to open saved packs once all FC 27 Team of the Year players are available, since the contents depend on when the pack is opened rather than when it was earned.

Nominees and early men’s predictions

Alongside the event details, FIFAUTeam lists nominee pools for both the men’s and women’s awards. The men’s list includes names such as Gianluigi Donnarumma, Jules Koundé, Virgil van Dijk, Pedri, Vitinha, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Erling Haaland.

The women’s nominees shown on the page begin with Christiane Endler, Hannah Hampton, Lucy Bronze, Ellie Carpenter, Millie Bright, Wendie Renard and Selma Bacha, with the list continuing beyond the section visible in the article.

FIFAUTeam also posts an early prediction for the men’s TOTY XI. That projected side features Donnarumma in goal; Koundé, Saliba, Van Dijk and Nuno Mendes in defence; Pedri and Vitinha in midfield; and Lamine Yamal, Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Haaland up front.

“The final squad is decided through a combined vote by EA and the community from a nominee list of over 100 players.”

The site’s forecast gives FC 27 the familiar TOTY structure: early attackers, followed by midfielders and defenders, then the full XI, Honorable Mentions and fan-voted additions across the rest of January.