EA Sports just dropped the Tomas Soucek Festival of Football Captains SBC in EA FC 26 Ultimate Team, and Premier League squad builders should pay attention. The Czech national team captain receives an impressive 86-rated upgrade from his 78-base card, transforming him into a defensive midfield powerhouse with elite PlayStyles perfect for the current meta.
Released as part of the Festival of Football Captains promo celebrating international fixtures and national team leaders, this SBC offers excellent value at approximately 45,000 coins. Here’s everything you need to complete it efficiently without breaking the bank.
Table of Contents
EA FC26 Complete SBC Requirements & Solutions
Like the recently released Giulia Gwinn SBC, Soucek’s card requires completing multiple squad segments. Here’s the breakdown:
SBC Tasks and Cheapest Solutions
| Segment | Requirements | Estimated Cost | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | Min. 1 Czech player, 84 team rating | ~15,000 coins | Small Prime Electrum Players Pack |
| Premier League | Min. 1 Premier League player, 84 team rating | ~15,000 coins | Premium Gold Pack |
| Top Form | Min. 1 TOTW player, 85 team rating | ~20,000 coins | Small Prime Gold Players Pack |
Total Expected Cost: 45,000-50,000 coins (varies by platform and fodder availability)
Cost-Effective Completion Strategy
The Top Form segment drives up the price due to the TOTW requirement. Team of the Week players are expensive on the transfer market, especially during active promos when demand spikes.
Money-Saving Tips:
- Check your club first for untradeable 84-85 rated fodder before buying anything
- Target cheap TOTW cards from TOTW 1-9 rated 75-79 overall (usually 10-12k coins)
- Use FUTBIN’s SBC import feature to automatically detect which players you already own
- Complete during rewards (Thursday evening) when fodder prices temporarily drop
- Bid on players instead of instant buying to save 500-1,000 coins per card
For comprehensive guides on optimizing your Ultimate Team coin balance and SBC strategies, check out our EA FC 26 coverage at TechnoSports.
Is Tomas Soucek Worth 45,000 Coins?
The answer depends heavily on your squad composition and playstyle preferences. Soucek’s 86-rated card brings significant upgrades:
Card Statistics Breakdown:
- Pace: 76 (Decent for CDM, won’t get caught out)
- Shooting: 78 (Surprisingly effective from distance)
- Passing: 73 (Weakest attribute, but serviceable)
- Dribbling: 72 (Not silky, but functional)
- Defending: 84 (Elite defensive stats for his price range)
- Physical: 88 (Beast mode activated—dominates physical battles)
Key PlayStyles:
- Pinged Pass – Accurate long passes to switch play
- Intercept – Crucial for cutting passing lanes
- Bruiser – Wins physical duels consistently
- Aerial Fortress – Dominates headers on both ends
- Precision Header – Scores from set pieces regularly
The Box Crasher role at CDM allows Soucek to push forward during attacks, making him a genuine goal threat from midfield—especially from corners and free kicks where his 6’4″ frame dominates.
Festival of Football Captains: Enhanced Chemistry Explained
Festival of Football Captains cards feature unique chemistry benefits that standard gold items don’t provide. Soucek’s card offers three nations links, one club link, and one league link for squad chemistry purposes.
This enhanced chemistry system means Czech, West Ham, and Premier League players gain triple nation links with Soucek, making it easier to hit that crucial 33 chemistry threshold without sacrificing squad diversity.
For more insights on chemistry optimization and squad building techniques, explore our Ultimate Team guides at TechnoSports.
Who Should Complete This SBC?
Ideal For:
- ✅ Premier League-focused squads needing defensive stability
- ✅ Players running Czech or West Ham past-and-present teams
- ✅ CDM/CM seekers prioritizing defending and physicality over dribbling
- ✅ Set-piece specialists (Soucek scores headers consistently)
- ✅ Anyone with untradeable 84-85 fodder collecting dust
Skip If:
- ❌ You already own Icon CDMs like Patrick Vieira or Claude Makélélé
- ❌ Your playstyle demands silky ball-playing midfielders (try Frenkie de Jong instead)
- ❌ You’re running La Liga, Serie A, or Bundesliga-heavy squads
- ❌ You need coins for upcoming Team of the Year promotions
Alternative Options at Similar Price
Before committing 45,000 coins, consider these alternatives available on the transfer market:
- Rodri (84) – Better passing, similar defending, costs ~40k tradeable
- Declan Rice (86) – Comparable stats, Arsenal links, ~50k tradeable
- Martin Zubimendi (83) – Better value at ~25k but lacks Soucek’s physicality
- Casemiro (83) – Physical presence, cheaper at ~20k, but slower
The key advantage? Soucek’s card is untradeable but requires no immediate cash outlay if you use existing fodder. Tradeable alternatives require liquid coins upfront.
Completion Deadline & Long-Term Value
The Tomas Soucek SBC expires in approximately 7-10 days (check in-game timer). Don’t rush completion on day one—wait for:
- Weekend League rewards (Friday/Monday) flooding the market with fodder
- Marquee Matchups refresh (Tuesday) potentially providing free 84-85 cards
- Potential market crashes if EA releases more SBCs competing for same fodder
Soucek’s card will remain competitive through December-January. However, Team of the Year (TOTY) in January brings power-creep that makes most non-meta cards obsolete. Consider this a 6-8 week investment, not a full-cycle card.
For official EA Sports FC updates, SBC releases, and promo details, visit the EA Sports FC website and FUTBIN SBC tracker.
The Verdict: Smart Investment for Specific Squads
At 45,000 coins with untradeable fodder, Tomas Soucek represents solid value for Premier League squads lacking defensive midfield presence. His elite physical stats, strong defending, and aerial dominance make him a monster in the current meta where physicality matters.
The weak passing stat prevents him from being truly elite, but if you’re pairing him with a creative midfielder like Kevin De Bruyne or Bruno Fernandes, Soucek handles the dirty work while your playmakers create chances.
Stay updated with daily SBC releases, meta analysis, and coin-making methods at TechnoSports, your destination for comprehensive EA FC 26 Ultimate Team coverage.
FAQs
Q: Can I use the Tomas Soucek Festival of Football Captains card in Evolution to make him even better?
A: Unfortunately, special promo cards like Festival of Football Captains items are typically excluded from most Evolution tracks in EA FC 26. EA restricts Evolutions to base gold cards, lower-rated special items, or specifically designated promotional cards to prevent creating overpowered players too easily. However, this doesn’t diminish Soucek’s value—his 86-rated card with elite PlayStyles performs exceptionally well without requiring further upgrades. If you want an Evolution-eligible CDM from West Ham, consider using his 78-rated base gold card instead and applying the “Wing Wizards” or other defensive evolutions when available. That said, the 86-rated SBC version significantly outperforms any evolved base card for at least 4-6 weeks, making it the superior choice for immediate competitive advantage in Division Rivals and Champions.
Q: Should I complete the Soucek SBC now or wait for potential better CDM options during Black Friday or TOTY promotions?
A: This depends on your current squad needs and coin reserves. If you’re struggling in midfield right now and have untradeable fodder, complete Soucek immediately—the value is excellent, and he’ll serve you well through December. However, if your CDM situation is stable and you’re sitting on liquid coins, consider this: Black Friday (late November) typically brings discounted packs and market crashes, while TOTY (mid-January) introduces game-breaking Icons and promotional cards that make everything else obsolete. That said, waiting 2-3 months without a proper CDM hurts your Division Rivals progression and Weekend League performance, potentially costing you better rewards totaling more than 45,000 coins over that period. The smart play? Complete Soucek if you have fodder (essentially free), skip if it requires selling tradeable players or draining your coin balance below 100k. Save your liquid coins for TOTY, but don’t sacrifice immediate squad quality when untradeable resources make Soucek cost-neutral.
