FC 27 is opening its Ultimate Team cycle with Season 1: Ones to Watch, bringing a new reward path, live player upgrades, themed objectives, and single-player events to the start of the 2026/27 football season.
Running from September 17 through October 22, Season 1 puts the spotlight on players who could make an impact at their new clubs. Unlike standard static Ultimate Team items, Ones to Watch cards can improve during the season based on real-world performances and club results.
With the first major campaign now underway, here is what players should know about the Season 1 reward structure, upgrade system, and the content worth watching.
What Is the FC 27 Ones to Watch Season?
Ones to Watch is the central theme of FC 27 Season 1.
The campaign focuses on footballers who made summer moves and have the potential to become important players for their new clubs. Selected Ones to Watch items can be earned through the Season Pass, while additional cards are available through Objectives and Squad Building Challenges.
The Season 1 campaign is also connected to other launch content, including Destined for Glory and Future Stars, creating a broader progression system around players expected to make an impact during the new football season.
For Ultimate Team players, the biggest attraction is the live upgrade system.
How Ones to Watch Upgrades Work
Every Ones to Watch item has the potential to become stronger during the football season.
According to EA, eligible cards receive:
- +1 OVR for each Team of the Week inclusion
- +1 OVR for each Star Performer inclusion
- +1 OVR for each Player of the Month inclusion
- A one-time +1 OVR if the player's club wins three of its next six domestic league matches after September 18
There is an important distinction between lower- and higher-rated cards.
Ones to Watch items below 83 OVR are boosted to 83 OVR, while cards rated 83 or higher retain their Base Item Attributes. All Ones to Watch items are also guaranteed at least 60 Pace and receive their Role++ positions.
That means the value of these cards can change throughout the season rather than being determined entirely when they are first released.
Season 1 Reward Path
The Season 1 Pass contains 30 levels of progression across its Standard and Premium tracks.
The free path includes several Ones to Watch players alongside Packs, Player Picks, Evolutions, and other Ultimate Team rewards. Notable player rewards include Elisa Senß, Christos Tzolis, Lee Kang-in, Rodrigo Zalazar, Youri Tielemans, and Ferran Torres.
The Premium track adds another selection of Ones to Watch items, including Nicole Anyomi, Maxence Lacroix, Djed Spence, Selina Cerci, Karim Adeyemi, and other rewards.
Players therefore have multiple reasons to keep progressing through the Season Pass rather than focusing exclusively on the highest-rated cards.
Ones We Watched Adds a Single-Player Grind
One of the more interesting parts of Season 1 is the Ones We Watched Single Player Live Event.
This event looks back at Ones to Watch content from FUT 18, FUT 19, and FUT 20. Players can select a difficulty at the beginning before facing a series of themed clubs.
The challenge becomes progressively more demanding as players advance. Later stages introduce higher-rated AI squads and stricter squad-building requirements, while Retro Cosmetic Evolutions inspired by earlier FUT seasons are also available through the Season Ladder and Evolution Store.
This gives players who prefer playing against AI another way to progress through the campaign.
What Should Players Focus on First?
The most efficient approach to Season 1 will depend on which rewards a player actually wants.
Rather than immediately spending every resource on new cards, it makes sense to examine the Season Pass and Objectives first.
1. Check the Season Pass
The Season Pass should be the first stop for anyone starting Season 1.
Several Ones to Watch cards are tied directly to progression levels, meaning players can work toward guaranteed rewards simply by earning Season Points.
2. Look at Objectives and SBCs
Not every Ones to Watch item is locked behind the Season Pass.
EA has confirmed that selected players will also be available through Objectives and SBCs, creating additional routes for squad building.
This is particularly useful for players who do not want to rely entirely on the reward ladder.
3. Track Real-World Performances
The biggest difference between Ones to Watch and ordinary cards is that real football matters.
A player who earns Team of the Week recognition, becomes a Star Performer, or wins Player of the Month can potentially improve their Ultimate Team item.
Club results matter as well because of the one-time Wins to Watch upgrade.
For that reason, players should keep an eye on domestic league fixtures and individual performances throughout the season.
Managing Coins During Season 1
The beginning of a new Ultimate Team cycle can make the in-game economy particularly active.
Players will be building squads, completing SBCs, testing new cards, and deciding whether to save or spend their resources. Anyone considering options to Buy FC 27 Coins should also understand that card prices and squad requirements can change rapidly as new content arrives.
The most useful approach is to understand what a particular campaign requires before committing resources.
Season 1 introduces several different progression routes, so players do not necessarily need to chase every new card immediately. Checking Objectives, SBC requirements, Season Pass rewards, and live upgrade conditions first can help determine where resources are most useful.
Destined for Glory Arrives on September 25
Season 1 will not remain focused exclusively on Ones to Watch.
EA has confirmed that Destined for Glory will arrive on September 25. The campaign is built around players selected through community voting, with FC 27 cover star Kylian Mbappé receiving the most votes.
Other highlighted players include Morgan Rogers, Matheus Fernandes, Alexander Isak, and Bryan Mbeumo.
Destined for Glory items will also have upgrade paths based on real-world performances in domestic league matches.
This means Season 1 is effectively establishing the foundation for a larger live-content cycle rather than functioning as a standalone promotion.
What Makes Season 1 Different?
The biggest change is the stronger connection between Ultimate Team progression and the real football season.
Players are not simply collecting cards with fixed ratings. Ones to Watch items can evolve as their real-world counterparts perform, while Destined for Glory introduces another performance-based system later in the campaign.
FC 27 also gives players more ways to participate through Single Player Live Events, Objectives, SBCs, Evolutions, and the Season Pass. EA's broader FC 27 FUT design places these different activities inside a more connected Campaign system, making it easier to see what content is currently available and which rewards are attached to it.
How to Prepare for Season 1
Before spending too many resources, players should establish a simple routine:
- Check the Season Pass and available Ones to Watch rewards.
- Review Objectives before starting matches.
- Check SBC requirements before buying players.
- Track Ones to Watch players and their real-world performances.
- Watch for upcoming Destined for Glory content.
- Save some resources for future campaigns instead of spending everything immediately.
This approach also leaves more flexibility when the Ultimate Team market changes after new content drops.
For players exploring FC 27's developing economy, EZBUFF can also be part of the wider conversation around squad-building resources and seasonal progression. The key is still to understand the current campaign, reward structure, and upgrade conditions before deciding how to manage your Ultimate Team resources.
What to Expect From FC 27 Season 1
Season 1: Ones to Watch gives FC 27 players a combination of progression rewards, live player upgrades, single-player challenges, Objectives, and upcoming promotional content.
The most important feature is undoubtedly the upgrade system. A player's real-world performances can directly influence the development of their Ultimate Team item, giving players another reason to follow the 2026/27 football season beyond simply watching matches.
With Ones to Watch running until October 22 and Destined for Glory arriving on September 25, the opening weeks of FC 27 are set to establish how the game's new seasonal content cycle will work.
For now, the priority is straightforward: progress through the Season Pass, complete the available Objectives, monitor live players, and avoid making major resource decisions before understanding what each new campaign requires.
The full value of Season 1 will become clearer as the real football season develops and more live upgrades become available.
