EA FC 26 Heroes List: 8 New Cards & Release Date

Updated 7 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

EA FC 26 will add eight new Heroes to Ultimate Team, bringing the total to over 120. These are the eight confirmed new cards: Eden Hazard, Sami Khedira, Juan Mata, Marek Hamšík, Dimitri Payet, Mario Gómez, Walter Samuel, and Paulo Futre. Expect them to be in packs from the game’s global launch on September 26, 2025, with a dedicated Heroes promo event following in early October.

Background: What Are Heroes in Ultimate Team?

Heroes are a special card tier introduced in FIFA 22. They celebrate players who were world-class during their careers but never reached the absolute top tier of Ballon d’Or-level icons. Think of players like David Ginola, Claudio Marchisio, or Joe Cole. Each Hero gets a unique chemistry bonus that works like an Icon: they link with any player from their specific league and nation. For example, a Mario Gómez card links with any Bundesliga player and any German player, making squad-building much easier than with standard gold cards. Heroes also have boosted in-game stats that reflect their prime, so they are competitive well into the game’s cycle.

The Eight New Heroes: Who They Are and What They Bring

Here is the full list of the eight new Heroes confirmed for EA FC 26, along with their likely best positions and playing styles based on their real careers:

Eden Hazard (Belgium, Chelsea/Real Madrid) – A left winger or attacking midfielder with elite dribbling, agility, and five-star skill moves. His pace and shooting are slightly below top-tier, but his close control is among the best in the game.
Sami Khedira (Germany, Real Madrid/Juventus) – A box-to-box central midfielder with strong defensive stats, high stamina, and good passing. He will be a solid all-rounder, not spectacular but very reliable.
Juan Mata (Spain, Chelsea/Manchester United) – A classic number 10 with exceptional passing, vision, and free-kick accuracy. His pace is low, so he is best used as a central attacking midfielder in a slower build-up playstyle.
Marek Hamšík (Slovakia, Napoli) – An attacking midfielder with great long shots, passing, and physicality. He is a fan favorite and will link well with other Serie A players.
Dimitri Payet (France, Marseille/West Ham) – A left winger or attacking midfielder with elite set-piece delivery, dribbling, and a powerful finesse shot. His pace is average, but his technical stats are top-tier.
Mario Gómez (Germany, Stuttgart/Bayern Munich) – A classic target man striker with outstanding finishing, heading, and positioning. He is not fast, but he is clinical in the box and strong in the air.
Walter Samuel (Argentina, Roma/Inter Milan) – A no-nonsense centre-back with excellent defensive awareness, tackling, and strength. He is slow, so pair him with a fast partner.
Paulo Futre (Portugal, Porto/Atletico Madrid) – A left winger with five-star skill moves, great pace, and dribbling. He is a nostalgic pick for older fans and will be very agile in game.

When Exactly Will the New Heroes Be Released?

The eight new Heroes will be available from the start of EA FC 26, which launches worldwide on September 26, 2025. However, they will not all be in packs immediately. The initial pack pool will include a selection of the new Heroes, with the rest added during the first major promo, typically called “Heroes,” which usually arrives in early October. In past years, EA has released new Heroes in waves: some at launch, some during the first promo, and sometimes a few more during the winter holidays. For EA FC 26, the most likely scenario is that all eight are in packs by the first weekend after launch, but the high-rated ones like Hazard and Payet may be rarer to pack. If you are looking to buy them on the transfer market, prices will be highest in the first two weeks and then drop steadily as more packs are opened.

How to Get the New Heroes: Packs, SBCs, and Objectives

There are three main ways to get these new Hero cards:

Packs: They are in all standard Ultimate Team packs from launch. The pack weight (drop rate) is very low, so expect to open many packs before seeing one.
Hero SBC (Squad Building Challenge): EA typically releases a repeatable SBC that gives a random Hero from a specific pool. This is often the most reliable way to get one, but it costs a lot of fodder (high-rated gold cards). The SBC usually requires an 83-rated squad with 1 TOTW (Team of the Week) player, and can be completed multiple times.
Objectives: Sometimes EA gives out a free Hero through objectives, but this is rare for the new high-tier ones. More often, objectives give a loan Hero for a few matches.

How Do Hero Chemistry and Stats Work?

Heroes have a unique chemistry system. They get a small chemistry boost for linking with any player from their league, and a larger boost for linking with players from their nation. For example, Eden Hazard (Belgium, La Liga) will give 1 chemistry point to any La Liga player and 2 points to any Belgian player. This makes them incredibly useful for hybrid squads. In terms of stats, Hero cards are based on the player’s peak performance, not their current rating. So Mario Gómez, who retired in 2020, gets a card that reflects his 2011-2012 season at Bayern Munich. The stats are boosted to be competitive with high-rated gold cards, but they are not as high as Icon cards. For instance, a base Hero might have an overall of 86-88, while a mid-tier Icon is 89-91.

Common Mistakes When Using Heroes

The biggest mistake players make is treating a Hero like a standard gold card. Heroes have fixed chemistry, so they do not benefit from a manager’s league or nation boost. Also, many Heroes have a “preferred position” that is not their best in-game. For example, Juan Mata is listed as a right winger, but his pace makes him unusable there. Instead, play him as a central attacking midfielder. Another mistake is ignoring the “PlayStyles” – new in EA FC 24 and returning in FC 26. Each Hero has a few PlayStyles that give them special animations and boosts. For example, Dimitri Payet will likely have “Set Piece Specialist” and “Finesse Shot” PlayStyles, making him deadly from free kicks. Check the card’s PlayStyles before buying to see if they fit your playstyle.

Heroes vs. Icons: What’s the Difference?

Icons are the all-time greats like Pelé, Ronaldo, and Zidane. They have higher base stats and often more versions (Base, Mid, Prime, and sometimes Flashback). Heroes are a step below, but they are more affordable and often have unique links that Icons do not. For example, there is no Slovakian Icon, so Marek Hamšík is the only way to link Slovakian players. If you are building a budget squad, a Hero is often a better investment than a low-tier Icon because they cost less and have similar in-game impact. However, Icons have better chemistry (they link with everyone) and are more valuable for trading. For most players, Heroes are the smarter choice early in the game cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the new Heroes be in FUT 25 or only FUT 26? They are only in EA FC 26. Ultimate Team does not carry over content from the previous game, so you will need to start fresh.

Can I pack a Hero from a preview pack? Yes, preview packs can contain Heroes, but the odds are extremely low. It is possible, but do not count on it.

Are Heroes tradeable? Yes, unless you get them from an untradeable SBC or objective. Pack-pulled Heroes are tradeable on the transfer market.

What is the best new Hero in EA FC 26? Based on stats, Eden Hazard is the most well-rounded and will be the most expensive. Dimitri Payet is the best value for his set-piece ability. Walter Samuel is the best defender.

Do Heroes have dynamic images? Yes, all Heroes have dynamic images that change based on the match ratings, just like in previous games.

Will there be more Heroes added during the year? Yes, EA typically adds new Heroes during the winter promo and sometimes in the spring. These are usually lower-rated but still useful.

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