FIFA Infinity The Absolute FIFA Site
As 2023 draws to a close, EA FC 24 Ultimate Team players are treated to the exciting Winter Wildcards promo.
This winter-themed event, which replaced the beloved FUTMAS promo, has quickly become a fan favorite. Yet, this year’s edition brings a notable omission – the absence of the Swap Tokens and Swap Rewards system, leaving players curious about future opportunities to grind for special rewards.
What is Winter Wildcards?
Winter Wildcards promo is a festive and seasonal celebration in Ultimate Team, featuring a mix of nostalgic ratings boosts, PlayStyles changes, and the introduction of Winter Wildcards ICONs for the first time. This event marks a special period in the game, combining fan favorites and top performers from the current season into an exciting player pool for packs, much like the variety you’d find in a game of online bingo where different numbers bring different surprises.
The promo is structured around daily Squad Building Challenges (SBCs), offering a unique advent calendar-style SBC each day throughout its two-week duration. These SBCs are a key attraction, providing opportunities to upgrade and engage with your Ultimate Team squad in new and exciting ways.
One of the highlights of this promo is the release of special cards for both older, iconic players and new talents. These include boosted cards available through limited-time packs, SBCs and Objectives.
Winter Wildcards Team 1
The promo kicks off with Winter Wildcards Team 1, boasting an impressive lineup headlined by the legendary Pele with a 96-rated card. Other standout players include Alexia Putellas (FC Barcelona), Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool), and Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr). Notably, players like Marco Reus and Alex Balde receive significant boosts, while Rayan Cherki emerges as a potential under-the-radar gem with his Trickster+ Playstyle and 5-star Weak Foot/Skill moves combo.
Here is the complete squad:
ICONS
- ST: Pele (Winter Wildcards Icon) – 96 OVR
- CAM: Marco van Basten (Winter Wildcards Icon) – 92 OVR
- ST: Didier Drogba (Winter Wildcards Icon) – 91 OVR
- GK: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Winter Wildcards Icon) – 91 OVR
- LW: Gary Lineker (Winter Wildcards Icon) – 91 OVR
- ST: Fernando Torres (Winter Wildcards Icon) – 89 OVR
- LM: Michael Owen (Winter Wildcards Icon) – 89 OVR
- CM: Ian Rush (Winter Wildcards Icon) – 88 OVR
PLAYERS
- CM: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona) – 92 OVR
- CB: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) – 91 OVR
- ST: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr) – 91 OVR
- ST: Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave) – 90 OVR
- CAM: Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) – 89 OVR
- CF: Paolo Dybala (Roma) – 89 OVR
- CB: Eder Militao (Real Madrid) – 88 OVR
- CM: Alex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen) – 88 OVR
- CM: Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea) – 87 OVR
- LW: Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid) – 87 OVR
- RW: Raphinha (Barcelona) – 87 OVR
- RB: Alejandro Balde (Barcelona) – 86 OVR
- CAM: Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) – 85 OVR
- CM: : Georginio Wijnaldum (Al Ettifaq) – 85 OVR
- CAM: Rayan Cherki (Lyon) – 84 OVR
The full Team 1 roster features a blend of ICONS, such as Marco van Basten, Didier Drogba, and Gary Lineker, alongside top-tier players like Alex Morgan and Paolo Dybala. With these cards available in packs until December 29, players are eager to get their hands on these upgraded items.
Winter Wildcards Team 2
In an unexpected move, EA released Winter Wildcards Team 2 ahead of schedule, featuring Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku with a 90-rated card leading the squad. This team may not have the star power of Team 1, but it includes unique cards like Emilio Butragueño and Fernando Hierro, each with their own upgrades.
The full squad includes the next player items:
ICONS
- LW: Emilio Butragueno (Winter Wildcards Icon) – 90 OVR
- CAM: Hristo Stoichkov (Winter Wildcards Icon) – 90 OVR
- CB: Fernando Hierro (Winter Wildcards Icon) – 90 OVR
- CF: John Barnes (Winter Wildcards Icon) – 89 OVR
- ST: Riquelme (Winter Wildcards Icon) – 89 OVR
PLAYERS
- CF: Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea) – 90 OVR
- CDM: David Alaba (Real Madrid) – 88 OVR
- RM: Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad) – 88 OVR
- RB: Nordi Mukiele (PSG) – 87 OVR
- CDM: Ellyes Skhiri (Frankfurt) – 87 OVR
- CDM: Denis Zakaria (Monaco) – 87 OVR
- CM: Deyna Castellanos (Manchester City) – 87 OVR
- LM: Filip Kostic (Juventus) – 86 OVR
- RW: Jeremy Doku (Manchester City) – 86 OVR
- CB: Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer Leverkusen) – 86 OVR
- CB: Kyle Walker (Manchester City) – 86 OVR
Team 2’s roster balances ICONS like John Barnes and Riquelme with promising players such as David Alaba and Mikel Oyarzabal. This mix offers something for everyone, from die-hard fans to casual players looking to enhance their Ultimate Team experience.
Strategic Considerations for Players
With over 50 special cards currently in packs, players are advised to reconsider saving packs for the Team of the Year. Utilizing duplicates for elite SBCs like POTM Mbappé could be a smarter move. However, EA has not specified an end date for these cards in packs, with Winter Wildcards SBC releases scheduled until January 4, 2024, suggesting that players might have opportunities to acquire these cards until at least January 5.
Winter Wildcards promo has been confirmed earlier for #FC24 Ultimate Team 🎄
EA also revealed all the themed SBC players that will feature during this campaign in an effort to combat future leaks 😅 pic.twitter.com/OhJ4hxYjIr
— 𝙄𝙉𝙁𝙄𝙉𝙄𝙏𝙔 𝙁𝘾 (@theinfinityfc) December 20, 2023
As EA FC 24 Ultimate Team’s final promo of 2023 unfolds, players are left with a mix of excitement and speculation. The Winter Wildcards event, despite missing the Swaps system, continues to offer a thrilling and dynamic gaming experience. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting out, this promo promises to add an extra layer of excitement to the Ultimate Team experience.
