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EA Sports is bringing some fresh changes to FC 25 Ultimate Team, with new game modes, improved tactics, and a few tweaks that players have been asking for. With the game set to launch on September 27th, here’s a rundown of what you can expect this year.
Ultimate Team Rush
One of the standout additions in FC 25 Ultimate Team is Ultimate Team Rush, a new mode where things get a bit more intense and strategic. In Rush, you’ll be playing 5v5 matches, but here’s the catch—you only control one player while the other players (including the goalkeeper) are managed by AI. This mode puts more emphasis on individual skills, and you can either team up with friends or jump in solo with your favorite player card.
Rush mode is designed around events, each with specific entry requirements. By completing challenges and winning matches, you earn Rush Points, which help you tick off weekly objectives and unlock rewards. It’s a fresh way to mix up the gameplay, giving you another option outside of the usual matches.
FC IQ: Tactics Made Smarter
This year, Ultimate Team gets a tactical makeover with the introduction of FC IQ, a system that lets you dig deeper into team management. FC IQ focuses on how your players behave on the pitch, replacing the old Work Rates system with specific roles like Goalkeeper, Fullback, and Playmaker. These roles will affect your players’ movements and decision-making in matches, and each player’s familiarity with their role can impact their performance.
What’s cool is that you can now use Manager Items to set real-world tactics, and even share your tactics with others using a short code. This makes it easier to share strategies with friends or the wider community. However, not all changes are welcomed by everyone—positions like CF and LWB/RWB, along with formations such as 4-4-1-1, 4-3-3 (5), and 5-2-2-1, have been removed, which might take some getting used to.
Premium Season Pass
In a first for the franchise, EA Sports FC 25 will include a paid Premium Season Pass across its popular modes like Ultimate Team, Career Mode, and Clubs. This new Premium Pass offers extra rewards and customization options, and can be purchased using both FC Points and FIFA coins, oh sorry, FC Coins.
While the free season pass remains unchanged, the Premium Tier adds additional packs, player items, and cosmetics. Players who buy the Premium Pass will unlock these rewards faster, but no exclusive content will be locked behind the paid tier—everything can still be earned through the free pass, ensuring fair access to all players.
Evolutions: Better Customization and More Flexibility
The Evolutions feature, which was first introduced in FC 24, gets a nice upgrade in FC 25. Evolutions allow you to customize the look of your player cards, with options to add new backgrounds, borders, and effects. This time around, cosmetic upgrades don’t stack, so if you apply a new look to a card, it’ll replace the old one.
A big improvement in FC 25 is that you can evolve your players more often, even if their attributes are maxed out. There’s also a schedule for Evolutions, so you’ll know when new upgrades are available and what the requirements are. You can tackle these in any FUT game mode, so you’ve got more flexibility on how you approach upgrading your players.
New Stadium Experience and Cinematics
Customization is always a big deal in Ultimate Team, and FC 25 doesn’t disappoint. There’s a brand new stadium design, and this time, EA has added a larger away section to crank up the match atmosphere. On top of that, new cinematics like pre-match, locker room, and tunnel sequences help to make your matches feel more immersive. These cinematics will reflect the customization choices you’ve made, bringing your team’s personality to life.
During matches, broadcast elements will now highlight your key players, team chemistry, and tactical decisions, making the whole experience feel a bit more personal.
Listening to the Community: Key Improvements
EA Sports has made some changes to Ultimate Team based on feedback from the community. One of the biggest updates is the new SBC storage system, which lets you store up to 100 untradeable duplicate players. This is a helpful tweak for anyone who has struggled with managing duplicate cards.
Other changes include a point-based reward system for Rivals, where you’ll now earn points for both wins and draws, making sure every match counts. EA has also reduced the number of checkpoints and brought back relegation in higher Rivals divisions, which should make progression a bit smoother.
When it comes to Rivals rewards, things are simpler this year—there’s just one batch of rewards, so you no longer have to choose between tradeable and untradeable options. Another small but significant change is that player and manager contracts have been removed entirely, so there’s one less thing to worry about when managing your squad.
Matchmaking in Live Friendlies is also being adjusted to focus on form, meaning you’ll be matched up against players with similar records, which should lead to more balanced and enjoyable matches.
Finally, opening packs gets a little more dramatic in FC 25 with a new tunnel walkout animation. When you open a pack, you’ll see a silhouette of the player before the full reveal, adding a bit of suspense to the moment. Cards will now also show an average selling price to give you a better idea of their value on the market.
Wrapping Up: FC 25 Ultimate Team at a Glance
While the core of Ultimate Team remains familiar, FC 25 brings enough new features and improvements to keep things interesting. The addition of Rush mode, the overhaul of the tactical system with FC IQ, and the ability to customize and evolve your players more often are all solid upgrades that many players will appreciate. EA has also taken steps to streamline the experience by simplifying contracts and storage, while also focusing on better matchmaking and rewards.
Overall, FC 25 Ultimate Team seems to be heading in a good direction, giving players more control and variety without straying too far from what makes the mode so popular in the first place.
