Best starter teams for Ultimate Team in EA Sports FC 26
Ensure you get off to a flyer with our Ultimate Team starter guide, showing you the best budget FUT squad in FC 26.
Here we are, a new FUT season is underway in EA Sports FC 26. New season progression, new rewards, and new competitions make the beginning of this year all the more exciting.
As ever, your first task will be to assemble a competitive squad. This is easier said than done, considering the small budget you will likely start with. Smart picks in your rewards and astute signing in the transfer market should allow you to build a strong platform.
Below, we will walk you through our Ultimate Team starter guide on players to pick by league. We will also look at which formations to use to make the most of these players in our best budget FUT squad in FC 26.
01
Best budget starter teams by league
Early on in the game, you won’t have many coins to spend, so our starter teams have a top budget of 20k coins. We are also building these squads on the premise of a variant of a 4-3-3 formation, which we will discuss further later on.
Bundesliga starter squad
We start in the Bundesliga. Red Bull Leipzig stalwart Lukas Klostermann is joined by team-mates Peter Gulacsi and David Raum in an extremely mobile defence. Edmond Tapsoba and Konrad Laimer round off the back four.
Lukas Klostermann
© EA Sports
In midfield, we combine Felix Nmecha, Emre Can and Julian Brandt, which will cost around 8.5k coins. In the front three, the pacey trio of Mohamed Amoura, Max Beier, and Patrick Wimmer will cause all kinds of problems.
Premier League starter squad
The most expensive player in our Premier League starter squad is new Spurs striker Randal Kolo Muani at around 5k coins. On either side of him, we see Anthony Elanga and Kaoru Mitoma providing electric pace on the wings.
Carlos Baleba and Enzo Fernandez provide great physicality behind Bernardo Silva in a more attacking role. In the back four, we line up with Ola Aina, Emmanuel Agbadou, Calvin Bassey and Antonee Robinson. Mats Sels is our top choice starter goalkeeper.
La Liga starter squad
Your star man in this squad is Inaki Williams, costing you around 7.5k. Barcelona duo Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres are joined by Takefusa Kubo in an attacking quartet that boasts speed and skill. Sergi Darder and Johnny Cardoso will bring the energy in the middle of the park.
Rapid full-backs Alvaro Carreras and Andrei Ratiu will provide plenty of defensive cover. Atletico Madrid centre back Jose Gimenez and David Hancko will be the last line of defence in front of Alex Remiro in goal.
Best of the rest starter squad
Alexander Bah is one to keep an eye on. The Benfica right back boasts 90 Pace and will only cost you 750 coins. If you can combine him with the likes of Jeremiah St. Juste and Ousmane Diomande, you can create a very handy and cheap defence.
PSG’s Spanish left back Olga Carmona is another cheap beast this season. The Rapid and Relentless playstyles make her one of the top full backs in the game.
02
Smart transferable players to watch
One of the best ways to turn a quick profit is to look for trends in the game. Marquee Matchups often see player prices rise if they fit the requirements of the SBC. Events that require specific players also produce price spikes, so capitalising on these can help build out your club.
Fan favourites are also smart players to keep an eye on. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi may not be at the peak of their powers, but with evolutions available, they can quickly rise in popularity as players seek nostalgia in their squad.
Cristiano Ronaldo's player details
© EA Sports
One final key area to make the most of it is through Team of the Week players. Every year, we see these included in squad-building challenges, particularly in upgrade SBCs around big events and towards the end of the season. This can see even the most mediocre TOTW players reaching 30k coins in value, so be aware!
03
Meta formations that suit early squads
Keep it simple. The 4-2-3-1 Wide formation is the preferred pick for Red Bull professional player, RedLac. The two defensive midfielders make the difference, providing your team with defensive solidity. This shape can also be varied into 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1, both popular formations among the pros.
Overlapping fullbacks are not the play early in the game. Keep your defenders on defend and remain solid. In this shape, you will have the wide players (preferably with pace) to hurt your opponents, so you don’t need to leave yourself open to counterattacks.
04
Tips for rapid squad growth without spending coins
Make the most of your rewards. The power curve is said to be slower this season, which means the free rewards players in the season track could make a massive difference.
The likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Fikayo Tomori are excellent rewards along the season pass. Of the rewards that require a choice of player picks, it’s best top select one that fits your squad.
These players might not be in your team for long, but they can be a great way to plug a gap for a few weeks while you build your squad and budget.
05
Check out players from Leipzig, Salzburg and more
As discussed in the Bundesliga starter team, Lukas Klostermann and David Raum are both terrific early picks. German international Raum already has an upgraded 84-rated Team of the Week 2 item too after his display against Koln.
Starter Squad Image 3 (David Raum)
David Raum
© EA Sports
At 290k coins, Lois Openda might not be a starting squad player, but the Belgian will be one to watch with his electrifying 95 pace.
For the game modes that require silver cards, look no further than Kamil Piatkowski. The Polish centre back boasts 80 pace, making him highly sought after so far in FC 26.