Season 3 Headlines Arrive
The highlight of the update is the arrival of Season 3: Ascension, featuring a new progression ladder packed with high-value player picks, Club Identity items, and newly designed evolutions. Season rewards now focus more heavily on playstyle diversity, encouraging players to experiment with tactical variety rather than relying solely on high-pace squads.
Elite Performers Team 1 Released
EA also unveiled Elite Performers Team 1, a curated squad of standout players from the first half of the football season. These cards come with notable upgrades in finishing, ball control, and defensive IQ, making them strong options for Weekend League squads. Early pack openings show heightened demand for the headlining striker and attacking midfielder items, with both pushing the limits of the transfer market cap within hours of release.
Three New Evolution Paths
The 5 December update introduces three new Evolution programs, each usable on a wider pool of base cards than previous promos:
Two-Way Maestro Evo – boosts playmakers with passing, dribbling, and defensive work rate improvements.
Precision Finisher Evo – transforms mid-tier attackers into lethal scorers with enhanced shooting and composure stats.
Defensive Sentinel Evo – offers centre-backs meaningful boosts in strength, reactions, and aerial dominance.
These evolutions are fully grindable, ensuring that players who prefer the no-spend route still have access to competitive upgrades.
New Objectives and Milestones
A fresh set of weekly and seasonal objectives went live alongside the promo, including limited-time challenges tied to Elite Performers. Completing the full milestone path grants an untradeable high-rated rewards pack, with early analysis showing strong pack weight for defenders and midfielders.
Additionally, EA added a new Rivals Refresh Milestone, rewarding long-term competitive play with exclusive kits and a guaranteed 85+ player pick.
Gameplay Tuning Changes
In a surprise move, EA deployed subtle gameplay tuning through a live update:
Refined player switching logic for more accurate responsiveness.
Adjusted shot power balancing, slightly reducing long-range power shots while improving near-post finishing.
Enhanced AI defensive positioning, especially for full-backs during counterattacks.
Players have reported smoother transitions between defensive phases, with early community sentiment leaning positive.
Market Reaction
The transfer market reacted instantly. Meta full-backs and centre-backs climbed sharply in value due to demand created by the new Evolution paths, while several mid-tier forwards dropped in price as Precision Finisher Evo became a cost-effective upgrade alternative.
Pack-opening streams and community hype drove a surge in trading activity, with multiple high-rated Elite Performers cards reaching market cap ceilings within minutes of release.