We’re officially on the run-up to Christmas. The trees are up, the lights are on and the cupboards are fully stocked with mince pies. And FIFA fans have now joined in the Christmas spirit as EA Sports has launched the FUTmas event for FIFA 19.
The annual Christmas event is one of the most exciting in FIFA Ultimate Team as EA Sports releases a fresh batch of new cards, Squad Building Challenges (SBCs) and more. Christmas is a time about giving and EA are usually generous with pack discounts and rewards.
Here's everything you need to know about FUTmas to ensure you can get the best rewards and upgraded players this holiday season!
When does the FIFA 19 FUTmas Ultimate Team event start?
Every year the FUTmas event starts in the middle of the month and this year it was no different, with the launch happening on Friday, December 14. It usually runs for 10 days until Christmas, but this year, EA have announced that it will go on until December 30.
On each day of the event, EA will release a number of new SBCs and there will also be different weekly objectives amongst other holiday goodies.
What is the FIFA 19 FUTmas event?
The FUTmas event is stacked with rewards and events for FIFA fans to enjoy. Every FUT player will be given a set of Christmas-themed kits to get everyone in the spirit.
But what is really exciting are the new cards, as 33 players will be given substantial upgrades with new FUTmas cards. All of those cards will be available in SBCs with three being released each day.
And if that wasn't enough, EA will also release a bunch of special edition FUTmas packs and weekly objectives with tons of rewards to earn.
What SBCs will there be for FIFA 19 FUTmas?
From December 14 to December 25, there will be 33 new upgraded players available through SBCs, which are online for just 24 hours before being replaced by the next day's challenges.
This year, the three daily players are based on specific criteria based around chemistry: nation, league and club. The 11 nations are determined by their FIFA rankings, counting down from current world number 11 side Argentina to Belgium, who are ahead of France at the top of the world rankings.
The league category matches a club's final league position in 2017-18, starting with Wilfried Zaha on December 14, whose Crystal Palace finished 11th in the Premier League last season. The club section is much simpler, reflecting the number a player wears for their club - so surely the final player will be a goalkeeper on December 25!
The first batch of players included Zaha (league), Alejandro Gomez (nation) and Lucas Torreira (club), with Marcus Rashford, Roberto Firmino and Jose Callejon among the players joining them since the launch date.
This pattern will continue over the next 11 days so all FUTmas cards will be out by Christmas Day. Just in time for those who had to wait until Christmas to play FIFA 19.
EA hasn’t revealed what players will receive FUTmas cards this year, so you will have to check every day at 6 p.m. UK time to ensure you don't miss out on a special upgrade!