Destined for Glory is the first Ultimate Team promo in FC 27, and Team 1 has a locked release date. EA Sports has confirmed the launch day and the opening batch of cards, while leaks fill in the rest of the squad ahead of the drop.
Quick answer: Destined for Glory Team 1 goes live on Friday, September 25, 2026 at 5pm UTC (10am PDT / 1pm EDT / 6pm BST). It contains 15 upgradable Live cards with a minimum 85 overall.
Release time: Friday, September 25, 2026 at 5:00pm UTC (6:00pm BST)
Release status: Confirmed for September 25
Status is Confirmed. EA Sports set the release for Friday, September 25, and the promo follows the standard content drop time used across the year. The cards enter packs the moment the promo goes live.
Here are the release times across major regions.
| Time zone | Release time (Sept 25) |
|---|---|
| PDT | 10:00am |
| CDT | 12:00pm |
| EDT | 1:00pm |
| UTC | 5:00pm |
| BST | 6:00pm |
| CEST | 7:00pm |
Destined for Glory runs as a two-week promo, so a second team is expected the following Friday, October 2. If you own the Ultimate Edition, you already have early access from September 18, ahead of the September 25 worldwide launch of the Standard Edition.
Destined for Glory Team 1 players
Team 1 features 15 cards with a minimum 85 overall. That is a smaller squad than last year, but the rating floor is higher. EA revealed the first five names, headlined by cover star Kylian Mbappé.
The confirmed and leaked cards with reported ratings are below.
| Player | Reported rating |
|---|---|
| Kylian Mbappé | 91 |
| Nuno Mendes | 89 |
| Alexander Isak | 88 |
| Pernille Harder | 88 |
| Morgan Rogers | 87 |
| Bryan Mbeumo | 86 |
| Andrei Ratiu | 85 |
| Yann Aurel Bisseck | 85 |
| Matheus Fernandes | 85 |
The remaining leaked names expected to round out the team include Abdulhamid, Jauregiz, Veerman, Kika Nazareth, Kökçü, Aubameyang, Konsa and Undav. Ratings for these players have not been finalized.
The five EA-confirmed names are Mbappé, Isak, Mbeumo, Rogers and Fernandes. Any player not on that list, and the exact rating for each card, stays unconfirmed until EA publishes the full squad.
Watch for extra special items tied to the promo that release through Squad Building Challenges and Objectives alongside the packable cards.
How the Live upgrades work
Every Destined for Glory card is a Live item, so its rating can climb during the 2026/27 season based on real matches. Each card can upgrade up to four times, and those upgrades stay viable all year. Only performances in a player’s domestic league count, and tracking begins on September 18, a week before the promo goes live.
Midfielders and attackers
Cards in CM, CAM, LM, RM, LW, RW and ST roles upgrade through combined goals and assists.
| Goals + assists | Upgrade |
|---|---|
| 3 | +1 Shooting & Passing |
| 6 | +1 regular PlayStyle |
| 10 | +1 Overall |
| 20 | +1 Overall |
Defenders and defensive midfielders
Cards in CDM, CB, LB and RB roles upgrade through total clean sheets.
| Clean sheets | Upgrade |
|---|---|
| 2 | +1 Defending & Physical |
| 4 | +1 regular PlayStyle |
| 6 | +1 Overall |
| 10 | +1 Overall |
Because upgrades depend on form, the strongest long-term picks are players likely to stay consistent across the season rather than those with the highest launch rating alone.
How to prepare before launch
Clear space in your club, finish any Squad Building Challenges that pay out packs, and keep coins liquid so you can move the moment the market opens. Prices tend to swing sharply in the first hours as new cards flood in.
You will know the promo is live when the Destined for Glory cards appear in packs and on the transfer market inside Ultimate Team. Until EA posts the final squad, treat any player and rating outside the confirmed five as subject to change.
