Athenea del Castillo earned Liga F Player of the Month honors for January 2026 after a standout run with Real Madrid. Her 87-rated POTM card is now available through a Squad Building Challenge in EA FC 26 Ultimate Team, offering strong pace, dribbling, and shooting stats that make her a dangerous option on the wing.
Quick answer: Complete two squads—one with a Liga F player and one with a Team of the Week player—both at 86 overall rating to unlock Athenea's POTM card.
SBC requirements and estimated costs
The Liga F POTM January SBC consists of two separate squad submissions. Neither is repeatable, so you only need to complete each challenge once.
| Challenge | Requirements | Console cost | PC cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liga F | Min. 1 Liga F Moeve player, 86 OVR | ~33,000 coins | ~36,250 coins |
| Top Form | Min. 1 TOTW player, 86 OVR | ~42,750 coins | ~45,000 coins |
The total cost runs approximately 75,750 coins on Console and 81,250 coins on PC. These figures fluctuate based on market conditions, so checking current player prices before submitting can save you coins.
Building the Liga F squad
Step 1: Start by acquiring at least one player from Liga F Moeve. These cards are often inexpensive, so focus your budget on the higher-rated players needed to reach 86 overall.
Step 2: Fill the remaining slots with 84-87 rated gold cards. Players in the 84-85 range are typically cheaper and can be balanced with one or two 87-rated cards to hit the required team rating without overspending.
Step 3: Submit the squad once you reach 86 OVR. Chemistry does not appear to be a strict requirement here, so prioritize rating over links.
Building the Top Form squad
Step 1: Purchase a Team of the Week player. Lower-rated TOTW cards from less popular leagues often cost significantly less than high-profile options while still satisfying the requirement.
Step 2: Surround the TOTW card with 84-87 rated players to reach 86 overall. If your TOTW player is rated below 84, you may need additional high-rated cards to compensate.
Step 3: Confirm the squad meets all conditions and submit. The challenge completion screen will confirm success.
Rewards breakdown
Completing both challenges awards Athenea's 87-rated POTM card along with two packs. You receive a Premium Gold Pack and a Premium Electrum Players Pack, with a combined estimated value around 5,500 coins. The pack returns are modest relative to the SBC cost, so the primary value comes from the player card itself.
Reducing costs with existing cards
Check your club for untradeable high-rated players before buying from the market. Duplicates from recent pack openings or objective rewards can offset the coin investment substantially. Fodder from repeatable upgrade SBCs like the 85-87 Upgrade or 88-90 Upgrade can also feed into these squads if you have been stockpiling.
If you have spare TOTW cards sitting in your club from rewards or previous SBCs, use them here rather than purchasing one. Even a low-rated inform works as long as the overall squad hits 86.
Is the Athenea POTM SBC worth completing?
Athenea's card offers impressive pace and dribbling, making her effective as a wide attacker in formations that rely on quick wingers. Her shooting attributes support cutting inside for finesse shots, while her playmaking ability creates chances for teammates.
The roughly 76,000-81,000 coin investment is reasonable for an 87-rated special card at this stage of the game cycle. If you run a Liga F or LaLiga hybrid squad, she provides strong chemistry links to Spanish players and Real Madrid teammates. For squads without those connections, her value depends on whether you need a pacey right-footed winger.
The SBC expires on March 2, 2026, giving you nearly a month to complete it. There is no rush, so waiting for market dips during promo periods or reward days can reduce your costs further.
