The Zinédine Zidane Greats of the Game Icon SBC is live in EA FC 26 right now — one of the most prestigious SBCs released during the Summer Stars window. Whether you spent the entire season stockpiling fodder or you're weighing whether the coin cost is justified, this guide covers every challenge, what the Zidane card delivers on the pitch, and how to decide before the SBC expires.
Quick answer: The Zinédine Zidane Greats of the Game SBC released on July 17, 2026 as part of Summer Stars and unlocks a 97-rated CAM with 99 Vision, 99 Short Pass, 99 Ball Control, 98 Dribbling (card stat), 5★ skills and 5★ weak foot — one of the best playmaker Icons in FUT 26. It runs 14 non-repeatable challenges with requirements ranging from 84 OVR (free loan trial) through repeated 90 OVR and 91 OVR squads, each needing Festival of Football special cards. The SBC expires in approximately 21 days. Read on for every requirement and a worth-it verdict.
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What Is the Zidane Greats of the Game SBC in EA FC 26?
EA Sports added the Zinédine Zidane Greats of the Game Icon SBC on July 17, 2026 alongside the Summer Stars promo — the final Festival of Football campaign before FUTTIES launches on July 24. Per the official EA page: "Mark the tournament finale by adding new Player Items to your Club through five Summer Stars SBCs, two Greats of the Game SBCs, a final-focused Showdown SBC, and more." (ea.com, July 17, 2026.)
The Zidane SBC is one of those two new Greats of the Game SBCs. Completing all 14 challenges earns the Festival of Football: Greats of the Game ICON version — a 97-rated CAM that ranks among the technically best playmakers in the entire game. The SBC is non-repeatable and has around 21 days remaining (expires approximately August 7–8, 2026 — verify the in-game timer for the exact deadline).
Zidane Greats of the Game ICON — Card Stats
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 97 |
| Position | CAM (also plays CM) |
| Nationality | France 🇫🇷 |
| League | ICON |
| Pace (PAC) | 90 |
| Shooting (SHO) | 93 |
| Passing (PAS) | 97 |
| Dribbling (DRI) | 98 |
| Defending (DEF) | 88 |
| Physical (PHY) | 88 |
| Skills / Weak Foot | 5★ / 5★ |
| AcceleRATE | Controlled |
Key sub-attributes (selected): Vision 99 · Short Pass 99 · Long Pass 98 · Ball Control 99 · Composure 99 · Long Shots 95 · Volleys 94 · Finishing 92.
PlayStyles: Low Driven, First Touch, Incisive Pass, Tiki Taka, Finesse Shot, Game Changer, Pinged Pass, Long Ball, Inventive, Technical, Quick Step.
The combination of 5★/5★, Tiki Taka, Incisive Pass, and Finesse Shot covers every creative demand from a CAM or CM role. The Controlled AcceleRATE profile works best in a possession system where he orchestrates rather than sprints in behind defenders.
How to Complete the Zidane Greats of the Game SBC — All 14 Challenges
The SBC opens with a free loan trial (Challenge 1), runs through five career-themed squads for Zidane's clubs and France (Challenges 2–6), then shifts to four repeated 90-rated FoF exchanges (Challenges 7–10) before escalating to 91-rated squads for the final stretch (Challenges 11–14). Here are every verified requirement (source: fut.gg, July 21, 2026).
Challenge 1 — Loan Zidane
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Min. Team Rating | 84 |
| Special cards needed | None |
Reward: 5-match loan of the Zinédine Zidane Greats of the Game ICON
The easiest challenge — a single 84 OVR squad with no constraints. Complete this first to trial Zidane in your squad before spending any real fodder.
Challenge 2 — Juventus Legacy
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Min. 1 player from | Juventus |
| Min. 1 FoF special card | Any Festival of Football promo item |
| Min. Team Rating | 89 |
Reward: 1× Gold Pack
Juventus marks the start of Zidane's club career in this SBC. Any FoF promo card — a common National Pride, Phenoms, Summer Stars, Glory Hunters item — satisfies the special card slot.
Challenge 3 — Serie A Maestro
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Min. 1 player from | Serie A Enilive |
| Min. 1 FoF special card | Any Festival of Football promo item |
| Min. Team Rating | 89 |
Reward: 1× Gold Pack
Same structure as Challenge 2. A Juventus FoF card (if untradeable) can fulfill both this Serie A challenge and the next Real Madrid squad with creative re-use — plan ahead.
Challenge 4 — Real Madrid Era
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Min. 1 player from | Real Madrid |
| Special cards needed | None |
| Min. Team Rating | 90 |
Reward: 1× Premium Gold Pack
No FoF card needed — just hit 90 OVR with a Real Madrid player. Use any tradeable or untradeable Real Madrid card in your club. The 90 OVR average requires mixing several 91–92 rated players into the squad.
Challenge 5 — LALIGA Royalty
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Min. 1 player from | LALIGA EA SPORTS |
| Special cards needed | None |
| Min. Team Rating | 90 |
Reward: 1× Small Gold Players Pack
Real Madrid players satisfy this LALIGA constraint — the same player card works across Challenges 4 and 5 if you plan your squad building carefully. Same 90 OVR bar as Challenge 4.
Challenge 6 — Vive La France
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Min. 1 player from | France |
| Min. 1 FoF special card | Any Festival of Football promo item |
| Min. Team Rating | 90 |
Reward: 1× Electrum Players Pack
Any French player — Mbappé, Dembélé, Camavinga, Thuram — fills the France slot. Summer Stars cards earned via objectives or pack pulls qualify as FoF specials here.
Challenges 7–10 — FoF Exchange (90-Rated)
These four challenges share the same structure. Each asks for a 90-rated squad containing at least one Festival of Football special card.
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Min. 1 FoF special card | Any Festival of Football promo item |
| Min. Team Rating | 90 |
Reward: 1× Electrum Players Pack (per challenge)
This is where your FoF special card stockpile gets tested — four consecutive squads each needing at least one FoF item at 90 OVR. If you have untradeable FoF cards from earlier Season 9 events (Summer Stars, Phenoms, Glory Hunters, National Pride), this stretch is manageable without market spend. If you need to buy FoF specials, watch for cheaper FoF items (common/uncommon promo versions can dip lower during promo drops).
Challenges 11–14 — 91-Rated Final Stretch
The last four challenges step up to 91 OVR minimum. Based on verified data for Challenges 11 and 12 (fut.gg, July 21, 2026), the pattern is repeated 91-rated squad exchanges:
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Min. Team Rating | 91 |
Reward: 1× Gold Players Pack / 1× Premium Electrum Players Pack (varies per challenge)
At 91 OVR, you need multiple 92–93 rated cards in each squad to hit the average. This is the most fodder-intensive section of the SBC. No club-specific player constraints at this stage — pure rating requirement. Untradeable 90–91 rated cards from earlier SBC rewards and Token Store picks are your best friends here.
How Much Does the Zidane SBC Cost?
A 14-challenge Icon SBC for a 97-rated card is a significant investment. The cost depends entirely on your untradeable stockpile — players who grinded SBCs and objectives throughout Season 9 may cover most challenges without spending coins on the market.
| Starting position | Approximate market cost |
|---|---|
| Full untradeable stockpile (Season 9 grinder) | Minimal — mostly covered by existing fodder |
| Moderate reserves + some market fill-in | 300k–700k coins in purchased cards |
| Starting from scratch (buying all fodder) | 700k–1.5M+ coins (market-dependent) |
These figures are directional estimates. Verify live costs at futbin.com/squad-building-challenges — market prices for 88–91 OVR cards shift significantly during promo windows.
Where the cost concentrates:
- Challenges 7–10 each need a 90 OVR squad + 1 FoF special — four identical squads back to back is the biggest fodder drain
- Challenges 11–14 at 91 OVR require the highest-rated fodder cards
- FoF specials can swing the cost significantly: untradeable FoF commons are free, while buying FoF specials off the market adds thousands of coins per challenge
How to Farm Fodder Before the SBC Expires
You have approximately 21 days. For context on how to build up your coins before tackling an Icon SBC like this, see our EA FC 26 Best SBCs to Complete First guide and the FUTTIES Token Store guide.
Best Fodder Sources Active Right Now
FUTTIES Token Store (refreshes Fridays): Three Evolutions + Player Items weekly. At 90–91 OVR challenge level, Token Store player items (especially if they're 90+ OVR FoF cards) can directly feed the Zidane SBC.
Token Swap SBCs: Convert cheap untradeable fodder into FUTTIES Tokens via the weekly ladder. Key tier: 7× 87-rated cards → 30 Tokens. Only use fodder you already own as untradeables — buying 88–91 fodder off the market to swap is almost never coin-efficient.
Squad Battles weekly grind: Hit Gold 1 by Sunday for the highest pack return without direct market spend. Weekly Squad Battles rewards deliver high-rated packs that can contain FoF special cards — the packs, not Squad Battles itself directly, are the FoF card source.
Summer Stars objectives and SBCs: Complete the Greatest Show objective (active until July 24) and other Summer Stars SBCs to earn Summer Stars cards that count as FoF specials for all Zidane SBC challenges requiring them. See our Greatest Show Objectives guide for the full completion walkthrough.
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Is the Zidane Greats of the Game SBC Worth It in EA FC 26?
"As the final promo of the game, Futties is where Ultimate Team throws caution to the wind and releases a ridiculous number of strong cards." — Dexerto, July 16, 2026
FUTTIES Best of Batch arrives around July 24 and will include the strongest cards in FUT 26's history — meaning Zidane competes with what's coming. Here's how to frame the decision.
Reasons to Complete the Zidane SBC
The card is genuinely world-class. A 97-rated CAM with PAS 97, DRI 98, Ball Control 99, Vision 99, Short Pass 99, 5★/5★, Tiki Taka, Incisive Pass, and Finesse Shot+ is a top-3 CAM in FUT 26 regardless of what FUTTIES releases. He makes every possession chain better.
Icon chemistry is a unique advantage. Unlike promo players who become less relevant as the power ceiling rises, Zidane's ICON chemistry bonus (+1 chemistry to every league in the squad plus France players) means he fits any FUT 26 lineup without needing specific club or league links. That compatibility stays valuable through the game's final weeks.
21 days is enough time to grind fodder. This isn't a 24-hour SBC — you have most of July to accumulate the 90 OVR cards, FoF specials, and 91 OVR fodder needed for the final challenges without panic-buying.
Reasons to Wait or Skip
FUTTIES Best of Batch drops July 24. If 98–99 OVR CAMs arrive via SBCs or objectives next week, you may regret burning the fodder now. FUTTIES historically delivers the game's most overpowered cards.
Challenges 7–10 are fodder-intensive for a single card. Four consecutive 90-rated squad exchanges each needing an FoF special is a significant ask. If your FoF card stockpile is thin, this section alone can cost hundreds of thousands of coins.
The Zidane GOTG card was in packs during June 19–26. If you packed him then, this SBC provides no value. If you missed June and have strong fodder reserves, the SBC is your best second chance to get him.
Verdict: Complete It If You Have the Fodder
If you have deep untradeable reserves from Season 9 — a natural outcome of grinding Rivals, Squad Battles, and Summer Stars since July 17 — the Zidane SBC is almost certainly worth it. A 97-rated, 5★/5★ Icon with universal chemistry compatibility will remain one of the best CAMs through FC 26's end date regardless of what FUTTIES produces.
If you'd need to spend 800k+ in market coins to complete it, consider waiting to see what FUTTIES Best of Batch brings on July 24 before committing.
Get the Best EA FC 26 Coins for Icon SBCs
Completing the Zidane SBC from scratch without a full untradeable stockpile means you'll need coins. Whether you're accelerating the Rivals grind or covering the final 91 OVR challenges:
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Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Zidane Greats of the Game SBC expire in EA FC 26? The SBC was added on July 17, 2026 and expires in approximately 21 days — placing the deadline around August 7–8, 2026. The in-game SBC timer is the authoritative source; check it before making any purchase decisions.
Can I trial Zidane before completing the full SBC? Yes. Challenge 1 rewards a 5-match loan of the full 97-rated Zidane Greats of the Game Icon card. Complete that single 84 OVR squad to get him on loan and test him in your system before spending serious fodder.
Is the Zidane Greats of the Game SBC repeatable? No. All 14 challenges are one-time only — you earn the Zidane ICON card once per account.
What Festival of Football cards count toward the Zidane SBC requirements? Any FoF promo item works: Summer Stars, Phenoms, National Pride, Glory Hunters, Path to Glory, Captains, Star Performer, Greats of the Game Hero, Greats of the Game ICON, Showdown, and more. Summer Stars cards earned via the current objectives and SBCs all qualify.
What position should I play Zidane Greats of the Game in FC 26? His primary position is CAM. He also plays CM with a position modifier. His Controlled AcceleRATE profile and 99 Vision/99 Short Pass make him best in a deep playmaker role rather than as a box-to-box midfielder. Apply a Finesse Shot+ chemistry style to maximize his 95-rated Long Shots as a secondary weapon.
How many FoF special cards does the Zidane SBC require in total? Across all 14 challenges, you need at least 7 FoF special cards — one each in Challenges 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Challenges 4, 5, and 11–14 do not require FoF specials, only minimum team ratings.
Sources: ea.com Summer Stars Pitch Notes (July 17, 2026); fut.gg Zidane SBC requirements and card stats (verified July 21, 2026). Market cost estimates are directional — verify live via futbin.com before completing challenges.
