EA Sports FC Starter Squads Guide: Build Competitive Teams on Any Budget

The first matches of a new EA Sports FC season can feel brutal. You load into FC Ultimate Team only to discover your back line turns like a truck and your striker couldn’t finish a tap-in if the net were twice as wide. Everyone starts with scraps, but some climb quickly while others get stuck in Division 9 despair. The difference? A well-built starter squad.

Coins matter, of course. Picking up a few FC 26 coins early gives you the freedom to build a balanced team instead of scraping by with bronze cards. But coins are only half the story. Pair them with smart choices on leagues, players, and squad structure, and you’ll be in control from the start.

This guide dives into exactly that: competitive FC starter squads you can build at different price points, plus the logic behind them. Whether you’ve got 20k coins or 200k, there’s a lineup here that will hold its own until you’re ready for the big names.

What Makes a Good Starter Squad

The trick to early squads isn’t about chasing stars. It’s about building a spine — a team that holds shape, wins matches, and doesn’t collapse under pressure.

A strong starter squad should check these boxes:

Pace where it counts. Full-backs, wingers, and at least one striker.
A balanced midfield. At least one runner and one defensive-minded player.
Solid chemistry links. Easy to hit team chemistry with cheap trios or league stacks.
Affordable depth. You need rotation options without wasting coins on consumables.

Get those elements right, and you’ll win more games with a 20k team than someone blowing their balance on one overpriced striker.

Budget Build: 20–30k Coins

If you’re starting small, every coin counts. The goal here is a functional squad that doesn’t break down against pacey opponents.

Premier League Budget Team

GK: Any reliable low-rated keeper (they overperform early).
CBs: Pair a faster option like Joe Gomez (if affordable) with a stronger budget CB.
Full-backs: Cheap pace machines such as Tyrick Mitchell or Rico Henry.
Midfield: One workhorse like Kalvin Phillips and one passer.
Wings: Affordable speed — someone like Anthony Gordon if he remains low-rated.
ST: A quick striker with decent finishing.

Why it works: Premier League cards are always in demand, so they hold resale value. Even commons often punch above their weight in the first two weeks.

Alternative Budget: Serie A

GK: Reliable Italian keeper like Alex Meret.
CBs: Kim Min-jae or similar quick CB paired with a stronger, taller option.
Full-backs: Options like Di Lorenzo provide pace and stamina.
Midfield: Mix of physicality (Locatelli) and agility (Tonali if affordable).
Wings: Pacey budget picks from Fiorentina or Napoli.
ST: Striker with pace or aerial ability, e.g., Duván Zapata on the cheap.

Serie A often flies under the radar, which means lower competition on the transfer market and stronger value per coin.

Mid-Range Build: 50–100k Coins

With a bit more flexibility, you can build teams that feel far smoother and allow for hybrids. At this range, you can afford chemistry-building trios and a few semi-meta names.

LaLiga Hybrid

GK: Unai Simón (cheap but reliable).
CBs: Éder Militão (if his price dips) with a cheaper Spanish partner.
Full-backs: Jordi Alba or Jesús Navas, depending on availability.
Midfield: Frenkie de Jong if affordable, otherwise Pedri as a cheaper alternative. Pair with a ball-winner.
Wings: Nico Williams or budget Brazilians for pace.
ST: Someone like Iñaki Williams, who always brings early-game speed.

Bundesliga Core

GK: Kevin Trapp or a budget Bundesliga keeper.
CBs: Nico Schlotterbeck plus a pacey option like Josko Gvardiol.
Full-backs: Fast runners like Alphonso Davies if you can stretch, or budget picks like Frimpong.
Midfield: Leon Goretzka (box-to-box) alongside a cheaper runner.
Attack: Wingers with pace from Dortmund or Leipzig, striker options like Timo Werner.

Bundesliga squads often overperform early because they mix pace, strength, and stamina across the board.

High-End Starter Build: 150–200k Coins

This is the “weekend-ready” bracket. At this point, you’re not building a budget squad — you’re building a competitive one that can carry into Weekend League.

Premier League Elite Starter

GK: Nick Pope (big frame, reliable saves).
CBs: Varane plus a partner like Konaté.
Full-backs: Kyle Walker or Reece James, plus someone affordable on the left.
Midfield: Casemiro (defensive anchor) paired with Bruno Fernandes or another creator.
Wings: Rashford, Sterling, or similar mid-tier stars.
ST: Gabriel Jesus or Darwin Núñez for pace and movement.

This build eats coins, but it gives you a squad that feels strong even against early spenders.

Hybrid Brazil Build

Brazilian players are chemistry glue. You can link them across leagues, and many are affordable despite being meta.

GK: Ederson if you splurge, otherwise Neto.
Defense: A mix of LaLiga and Premier League Brazilians.
Midfield: Lucas Paquetá as a creative core, plus a ball-winner.
Attack: Gabriel Jesus or Richarlison as strikers, with wingers like Antony or Martinelli.

Hybrids like this keep you flexible, letting you slot in future upgrades without breaking chemistry.

How to Choose the Right Path

Every squad has trade-offs. Premier League builds are popular but expensive. Serie A and Bundesliga offer better value but fewer options for upgrades. LaLiga sits somewhere in the middle, with hybrid potential through Spanish and Brazilian links.

The best approach is to pick one league (or nation) and commit. Spreading too thin kills chemistry and forces you into awkward positions. Once you’ve built a stable base, you can branch out with hybrids and untradeable pulls.

Play Habits That Stretch Your Squad

Even the best squad falls apart if you waste contracts or burn stamina. A few habits save you both coins and headaches.

Rotate lineups. Build a cheap second squad so your main team stays fit for Rivals.
Practice defending. Strong defenders save you more games than expensive strikers.
Adjust formations. A 4-4-2 might stabilize a weaker squad, while 4-2-3-1 suits balanced builds. Test them early.
Watch for patch notes. Meta shifts fast. A formation strong today might feel clunky after the first gameplay update.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overpaying for hype. A 150k striker on day three often halves in price by week two.
Ignoring stamina. Cheap players with low stamina feel unplayable in the 70th minute.
Forcing hybrids too soon. Stick to simple league stacks until you have coins to spare.
Skipping chemistry. Chemistry boosts make average cards competitive. Don’t leave it on the table.

Conclusion

A starter squad doesn’t need to be glamorous — it needs to work. Build pace into your attack, strength into your defense, and balance into your midfield. Stick to one league or a simple hybrid, avoid early-market hype traps, and upgrade steadily as coins allow.

With a smart structure, even a 20k team can punch above its weight. With a higher budget, you can craft a squad that feels weekend-ready within days. However you start, the principle is the same: thoughtful choices now save you weeks of frustration later.