Clubs Playoffs & Live Events explained

Clubs Playoffs are the pinnacle of competitive progression in the Clubs system. They give your squad the chance to climb divisions, earn rewards, and prove themselves against the best. On top of that, there’s also new Live Events to take part in this year – here, we’ll get you up tp speed.

Playoffs guide

EA

How Playoffs Work

• Season Structure – Each Clubs season ends with a Playoffs phase where your team competes in a set of matches.
• Win-Based Progression – The more wins you collect, the better your placement and rewards.
• Favourite Club Rewards – You can only earn Playoffs rewards for your favourite Club, which you set in the Switch Clubs screen.

When you enter Clubs Playoffs, the game gives your Club a set number of games remaining. These are the matches you can play during the Playoffs run.

What “Games Remaining” Means

• Think of it as your Playoffs allowance.
• Each Playoffs run has a fixed number of matches you can play (e.g., 10 games).
• Once your “games remaining” hits zero, your Playoffs are finished, no matter your results.

How Progression Works

• Each win moves your Club up the ladder toward a better rank and bigger rewards.
• Each loss still counts as one game played, so it reduces your games remaining.
• At the end of your allotted games, your final placement is decided by:
  1. Total wins you earned during the run.
  2. The rank/division thresholds for that season’s Playoffs.

Example:

• Your Club has 10 games remaining at the start.
• You go 6W – 4L across those 10 matches.
• At the end, your Club finishes in the 6-win reward tier (placement varies depending on the division).

Clubs progression in FC 26 follows a simple path:

1. Clubs Rush (Regular Season)
   • Your Club plays ranked matches to accumulate points.
   • Performance during this phase determines your seeding for Playoffs.
2. Clubs Playoffs
   • At the end of the season, your Club enters Playoffs.
   • Win as many matches as possible before hitting your loss limit.
   • Each win moves you closer to promotion and higher-tier rewards.
3. Division Advancement
   • Strong Playoffs results push your Club into higher divisions.
   • Higher divisions unlock tougher competition and bigger prizes.
4. Season Reset
   • Each new season resets Playoffs and gives every Club another chance to rise (or defend their standing).

Tips for Success

• Set Your Favourite Club – Make sure it’s locked in before the season ends so you don’t miss rewards.
• Play to Your Strengths – Squads that coordinate roles (attackers, midfielders, defenders, GK) usually have more consistent success.
• Build Momentum – Treat Clubs Rush matches seriously—they set you up for an easier Playoffs run.

Live Events guide

EA

Structure & Format

• Knockout Tournaments – Each event is a single-elimination bracket with up to four rounds (including the Final).
• Attempts – You start with a limited number of entries. Losing a match costs an attempt and sends you back to Round 1.
• Elimination – If all attempts are used up, you’re out—though some events refresh attempts after a cooldown.
• Progress – Tracked individually, not by squad, so you can swap Archetypes or teammates between matches.

How to Enter

• Access from the Live Events Tab in the Play menu.
• Choose the event you want, then either:
  • Invite friends to join you, or
  • Queue solo with matchmaking.
• Matchmaking pairs you with teammates and opponents at the same stage of the event.
• Events will always try to form a full squad of outfield players, but if that’s not possible, you can proceed with a minimum of two human players plus AI.
• To play with friends, all players must be at the same round. You can reset progress from the lobby to sync up—but doing so costs an attempt.

Event Variations

• Entry Requirements – Each event may set unique conditions:
  • Minimum player rank.
  • Archetype level thresholds.
  • Required Archetypes (e.g., only Midfielders).
• Multi-Stage Events – Some events are linked together:
  • Win one stage to unlock the next, higher-tier event.
  • Missed the first stage? Some events feature redemption rounds for a second chance.
• Alternate Rules – Modified gameplay to change the pace and stakes:
  • Shortened match length.
  • Golden Goal showdowns.
  • Exclusive House Rules, e.g.:
    • Designated Scorer – Goals scored by a rotating player count double.
    • Rugby Rush – Shoulder barges allowed, no fouls given.