Rivals rewards & format explained

Division Rivals is the main way you earn coins and packs in EA FC 26, as well as how you qualify for the Champs Weekend League. Here’s a full breakdown of how it works and the rewards up for grabs.

How Rivals Works

• Divisions & Progression
  Rivals is divided into multiple skill-based divisions. Each win moves your club closer to promotion, while losses or draws can slow progress. The higher the division, the tougher the competition and the greater the rewards.
• Seasonal Structure
  Rivals runs on a weekly cycle that resets every Thursday. Your progress within divisions carries across the season, but the reward cycle is weekly.
• Matchmaking
  Players are matched against opponents of similar skill and division ranking, creating fairer competition as you climb.

Reward System

• Weekly Rewards
  Rewards are earned based on the number of matches you win during the week and the division you are in. If you earn 15 points, you get the Base Rewards; if you earn 30 you get Upgraded Rewards.
• Division Milestones
  In addition to weekly rewards, Rivals includes seasonal milestones. By playing a set number of games across the entire season, you unlock milestone rewards that stack on top of your weekly payouts.
• High Division Benefits
  The higher your division, the better the packs, coins, and player picks. Elite Division sits at the very top and offers the most competitive rewards.

Rivals has been overhauled in FC 26 to address long-standing community feedback. The new systems aim to make Rivals less of a grind, more rewarding every match, and to better reflect your true skill level.

Why the Changes?

Players told EA three main things about Rivals in past years:

1. Too many matches were required to reach top rewards.
2. Once you reach your natural skill level, motivation drops.
3. Winning streaks sometimes push players too high, leading to long losing streaks.

The revamp tackles all three issues with Bounties, Duels, and Limited Checkpoints.

New Systems

EA SPORTS

🏆 Bounties

• Random challenges applied to your next Rivals match.
• Completing a Bounty gives instant rewards, such as:
  • Rivals Points
  • Champions Qualification Points
  • Coins
  • Packs
  • Season XP
  • Even Stage Skips (jumping you further up the ladder).
• Examples:
  • Score the first goal
  • Score the last goal
  • Win by two or more
  • Keep a clean sheet
• Many can be completed even if you don’t win the match, keeping every game meaningful.

⚔️ Duels

• A special type of Bounty where both players share the same challenge.
• Example: both players have “Score First” — only one can earn the reward.
• Creates extra tension and adds variety to standard Rivals matches.

🔒 Limited Checkpoints

• Checkpoints now have a loss counter. Too many losses will break the checkpoint, triggering relegation.
• Prevents players from being “stuck” in a division far above their skill level.
• Resets every Rivals season, ensuring a fresh start.

Rewards changes

• Rewards are no longer only about your final rank at season’s end.
• Bounties and Duels give you chances at rewards mid-season and mid-match.
• Stage Skips from Bounties can help you climb faster, reducing the grind for higher rewards.
• Coins, Packs, and XP are now more accessible to players of all skill levels, even if you lose.

When are Rivals rewards released?

Rivals rewards drop every Thursday at 9 AM BST / 4 AM ET / 1 AM PT. You receive packs, coins, or player picks depending on your rank and division.

All rewards

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