Road to the Knockouts promo (RTTK)
Road to the Knockouts returns in EA FC 26, and it’s expected to be among the first promos of this year’s Ultimate Team.
Traditionally, the new FUT season would kick off with the Ones to Watch promo, but since that event has been retired, Road to the Knockouts has stepped into the role in the last two games. Although it won’t be first this time, items have appeared in-game and dataminers have discovered the card designs, all but confirming that it’s returning again this year.
So, here’s everything you need to know about it.
When is EA FC 26 RTTK?
There’s currently no official release date for Road to the Knockouts, but we expect it to be Friday, October 3, 2025.
The devs have already confirmed that Cornerstones will be the first event on September 26, so this is the next available date. That being said, if it lasts longer than a week or there’s another campaign in the works, RTTK could be pushed back even further.
However, this hasn’t been confirmed just yet, so we’ll update this page as soon as we know more.
What is RTTK?
Road to the Knockouts is an event that brings live cards, which receive upgrades based on a team’s performance in European competitions, including the Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League, and the Women’s Champions League.
The upgrades often depend on the number of wins and goals a club racks up during the group stage, as well as whether or not they qualify for the knockout stage. If a player hits a certain milestone, they will receive a rating boost or an additional PlayStyle+ or Player Role++.
The beauty of the event is that the upgrades depend on the team and the player depicted on the card. So, for example, if you have a Real Madrid RTTK card, it’ll earn boosts if the team does well, even if the player is sitting on the bench.
These cards will be released into packs, replacing each player’s regular gold card. On top of all that, there will also be the usual array of SBCs, Evolutions, and objectives to complete.
Upgrades explained
Since the promo hasn’t been officially announced yet, there’s currently no word on how the upgrades will work. However, we can look at the path from last year to get an idea of what to expect:
Here is the upgrade path as confirmed by EA SPORTS:
- Win three games in the league phase or two in the group stage (UWCL and UECL): +1 overall rating
- Team scores in four or more matches: +1 overall rating and a Player Role++
- Finish in the top two or win their group (UWCL and UECL): PlayStyle+ and Player Role++
We’ll be sure to update this page with a breakdown of how the upgrades work, all of the players, and a full tracker once it’s announced.