EA FC 26 now includes six Retro Kits that you can permanently add to your club wardrobe, but first you must unlock each kit by completing its Live Manager challenge.
Once unlocked, those Retro Kits are available in a full Career Mode save (New Full Career or New Live Start Points) and when you use Create Your Club.
Below I explain each Retro Kit challenge in a simple way, show the rewards, and walk you through how to turn a Live Manager win into a full Career Mode wardrobe.
EA FC 26 Retro Kit Challenges
To get these kits, you first need to navigate to the Live Manager hub and complete specific objectives. Each kit is tied to a unique scenario.
1. Journeyman
This is a “Long” challenge designed for those who want to dominate the continent. You can use any team for this, but you’ll need patience.
- Objectives: You must prove your tactical worth by winning the Premier League, Bundesliga, LA LIGA, and Ligue 1 at least once each.
- Reward: The classic 1981 Chelsea home shirt.
2. Road to Glory
This challenge focuses on the climb from the bottom to the top of Europe. You must start with a team in a second-division league.
- Objectives: Secure a promotion by June 2026, then win a domestic league and the UEFA Champions League before the end of the 2028 season.
- Reward: An iconic Paris Saint-Germain retro kit.
3. European Elites
A “Medium” length challenge for those who want to manage at the highest level immediately. You must pick a team from one of the top five leagues.
- Objectives: Successfully guide your chosen club to a Top 4 finish in your starting league by June 30, 2026.
- Reward: The beloved 1994 Juventus retro jersey.
4. Transfer Improvements
This is a “Short” challenge that tests your ability to navigate the market. It can be accomplished with any team in the game.
- Objectives: Generate at least $10,000,000 from player sales and reinvest at least $20,000,000 into new signings.
- Reward: A vintage Napoli kit.
5. Academy Focus
This is a highly specific “Long” challenge that requires you to step into the shoes of a developmental specialist. You must complete this using FC Schalke 04 only.
- Objectives: Earn promotion, win the Bundesliga, win 10 matches in the Champions League, and maintain a transfer profit of $5,000,000—all before the 2032 season ends.
- Reward: The Germany 2007 international retro kit.
6. Academy Focus
A “Short” sprint challenge to test your early-season form. Select one of the featured teams in the Premier League.
- Objectives: Hit the ground running by winning 5 matches in your starting league.
- Reward: The 2019 Alex Morgan USWNT kit.
Note: each Live Manager challenge includes additional, in-game requirements and timing windows. Always check the full objective list inside the Live Manager event UI before you start so you don’t miss subtleties like date cut-offs or squad eligibility restrictions.
Full Career Mode with Retro Kits
Once you have successfully completed these challenges and claimed your rewards, you aren’t stuck playing only in the Live Manager scenarios. You can take these kits into a standard save:
- Go to the Live Manager Hub.
- In the top navigation bar, select “New Career”.
- You will see two options:
- New Full Career: starts a season from the beginning.
- New Live Start Points: start from any round you prefer.
When you create or load your club, the Retro Kits you unlocked will be available in the kit selection for the specific clubs tied to those kits (for example, the Juventus 1994 Retro will be selectable for Juventus).
If you choose Create Your Club, your unlocked Retro Kits also appear in the kit vault so you can outfit your custom club immediately.
Final Whistle
Unlocking Retro Kits in EA FC 26 combines long-term Career Mode strategy and short-term Live Manager goals.
Whether you prefer transfer-market mastery, youth development, quick-season starts or multi-league domination, there’s a Retro Kit challenge that fits your style.
Complete the Live Manager objectives, claim the kits, then launch a New Full Career or New Live Start Points save to wear the shirts in full Career Mode, and enjoy the nostalgia while you build the squad around them.
We hope this guide helps you build a more personal and nostalgic Career Mode experience. Good luck, manager! For more tips, news, and deep dives into EA FC 26, keep following ReFIFA.
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