EA FC 26 Squad Update (Dec 17): NEW Faces, ICONs & More

Hey ReFIFA fans! The December 17, 2025, squad update for EA FC 26 is now available on all platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, and Nintendo Switch.

This one’s a festive treat with 6 new real faces, fresh wonderkids for Career Mode, manager swaps, 4 new ICONs, and key rating shifts.

Whether you’re building a new Team or scouting long-term gems, download it and dive in—ReFIFA called this drop hours early, even nailing Andriy Shevchenko’s addition!

Added Real Faces

Six players get real faces, boosting authenticity across leagues.

Luis Romo

Luis Romo, the Mexican center midfielder, center defensive midfielder, or center-back for Mexico’s Men’s International team, steps up with an overall rating of 74 and potential of 74, bringing international grit to your squad.

Alex Lamontagne

Alex Lamontagne, the French striker, left midfielder, or left winger for AS Saint-Étienne in Première Ligue, arrives with an overall rating of 72 and potential of 72, adding Ligue 1 flair.

Kyah Simon

Kyah Simon, the Australian center attacking midfielder, striker, or center midfielder for Dijon FCO in Première Ligue, shines at an overall rating of 74 with potential of 74.

Shana Chossenotte

Shana Chossenotte, the French right midfielder, center attacking midfielder, or right winger for FC Fleury 91 in Première Ligue, boasts an overall rating of 71 and potential of 82, a rising star.

Marta Carro

Marta Carro, the French center-back, center midfielder, or center defensive midfielder for Olympique de Marseille in Première Ligue, holds an overall rating of 72 with potential of 72.

Maeline Mendy

Maeline Mendy, the French center midfielder or center defensive midfielder for Paris FC in Première Ligue, offers an overall rating of 69 and potential of 84, perfect for growth.

Manager Updates

Also, this squad update adds Brendan Rodgers, featuring his real face, to EA FC 26 as the new manager of Saudi Pro League’s side Al Qadsiah.

Meanwhile, this squad update removes Míchel, featuring his real face, from EA FC 26 as he left his job as manager at Saudi Pro League side’s Al Qadsiah.

Added Wonderkids

Fresh high-potential kids drop for dynasty builders—cheap and ready to explode.

José Neto

José Neto, the 17-year-old left-back or left midfielder for SL Benfica in Liga Portugal, starts at 61 overall rating with 83 potential, €1M value, and €2K wage—a Benfica academy steal.

Jinairo Johnson

Jinairo Johnson, the 18-year-old center-back, center defensive midfielder, or center midfielder for AFC Ajax in Eredivisie, has 60 overall rating and 81 potential, €750K value, €2K wage for defensive promise.

Bohdan Redushko

Bohdan Redushko, the 18-year-old left winger, left midfielder, or center midfielder for Dynamo Kyiv in Rest of World, clocks 62 overall rating with 79 potential, €1M value, €3K wage.

Víctor Valdepeñas

Víctor Valdepeñas, the 18-year-old center-back, left-back, or left midfielder for Real Madrid in LaLiga, sits at 60 overall rating with 79 potential, €600K value, €11K wage—a Galáctico prospect.

Ezra Mayers

Ezra Mayers, the 18-year-old center-back for West Ham United in Premier League, offers 60 overall rating and 78 potential, €600K value, €6K wage.

Till Neininger

Till Neininger, the 18-year-old center-back for VfL Wolfsburg in Bundesliga, has 59 overall rating with 78 potential, €550K value, €4K wage.

Added ICONs

Four new ICONs joined the Player Career pool and are selectable in ICONs & Heroes managerial pools:

Homare Sawa (CM / CAM) — a 91-rated ICON whose technical midfield craft and leadership make her an elite pick for Player Career #10 or a veteran mentor in youth projects.

Gary Lineker (ST) — an 89-rated striker ICON who brings reliable finishing and historical cachet to Player Career builds focused on goal output.

Kaká (CAM) — at 89 overall, Kaká’s ICON card supplies creative magic and premium passing metrics — ideal for playmakers and hybrid CAM builds.

Andriy Shevchenko (ST / RW) — rated 88, Shevchenko’s ICON blends scoring, intelligent movement and placement — a top pick for classic striker-centric careers.

Upgraded Player Ratings

Below are the players who received rating increases in this update. These bumps change scouting priorities and can make certain players more appealing transfer targets.

These are not all the players, but they are the most important. Note that we only select the best position for each player. Note also that POS stands for Position, OVR stands for Overall rating, and POT stands for Potential.

Downgraded Player Ratings

These players saw decreases — downgrades can affect market value, Loan desirability, and starting XI decisions.

These are not all the players, but they are the most important. Note that we only select the best position for each player. Note also that POS stands for Position, OVR stands for Overall rating, and POT stands for Potential.

Final Whistle

The Dec 17 squad update is compact but meaningful: six real faces (men’s and women’s), a managerial swap, a handful of promising wonderkids, several notable rating upgrades, and changes that will ripple through Career Mode markets.

If you manage a team affected by these moves, check your squad hub for new face scans, adjust scouting priorities for the upgraded talents, and consider Maeline Mendy or José Neto for long-term youth investment.