Football Ultimate Team in EA SPORTS FC 27 has kicked off Season 1, bringing back Ones to Watch (OTW) campaign as one of the main events of the launch period.
Running from September 17 to October 22, OTW items will be available through Season Pass, SBCs, Objectives, and Live Events. Tracking for Wins to Watch begins on September 18, so the first batch of OTW players could soon receive their first upgrades.
The appeal of OTW cards lies largely in their growth potential. A player’s real-world performances, their team’s results, and even mid-season transfers can affect how quickly the card improves. IGGM.com will focus on these upgrade paths throughout Season 1, especially the early Wins to Watch race.
OTW Upgrades
OTW items are dynamic player items eligible for upgrades throughout the 2026/27 domestic league season.
When an OTW player receives a TOTW, Star Performer, or POTM item, their corresponding OTW card gains +1 OVR. This can trigger multiple times, giving players who feature regularly and maintain strong form more opportunities to improve.
OTW cards do not copy the full stats of TOTW, POTM, or Star Performer items. Instead, they follow their own progression path, increasing by 1 OVR at a time.
Another key upgrade route is Wins to Watch. Starting September 18, if an OTW player’s club wins three of its next six domestic league matches, the card receives a one-time +1 OVR boost.
The player does not need to feature in those matches. Rotation, injury, or suspension will not affect eligibility as long as the club secures three wins.
In IGGM.com’s view, the club’s upcoming schedule matters just as much as the player’s individual form when judging an OTW card early in the season. A favorable six-game run could deliver an early +1 OVR before any performance-based upgrade arrives.
FUT 27 has also raised the starting point for lower-rated OTW cards. Players rated 83 OVR or higher retain their Base Item Attributes, while those below 83 are boosted to 83. All OTW cards have at least 60 Pace and receive all Role++ attributes for their applicable positions.
This gives some lower-rated new signings a chance to become usable immediately. If one already fits your formation and Chemistry setup, there may be little reason to spend FUT coins replacing them early, making PlayStyles, Role++, and positional fit just as important as overall Rating.
Transfer Rules
If a FC player is transferred or loaned mid-season, any upgrades already earned remain intact. OTW item will update to the new club once the player earns another qualifying performance-based special card there.
The rules for Wins to Watch are stricter. If a player leaves before completing the required three wins, they lose eligibility for that one-time +1 OVR boost. If they leave without joining another club, future OTW upgrades also stop.
This becomes particularly relevant around the winter transfer window, especially for cards still waiting on their Wins to Watch upgrade.
Season 1 Rewards
OTW items are a major part of FIFA 27 Season 1 reward structure. Standard Ladder and Premium Ladder together offer up to 13 Ones to Watch player items, allowing players to earn several dynamic cards without relying on Transfer Market.
On Standard Ladder, Level 10 includes OTW items such as Arsenal newcomer Christos Tzolis and Real Madrid midfielder Elisa Senß, while Level 30 offers Ferran Torres.
Premium Pass adds rewards including Nicole Anyomi and Maxence Lacroix, with Yan Diomandé at Level 30. Other rewards include retro OTW item shells and PlayStyle-based Evolutions.
Since Standard Ladder already provides several useful rewards, Premium Pass mainly comes down to whether its extra OTW items fit your squad and how far you plan to progress through the season.
If you want to strengthen your squad faster or pick up specific OTW cards from Transfer Market, you can buy FC 27 coins to speed up it.
Early Access
Early Access includes several Season 1 features, including OTW SBCs, Objectives, Evolutions, and Season Progress.
Players who pre-ordered Ultimate or Ultimate Plus Edition also receive a Debut International ICON. This card upgrades to a Champion International ICON during Black Friday, with that version entering the wider Ultimate Team player pool later in the cycle.
A.F.C. Richmond-themed Objectives offer Vanity Items and Evolution Consumables, while Tactical Trials require players to complete challenges using different formations for Untradeable Packs.
IGGM.com would avoid locking into a single formation too early. Keeping a few versatile players available – and some FIFA coins in reserve – gives you more room to adjust when new Objectives or squad requirements appear.
Season 1 also introduces Ones We Watched Live Events. In single-player, players face AI squads inspired by past FUT OTW teams, with higher OVR opponents and stricter squad-building requirements as they progress.
Online Exhibition matches offer Chemistry Styles, Packs, OTW players, and weekly participation rewards, giving players another way to build squad depth outside Rivals.
TOTW Changes
Alongside OTW, EA has modified Season 1 Team of the Week upgrade path to keep both special-card types closer in strength at launch.
In the initial TOTW releases, players rated 83 OVR or higher receive +1, those rated 78 – 82 get +2, and those rated 77 or lower are boosted directly to 80 OVR. EA has also confirmed that the upgrade path will continue to evolve throughout FC 27.
As a result, FC 26 habits do not translate perfectly to FUT 27. OTW cards offer long-term dynamic upgrades, while TOTW cards now follow a different early-game progression curve.
Season 1 runs until October 22. IGGM.com would prioritize Ladder OTW cards that fit your squad and have a favorable upgrade path through Wins to Watch, real-world form, and upcoming fixtures, rather than simply chasing current OVR.