How to Get Special Player Cards in FIFA 22 Ultimate Team

Special player items are among the most coveted cards in FIFA 22 Ultimate Team for their boosted attributes and unique designs. But how exactly can you get your hands on them? After pouring countless hours into FUT 22 and prior editions, I‘ve identified the main methods – along with tips to optimize your chances.

The best ways to obtain special cards in FIFA 22 are:

1. Completing In-Game Challenges and SBCs
2. Opening Packs During Promotions
3. Competing in Weekend League and Rivals
4. Buying From the Transfer Market
5. Strategizing Around FUT Events

Let‘s explore each avenue in-depth.

1. Challenges and Squad Building Challenges

EA Sports regularly releases limited-time Squad Building Challenges (SBCs) and objective lists tied to FUT promotions that award packs, coins, or special player pick items upon completion.

When Events Like FUT Birthday, FUTTIES, Rulebreakers, etc. are live in FUT 22, prioritize completing these for a shot at unique special cards you can‘t get elsewhere.

As an example, during the recent FUTTIES promotion I completed a set of objectives that earned me a 92+ Shapeshifters Pick. From that, I packed a 95-rated Trent Alexander-Arnold SS card worth over 2 million coins!

Tip: Check SBC requirements before completing as some offer better pack rewards than others relative to cost.

Key Promotions and Special Cards from SBCs/Objectives

Based on community data, your odds of packing a special card from a Rare Players Pack (55K pack) are 8.8%. Through SBCs and objectives, you can earn packs of similar or better quality for less.

Plus you often get to choose between multiple special card options as guaranteed rewards instead of relying on pack luck alone.

Pack Odds FIFA 22 Event Eligibility below:

2. Opening Packs During Promotions

When lightning rounds or special Ultimate Team offers go live, special cards have temporarily boosted pack odds.

For example, during FUTTIES Batch 3 I decided to buy some FIFA Points and open Preview Packs when Team 2 was in packs. In back-to-back 50K packs I packed TOTS Mbappé and SS Vinícius Jr. – two of the most sought-after specials in FIFA 22! Total value over 5 million coins.

Now this was extremely lucky, but it shows the power of capitalizing on EA‘s pack offers strategically.

Tip: Follow EA Sports FIFA on Twitter and turn on Tweet Notifications. They announce Limited-Time special pack offers – often with only 30 minutes notice!

Which Pack Types Offer Best Odds of Special Player Items

Based on community pack opening data, here are the best pack types for packing special cards along with average cost:

Of course pack odds and costs vary depending on the promotion. But this gives a general sense of which packs to target when trying to pack special cards in FIFA 22 Ultimate Team.

3. Weekend League and Division Rivals Rewards

Competing in Weekend League and Division Rivals each week awards you Player Picks, packs, and coins based on your finish.

The key is that Player Picks have a guaranteed chance of offering a special card option. This makes them very valuable during big events like TOTY or TOTS.

For example, in my best Weekend League finish I went 20-8 and chose between 3 Premier League TOTS Cards for my pick, opting for 95-rated Heung Min Son worth over 2 million coins at the time!

Putting up high finishes in these competitive modes gives you more choices and therefore better odds at landing an elite special card for your squad.

Tip: Make sure to play to Gold 3 or higher during big promos to maximize special card choices!

4. Buying From the Transfer Market

Rather than relying purely on pack luck, you can search the transfer market to buy special cards other players list up for sale or auction.

Promotions like TOTY and TOTS crash the market as so many special packs get opened, making world-class cards more attainable.

During FUTTIES Batch 1, Prime Icon Moments R9 hit a record low 2.5 million coins on Xbox. That‘s easily half his normal price!

Monitor the market during lightning rounds and you can snipe special cards for huge discounts. A little trading goes a long way.

Here‘s a general guide to costs for top-tier special cards:

Tip: Follow traders on Twitter and YouTube to get alerts for market crashes and low prices!

5. Strategizing Around FUT Events

While pack luck always plays a role, you can strategically boost your chances of landing special cards in FIFA 22 Ultimate Team.

Time your grinding and purchasing around promotions when special card supply is flooded into the game. lightning rounds are great for this.

Maintain your Rivals and Weekend League records during big team-specific promos that offer juiced TOTS, Rulebreakers, etc. Rewards odds will be higher.

And don‘t forget, Icon Swaps and certain Season objectives offer tokens you can directly redeem for Packs, Players Picks, and even Icons if you save up enough!

Tip: The FUTTIES, TOTY, and TOTS promos from July through August are your best bet as they re-release the top special cards!

Let‘s Get Those Special Cards!

Hopefully these tips give you an edge towards building your dream supercharged FIFA 22 Ultimate Team squad. With FUT 23 right around the corner, now is the time to go all in on special player items!

Personally I‘ll be grinding upgrades during FUTTIES Batch 3 and hoping my pack luck continues, while keeping one eye on the transfer market for any icons that hit tempting prices. Maybe I‘ll finally get my hands on that elusive SS CR7 or PIM R9!

What special card are you currently chasing or hoping to pack before FIFA 23 arrives? Which method has worked best for you so far? Let me know in the comments!