European football has returned from the World Cup and winter breaks, which means the Knockout Rounds of the UEFA’s top club competitions, the Champions League, Europa League, and the Europa Conference League have begun!
As usual with the later rounds of the competitions, EA has released a Team of Road to the Final Items that’ll upgrade with each step they and their club progress toward the trophy. The further a player’s team makes it on the pitch, the higher their rating will climb.
How do Road to the Final Items Upgrade?
Upgrades for RTTF Items are based on the player’s club’s progression through their respective competition. Each RTTF player is given an initial boost at the start of the campaign and has the potential for five additional dynamic upgrades based on how far the player’s team progresses in their respective competitions.
It's worth noting that there is a slight difference in the upgrade path for the players competing in the Champions League, and those competing in the Europa League and Europa Conference League due to the fact the latter competitions play two rounds while the Champions League plays only one, as shown below.
Champions League RTTF Upgrades:
- Win 1st Knockout Game after Campaign Launch = +1 Inform Upgrade
- Qualify for the Quarter-Finals = +1 Inform Upgrade
- Qualify for the Semi-Finals = +1 Inform Upgrade & 3 New Traits
- Qualify for the Final = 5* Weak Foot Upgrade
- Win the Final = +1 Inform Upgrade & 5* Skill Moves Upgrade
Europa League and Europa Conference League Upgrades:
- Qualify for the Round of 16 = +1 Inform Upgrade
- Qualify for the Quarter-Finals = +1 Inform Upgrade
- Qualify for the Semi-Finals = +1 Inform Upgrade & 3 New Traits
- Qualify for the Final = 5* Weak Foot Upgrade
- Win the Final = +1 Inform Upgrade & 5* Skill Moves Upgrade
You can also see the upgrade paths of each RTTF player when you look at their Bio in-game:
As an example of how the upgrades work, here's what UCL RTTF David Alaba would look like if Real Madrid were to win the Champions League and earn Alaba all 5 potential upgrades:
Credit: @MolyneuxLuke
How big are the Upgrades to RTTF Items?
The upgrades RTTF Items receive are what's known as inform upgrades. Basically, it's the upgrade system that determines what Team of the Week Items are rated when they're released.
For most RTTF Items, this means they will receive a +1 Overall Rating upgrade as most are 87-rated or higher, however, the RTTF Items that are 86-rated and below will receive a +2 Overall Rating upgrade when they earn an upgrade as determined by the inform upgrade system. This means that, while the higher-rated Items will receive just a +1 upgrade to their Overall Rating, the lower-rated Items
When will the RTTF Items be Upgraded In-Game?
Upgrades to RTTF Items will occur at the end of each week when a given stage has concluded. As the Europa League and Europa Conference League Play-Off Rounds conclude on February 23rd, we can expect those respective upgrades on February 24th.
Below is the full list of dates for when RTTF Items will upgrade in-game.
- February 24th
- March 17th
- April 21st
- May 19th
- June 12th
Does the Player have to Play for their RTTF Player Item to Receive Upgrades?
No - RTTF Items will receive upgrades based on their club’s progress regardless of whether they take part in any matches.
Can a Player Receive Upgrades once their Club has been Knocked Out of their European Competition?
No - All RTTF upgrades are awarded for wins/progression so if a player’s club loses/is knocked out, they will not receive any further upgrades.
What happens if a RTTF Player Item comes out after their team has played their first knockout match in the UEFA Champions League?
All “won first match” upgrades for UCL RTTF Player Items are based on the first game their team plays after the item is released. This means that if a Player Item is released after their team’s first knockout match, their “won first match” upgrade will be based on the result of their team’s next knockout match (even if it requires extra time or penalties).
What happens if a UCL RTTF Player Item’s “won first match” upgrade also qualifies their team for the Quarter Finals?
If a UCL RTTF Player Item’s first match since their release is the second leg of the Round of 16 and their club wins resulting in qualification for the next round, they’ll receive a double upgrade, a +1 In-From Upgrade for winning and a +1 In-Form Upgrade for qualifying for the Quarter Finals.
What happens if a player item already has 5* Weak Foot or 5* Skill Moves when they reach those upgrade stages?
If a Player Item already has a 5*WF and they reach the Final, they’ll receive a +1 In-Form Upgrade instead. Similarly, if a Player Item already has 5*SM and their club wins the Final, they’ll receive an additional +1 In-Form Upgrade instead.
What traits will be given to Player Items who qualify for the Semi-Finals?
The three select traits will depend on the player’s position and existing traits.
To read more information about the Road to the Final promo, you can visit EA’s FAQ page by clicking here, and if you have any questions about the promo and/or the upgrades, leave them in the comments below.