FIFA 23: How Showdown SBCs and cards work in FUT

Over the past few years in FIFA, EA Sports have inserted special Showdown Squad Building Challenges. Showdown cards are typically released right before major matches and feature footballers from opposing clubs. These cards are eligible for future upgrades, but what exactly triggers upgrades for these cards? Let’s take a look.

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How Showdown SBCs and cards work in FUT

As mentioned previously, these kinds of challenges have been in FIFA in past games. Showdown challenges were first added back in FIFA 20, and have been a part of FUT since then.

Here’s how these challenges work. At various points throughout the year, EA Sports and the FIFA team will release special SBCs that revolve around a particular match. These matches are usually highly-anticipated ones, such as FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions League matches, or major league rivalry games.

Showdown SBCs come in pairs and feature one player from each squad in the highlighted match. In every case, players will need to complete the lineups for that particular player, in order to receive the card.

Here’s where things get a bit complex. Those players do receive an initial upgrade from their base item, but are eligible for a second upgrade, depending on the outcome of the match. The player on the winning team will receive a +2 OVR stat boost. The player on the losing end will not receive a stat increase. If there is a draw in the match, both players won’t be shut out of any rating increases. In the event of a draw, both items will receive a +1 OVR stat boost.