FIFA 20 UCL cards: how do these special blue items work?

(Image credit: EA)

FIFA 20 UCL cards can be nabbed for bargain prices now that most long-time players are packing elite squads. These items were first introduced in FIFA 19 following EA's acquisition of the Champions League license, and there are more variations in FIFA 20. What do they do and how can you get your hands on them? Our FIFA 20 UCL cards guide explains all.

How do FIFA 20 UCL cards work?

FIFA 20 UCL cards have a different design to standard gold cards. UCL ones feature white text on a blue background, and are granted to all gold-rated players eligible for this year’s Champions League. So from the Premier League, cards are only available for Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City.

Stats wise, FIFA 20 UCL cards work differently to how they did in FIFA 19. Last year every player with a UCL card got +1 added to their standard gold card rating; now both gold and UCL cards share the same rating. Which does make them sound slightly pointless.

However, UCL cards are much rarer than standard golds, and are necessary for certain SBCs, so don’t write them off as worthless.

Can FIFA 20 UCL cards change ratings?

The base versions are stuck with the same rating until the advent of FIFA 21 rolls around. However, you can also get FIFA 20 Road to the Final cards which upgrade the further their team progresses through the tournament.

These do what it says on the tin – every time a player with one of these cards achieves UCL or UEL progress, their OVR updates by +1 rating point. Below you can see the table of upgrades from FIFA 19, which will repeat in FIFA 20. For example, Marcos Alonso’s UEL Road To The Final item advanced from 84 to 91 across the season, as Chelsea gradually ticked off all six requirements.

UEFA Champions League Upgrades:
- Advancing to the Knockout Stage
- Winning in the first leg of Round of 16
- Advancing to the Quarter-Final
- Advancing to the Semi-Final
- Advancing to the Final
- Winning the Final

UEFA Europa League Upgrades:
- Advancing to the Knockout Stage
- Advancing to the Round of 16
- Advancing to the Quarter-Final
- Advancing to the Semi-Final
- Advancing to the Final
- Winning the Final

What are the 10 best FIFA 20 UCL cards?

1. Lionel Messi (RW, Barcelona) 94
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (ST, Piemonte Calcio) 93
3. Neymar Jr (LW, Paris) 92
4=. Kevin de Bruyne (CAM, Manchester City) 91
4=. Eden Hazard (LW, Real Madrid) 91
4=. Jan Oblak (GK, Atletico Madrid) 91
7=. Marc-Andre ter Stegen (GK, Barcelona) 90
7=. Mohamed Salah (RW, Liverpool) 90
7=. Virgil van Dijk (CB, Liverpool) 90
7=. Luka Modric (CM, Real Madrid) 90

The best active player in the game without a UCL card is Manchester United’s David de Gea, on 89.

Are there any other types of UCL cards I should know about?

Yes. Alongside the base UCL cards and Road to the Final cards, you can also have Team of the Group Stage cards featuring the best players during the group stage. Eventually, there will also be Team of the Tournament cards too, if and when the Champions and Europa Leagues are completed.

How do I get FIFA 20 UCL cards?

Mostly in packs, much like the game's base cards. UCL items are rarer than gold cards, but not as rare as FIFA 20 TOTW or FIFA 20 OTW items. Obviously the better the player, the more unlikely you are to pack them.

Every so often EA releases a Squad Building Challenge which nets you two or three UCL cards. In FIFA 19, these were usually terrible value, requiring you to submit one UCL card *and* buy ten other players at some expense for another crack at the UCL roulette wheel. Unless you have untradeable UCL cards to get rid of, I recommend avoiding this method.

The quickest and simplest way is to use the transfer market. Naturally this can be hugely expensive but unlike with packs or SBCs you know exactly what you're getting for your money. And if you use GR's FIFA 20 coins guide you should be flush with in-game currency by now anyway.