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0FC 27 Leak Suggests Icon Ratings Could Be Lowered – Is EA Preparing the Biggest Ultimate Team Balance Change Yet?
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FC 27 Could Completely Reshape Ultimate Team with Lower Icon Ratings
Ultimate Team may be on the verge of one of its biggest balancing changes in years. A new FC 27 rumor suggests that EA Sports is considering lowering the base ratings of Icon cards when the next Ultimate Team cycle begins. While the reported ratings are still predictions and nothing has been officially confirmed, the leak has already sparked major discussion within the FC community.
Instead of making Icons the highest-rated players in the game from day one, EA could be introducing a more balanced progression system. If this change becomes reality, it would significantly alter how players build squads during the early months of Ultimate Team and could help create a healthier gameplay experience throughout the season.
Why EA Could Be Downgrading Icon Cards
For several years, Ultimate Team has faced criticism over its rapidly increasing power curve. Within just a few months after launch, players often have access to incredibly powerful cards, causing many early-game items to become obsolete much sooner than expected. Lowering Icon base ratings could be EA's attempt to slow down that progression.
A flatter power curve would allow more Gold cards, Heroes, and early promotional players to remain competitive for longer periods. Rather than immediately replacing standard squads with elite Icons, players would have more reasons to experiment with different team builds before the highest-rated content arrives later in the cycle.
Predicted Ratings Show Major Changes for Football Legends
The leaked predictions suggest that several legendary footballers could receive noticeably lower overall ratings compared to previous Ultimate Team editions. While these ratings remain speculative, the images indicate that EA may be prioritizing gameplay balance over maintaining historically high overall numbers.
Among the biggest rumored changes are Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazário, Argentine icon Diego Maradona, and football icon Pelé. Instead of retaining their traditional elite ratings in the mid-90s, each player is predicted to receive a slightly lower starting overall while still maintaining exceptional in-game attributes.
Ronaldo Could Receive a Significant Rating Adjustment
One of the biggest talking points is Ronaldo Nazário, who has traditionally been one of Ultimate Team's most dominant Icons. The prediction suggests his overall rating could drop from 94 to 90, making him more accessible while also reducing the gap between Icons and elite Gold players.
Despite the lower overall number, Ronaldo would likely remain one of the game's most dangerous strikers thanks to his elite pace, finishing, dribbling, and physical presence. The downgrade appears to focus more on balancing overall ratings rather than dramatically weakening his actual effectiveness on the pitch.
Maradona May Also See His Overall Reduced
Another legendary player featured in the leak is Diego Maradona. His predicted overall rating drops from 95 to 91, continuing the trend of compressing the highest-rated Icon cards at launch.
Even with a lower rating, Maradona's trademark dribbling, close control, and playmaking ability would almost certainly remain among the very best in Ultimate Team. Players who enjoy technical attacking midfielders should still expect him to be one of the game's most creative options.
Pelé Could Join the New Rating Structure
Perhaps the most surprising prediction involves Pelé. Widely considered one of football's greatest players, the Brazilian legend is reportedly expected to receive a reduction from 95 overall to 91.
Although the overall number appears lower, Pelé's outstanding combination of pace, shooting, passing, and technical ability would likely keep him among the most complete attackers available. The change seems designed to make rating differences across Ultimate Team more gradual rather than reducing the quality of these legendary players.
A Lower Power Curve Could Benefit Ultimate Team
If EA Sports follows through with this approach, Ultimate Team could enjoy a much healthier progression throughout the season. Players would spend more time upgrading squads naturally instead of immediately chasing only the highest-rated Icons available.
A slower power curve also benefits market stability. Gold cards and lower-tier special items would likely retain value for longer, creating a more engaging transfer market and making squad building more rewarding during the early months of FC 27.
Icons Could Still Feel Elite Without Massive Ratings
It's important to remember that an overall rating doesn't tell the full story. EA has increasingly relied on individual attributes, PlayStyles, PlayStyle+, body types, skill moves, weak foot ratings, and unique animations to determine how effective a player feels in-game.
That means a 90-rated Ronaldo or a 91-rated Pelé could still outperform many higher-rated cards because of their exceptional attribute distribution and exclusive gameplay traits. If these rumors prove accurate, Icons may simply become better balanced rather than significantly weaker.
Community Reactions Are Already Divided
As expected, the leak has generated mixed reactions among Ultimate Team players. Some fans believe reducing Icon ratings is exactly what the mode needs after years of rapid power creep, while others argue that football's greatest legends should always sit at the very top of the rating system.
Supporters of the rumored change believe slower progression will make Ultimate Team more enjoyable across the entire season. Critics, however, worry that lowering Icon ratings could reduce some of the excitement associated with packing one of football's all-time greats.
Should FC 27 Introduce Lower-Rated Icons?
From a gameplay perspective, compressing ratings could be one of the smartest balancing decisions EA Sports has made in years. It allows every stage of Ultimate Team to remain relevant while preventing early promotional content from becoming outdated almost immediately.
Of course, nothing has been officially confirmed, and the leaked ratings should be treated as predictions rather than final numbers. However, if EA is genuinely planning to reset the Ultimate Team power curve, FC 27 could deliver one of the freshest and most balanced Ultimate Team experiences the franchise has seen in a long time.
Conclusion
The rumored Icon downgrades may initially surprise many Ultimate Team fans, but the bigger picture suggests EA Sports could be focusing on improving long-term gameplay balance rather than simply lowering ratings. By reducing the gap between Icons and standard players, FC 26 could create a more rewarding progression system that keeps every stage of Ultimate Team competitive.
Whether these predicted ratings become official remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: if EA follows this direction, the way players build squads, value Icons, and experience Ultimate Team could change dramatically in FC 26.
We’ll be publishing more news about FC 26/FC 27 in separate articles. If you found this information helpful or would like to learn more, please check out the other articles on our website.
