The Headliners Promo Event has kicked off in FIFA 21 Ultimate Team, just in time for the start of 2021. What's behind the new FUT event, which players & cards are included and when are the upgrades coming? We'll tell you everything in our overview.
Even before the start of the FIFA 21 Team of the Year (TOTY), the Headliners event is one of the hottest promos that EA FIFA's FUT mode has to offer. Find out what's behind it and which players are taking part here.
FUT 21 Headliners Tracker
With our FUT 21 Headliners tracker, we provide you with an overview of the teams' winning streaks. If a team wins four league games in a row, the respective Headliners variant increases by one point.
- READ MORE: FUT Future Stars Curtis Jones SBC Solution
May 18 Update
Four wins (Upgrade)
- Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) - 88 OVR
- Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio Rome) - 90 OVR
- Wissam Ben Yedder (AS Monaco) – 89 OVR
- João Félix (Atletico Madrid) – 87 OVR
- Leon Goretzka (Bayern München) - 89 OVR
- Jonathan Bamba (LOSC Lille) – 87 OVR
- Diego Carlos (FC Sevilla) - 87 OVR
- Karl Toko Ekambi (Olympique Lyon) - 86 OVR
- Martin Hinteregger (Eintracht Frankfurt) - 87 OVR
- Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) - 95 OVR
- Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig) - 86 OVR
- James Tavernier (Glasgow Rangers) - 87 OVR
- Rafinha (Paris Saint-Germain) - 86 OVR
- Hirving Lozano (SSC Napoli) - 88 OVR
- Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) - 92 OVR
- Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) - 91 OVR
- None
Two wins
- Danny Ings (Southampton) - 86 OVR
One win
- Heung-Min Son (Tottenham Hotspur) - 89 OVR
- Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad) – 88 OVR
- Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) – 87 OVR
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Roma FC) – 87 OVR
Zero wins
- Lukáš Hrádecky (Bayer Leverkusen) – 86 OVR
- Jordan Amavi (Olympique Marseille) – 84 OVR
- Mattheus Cunha (Hertha BSC Berlin) – 84 OVR
FUT Headliners: Upgrade for Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland finally made it! Borussia Dortmund won four games in a row and the Norwegian gets a nice Upgrade. He also won the Bundesliga POTM in April.
Erling Haaland Headliner Upgrade
- +1 Pace
- +1 Shooting
- +2 Passing
- +2 Dribbling
- +1 Defense
- +1 Physicality
FUT Headliners: Upgrades for Ings & Fabinho
With the release of FIFA 21 TOTW 28 three Headliners cards increase in rating, even if Leon Goretzka surprisingly goes empty handed.
- READ MORE: FIFA 22: Release Date, News & More
Southampton striker Danny Ings and Fabinho (Liverpool) have received a rating boost. Hirving Lozano (Napoli) also rises to an overall rating of 88 thanks to his club's winning streak.
Danny Ings Headliners Upgrade
- +2 Pace
- +1 Shooting
- +2 Passing
- +1 Dribbling
- +1 Defense
- +1 Physicality
Fabinho Headliners Upgrade
- +2 Pace
- +1 Shooting
- +1 Passing
- +2 Dribbling
- +1 Defense
- +1 Physicality
Hirving Lozano Headliners Upgrade
- +0 Pace
- +2 Shooting
- +2 Passing
- +1 Dribbling
- +1 Defense
- +2 Physicality
March 24 Update
Karim Benzema is Now a TOTY Card
We expected a Karim Benzema In-Form with last week's TOTW 25. We did not get it. Better late than never for the French striker who finally got his In-Form today with the release of TOTW 26. What's more important, his Headiners card was also impacted.
This latest upgrade brings Benzema's OVR up to 95 - TOTY type of numbers. Can he max out at 99? There's enough time for him to do that.
FUT Headliners Upgrade for Karim Benzema
- +2 Pace
- +1 Shooting
- +1 Passing
- +1 Dribbling
- +1 Defense
- +2 Physicality
Update from March 11
Two headliners upgrades await us this week: James Tavernier (Glasgow Rangers) completed the winning streak, Leon Goretzka (FC Bayern Munich) is in the new TOTW 24. Both cards increase by one point each.
FUT Headliners upgrade from Tavernier
The Englishman is slowly turning into the best non-icon right-back in the game by making decent gains. His rating boosts are as follows:
- +1 Pace
- +2 Shooting
- +1 Passing
- +1 Dribbling
- +2 Defense
- +1 Physicality
FUT Headliners upgrade for Goretzka
The upgrades for Leon Goretzka also look extremely strong and make the German Bayern player one of the best CMs and CDMs in the Bundesliga. The pace boost is outstanding for the current FIFA 21 meta:
- +2 Pace
- +1 Shooting
- +1 Passing
- +1 Dribbling
- +1 Defense
- +1 Physicality
Update from March 1
The Man of the Match cards from the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League are finally here. Over the weekend EA Sports released the new special cards. In addition to Kylian Mbappé (PSG), BVB striker Erling Haaland in particular catches the eye.
This "performance-based special card" also rises his Headliners variant in the values. The upgrade is expected to find its way into the game on March 3 with the new TOTW 23, when Haaland will get to 90 OVR and draw level with his POTM card.
Update from February 18
Martin Hinteregger (Eintracht Frankfurt) has received his due Headliners upgrade in FIFA 21 Ultimate Team following TOTW 21. The improvements are:
- +2 Pace
- +1 Shooting
- +1 Passing
- +2 Dribbling
- +1 Defense
- +1 Physicality
The card is still a bargain on the FUT transfer market. For around 40,000 coins you get a center back who, with Shadow chemistry style, has a total value of 93. Unbelievable.
Headliners Upgrade for Haaland?
Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) could also be in line for an upgrade this week. In the Champions League round of 16 against Sevilla, the Norwegian was voted Man of the Match, which means a special card. This in turn would have a direct impact on his Headliners card, which would rise to 90 OVR on February 19.
Update from February 11
With the release of TOTW 20, three Headliners cards rise in rating: Mikel Oyarzabal through his new In-Form card, Karl Toko-Ekambi and Diego Carlos through their teams' winning streaks.
Headliners Upgrades for Mikel Oyarzabal
- +1 Pace
- +1 Shooting
- +1 Passing
- +1 Dribbling
- +1 Defense
- +2 Physicality
Headliners Upgrades for Diego Carlos
- +1 Pace
- +1 Shooting
- +2 Passing
- +2 Dribbling
- +1 Defense
- +1 Physicality
Headliners Upgrades for Karl Toko-Ekambi
- +2 Pace
- +2 Shooting
- +3 Passing
- +2 Dribbling
- +2 Defense
- +2 Physicality
Update from February 4
Four Headliners gained OVR this week. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Leon Goretzka do so thanks to their teams accumulating four wins in a row. Henrikh Mkhytaryan and Jonathan Bamba won their higher ratings with individual accolades, following inclusion in FIFA 21 TOTW 19.
Update from January 28
TOTW 18 is finally here, and with it the four Headliners upgrades through the win streak. Karim Benzema's new Inform card also adds a counter (more on that below).
At the same time, the ball finally rolled again in the English Premier League on January 26 and 27. In Manchester City's 5-0 win, Riyad Mahrez contributed a goal and an assist - does the next upgrade beckon next week?
Manchester United, on the other hand, had to admit defeat. Fernandes, like Wilfried Zaha and Danny Ings, is back to zero wins. Then, on January 28, Heung-min Son (Tottenham Hotspur) could also join the teams with three straight wins.
James Tavernier and Glasgow Rangers, meanwhile, secured their second win in a row.
An incredible five Headliners cards have received a rating boost with the release of Team of the Week 18.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio Roma), Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid), Wissam Ben Yedder (AS Monaco), and Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) secured the one-time upgrade by winning four matches in a row. Karim Benzema took out a new inform card, reaching an incredible 93 OVR.
We have summarized how the values of the kickers change and which of the cards are really worthwhile in a separate article.
- READ MORE: FIFA 21 TOTW 18: Neymar, De Jong & MORE!
Update from January 21
Striker Wissam Ben Yedder (AS Monaco) is in the new TOTW 17 of FIFA 21, so his already strong Headliners card increases by one counter, and climbs to a total value of 87 OVR. Over a million coins will be due for last year's OP attacker on the transfer market.
Best of all: the next upgrade could come as early as this weekend, as AS Monaco are on three wins out of four and face Olympique Marseille on January 23. If the Monegasques win, Ben Yedder's rating will rise by another point.
Ben Yedder's rating boosts:
- +1 Pace
- +1 Shooting
- +2 Passing
- +1 Dribbling
- +1 Defense
- +2 Physique
Update from January 14
Eintracht Frankfurt central defender Martin Hinteregger has made it into the new Team of the Week, making him the first player whose Headliners card rises in rating. Hinteregger's stats look outstanding, and with a price tag of around 31,000 coins, the player is quite cheap to buy.
Martin Hinteregger's rating boosts:
- +1 Speed
- +1 Shooting
- +2 Passing
- +2 Dribbling
- +1 Defense
- +1 Physique
FIFA 21 Headliners: What Is Behind It?
The FIFA 21 Headliners are, similar to the Ones to Watch or Road to the Final cards, dynamic cards whose values increase during the season. Compared to the other two promos, however, the Headliners upgrades work a little differently.
Some of the best players in the real-world soccer season get to enjoy a FUT Headliners special card, which is one counter above that kicker's best Inform card at the start of the event. Each time the player receives a performance-based special card, the Headliners card also increases in rating. These include Team of the Week, Man of the Match, Hero, or Team of the Tournament, for example.
The FUT 21 Headliners can also increase if the respective team wins four games in a row within the league (cup games or Champions or Europa League do not count here). However, this upgrade is a one-time-only, while the card can continue to rise with TOTW awards. Thus, the Headliners variant is then two points above most Inform card for a player.
An Example:
Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United has a total value of 91 with the Headliners card. If the Red Devils now win four games in a row in the Premier League, the Portuguese reaches a value of 92. If he makes it into one of the teams of the week, the total value rises further to 93, 94, and so on. It's no wonder that FUT 21 Headliners are in hot demand on the transfer market, is it? Headliners Team 1 is available now, a second selection will follow on January 8.
FUT 21 Headliners: All Cards, Players & SBCs at a Glance
To help you keep track of players and upgrades, we present all players and cards in detail here. All league games starting January 1, 2021 count towards the winning streak - this also applies to Team 2, which will be released next week.
With Manchester United's win against Aston Villa on January 1, Bruno Fernandes secures the first of four wins for the upgrade.
FIFA 21 Headliners Team 1
- CAM: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) - 91 OVR - (1 win)
- CB: Fabinho (Liverpool FC) - 88 OVR
- ST: Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) - 87 OVR - (1 win)
- ST: Wissam Ben Yedder (AS Monaco) - 87 OVR
- LW: Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad) - 87 OVR
- CF: João Félix (Atletico Madrid) - 86 OVR - (1 win)
- GK: Lukáš Hrádecky (Bayer Leverkusen) - 86 OVR
- CF: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Roma FC) - 86 OVR - (1 win)
- LM: Jonathan Bamba (LOSC Lille) - 86 OVR
- CB: Martin Hinteregger (Eintracht Frankfurt) 85 OVR - (1 win)
- LB: Jordan Amavi (Olympique Marseille) - 84 OVR
SBC players:
- CM: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio Roma) - 88 OVR - Expires: 10.01.
- IV: John Stones (Manchester City) - 86 OVR - Expires: 12.01.
Objective players:
To secure these players, you will have to venture into the specially created friendly match mode, Live FUT Friendly: Headliners Challenge, and complete various tasks there.
- CAM: Matheus Cunha (Hertha BSC Berlin) - 84 OVR - (1 win)
Ring in the new year #FUT21 style with #Headliners Special unique dynamic player items that are permanently upgraded with the potential for futher upgrades based on individual *and* team performances throughout the 2020/21 season!https://t.co/YiB3Be9znH pic.twitter.com/wU1fWOqvyF
— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) January 1, 2021
FIFA 21 Headliners Team 2
Follows. Based on the performances so far in the current season, the following players might make it into Headliners Team 2:
- LB: Theo Hernandez (AC Milan) - 87 OVR
- CB: Presnel Kimpembe (Paris St.-Germain) - 85 OVR
- CM: Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid) - 85 OVR
- LM: Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) - 84 OVR
- LM: Heung-Min Son (Tottenham Hotspur) - 89 OVR
- LM: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) - 89 OVR
- RM: Hirving Lozano (SSC Napoli) - 87 OVR
- CAM: Thomas Müller (FC Bayern Munich) - 88 OVR
- CF: Max Kruse (Union Berlin) - 85 OVR
- ST: Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) - 89 OVR
Players such as Robert Lewandowski and Joshua Kimmich from FC Bayern München, Cristiano Ronaldo (Piemonte Calcio) or Kylian Mbappé (Paris St.-Germain), who would also have deserved a Headliners card based on their performances, will probably go empty-handed this time due to the approaching Team of the Year event.
The TOTY promo will probably follow the second headliners team, which is January 15, 2021, and will bring some tickets with a total value of 99.
- READ MORE: FIFA 21 Ultimate Team Season 3 is live
Read more about FIFA 21 and еsports on EarlyGame. We provide you with 5 pro tips that are guaranteed to make you better and help you out with our FIFA 21 Ultimate Team guide.
EARLYGAME TIP: FIFA 21 offers many gameplay innovations and is hard to learn. With our partners from Gamers Academy, you will become a FIFA pro thanks to over 100 skills! With the code "EarlyGame10" you can also get a 10% discount!
Original article by EarlyGame's Philipp Briel.
