EA Sports have teased the next FIFA 21 FUT event on the loading screen. It's not the Winter Refresh, again, but the brand new What If promo. What can we expect of it?
We've pretty much given up on the Winter Refresh. We striked out twice already on predicting it and we're not falling a third time. Instead, EA Sports are going with a never-before-seen FUT event called What If. It launches tomorrow, February 26.
What If promo confirmed for Friday. Card design leaked on the @Xbox store. #FIFA21 #FUT21 pic.twitter.com/7WcfxGx5N2
— FutSpy (@FutSpy) February 24, 2021
April 13 Update
Monday matches gave a final verdict to Daniel Wass and Kévin Malcuit. Wass got his upgrade is now at 88 OVR, while Malcuit became the only defender to miss out on an overall boost. Richarlison is practically doomed unless Everton explode for four goals in their next league game.
Current Status of What If Players
The following players' teams are eligible for an upgrade if their team scores 6 goals in 5 league games:
- CDM: Leroy Fer (Feyenoord) - (UPGRADE!) -> 87 OVR
- RM: Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) – (UPGRADE!) -> 92 OVR
- CAM: Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) - (UPGRADE!) -> 90 OVR
- ST: Francesco Caputo (Sassuolo) – (UPGRADE!) -> 89 OVR
- CF: Dries Mertens (Napoli) - (UPGRADE!) -> 91 OVR
- ST: Luka Jović (Eintracht Frankfurt) – (UPGRADE!) -> 89 OVR
- CDM: Mattéo Guendouzi (Hertha Berlin) - (UPRGADE!) -> 89 OVR
- CDM: Lucas Leiva (Lazio) - (UPGRADE!) -> 90 OVR
- LM: Roberto Pereyra (Udinese) - (UPGRADE!) -> 89 OVR
- RM: Cristian Tello (Real Betis) - (UPGRADE!) -> 89 OVR
- RM: Krépin Diatta (Monaco) - (UPGRADE!) -> 87 OVR
- CAM: Florian Thauvin (Olympique Marseille) - (UPRGADE!) -> 89 OVR
- CM: Daniel Wass (Valencia) - (UPGRADE) -> 88 OVR
- ST: Richarlison (Everton) - (2 goals, 1 game)
- CDM: N'Golo Kanté (Chelsea) – (No upgrade)
- LM: Vincenzo Grifo (Freiburg) - (No upgrade)
- CAM: Alejandro Gomez (Sevilla) - (No upgrade)
- RM: Raphinha (Leeds United) – (No upgrade)
- ST: José Luis Morales (Levante) - (No upgrade)
- ST: Adam Armstrong (Blackburn Rovers) - (No upgrade)
The following players are eligible for an upgrade if their teams keep 1 clean sheet in 5 league games:
- LB: Wendell (Bayer Leverkusen) - (UPGRADE!) -> 88 OVR
- CB: Pepe (Porto) - (UPGRADE!) -> 88 OVR
- CB: Marcelo (Olympique Lyon) - (UPGRADE!) -> 90 OVR
- CB: Chris Smalling (Roma) - (UPGRADE!) -> 90 OVR
- RB: Kevin Mbabu (Wolfsburg) - (UPGRADE!) -> 87 OVR
- LB: Yuri Berchiche (Athletic Bilbao) - (UPGRADE!) -> 89 OVR
- RB: Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City) - (UPGRADE!) -> 89 OVR
- LB: Sergio Reguilón (Tottenham Hotspur) - (UPGRADE!) -> 89 OVR
- CM: Pierre Lees-Melou (Nice) - (UPGRADE!) -> 88 OVR
- RB: Kévin Malcuit (Fiorentina) - (No upgrade)
UPDATE: FUT 21 What If Team 1
FUT What If-Team 1 is here. You can find 11 new players in packs right... now! As second FUT 21 What If-Team will be released next Friday, March 6. Check out all the details on the official website.
What If Team 1
- CDM: N'Golo Kanté (Chelsea London) - 91 OVR
- RM: Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) - 90 OVR
- CAM: Alejandro Gomez (FC Sevilla) - 90 OVR
- CB: Marcelo (Olympique Lyon) - 88 OVR
- CB: Chris Smalling (Roma FC) - 88 OVR
- CAM: Martin Odegaard (Arsenal London) - 88 OVR
- LB: Yuri Berchiche (Atletic Bilbao) - 87 OVR
- CM: Roberto Pereyra (Udinese Calcio) - 87 OVR
- ST: Luka Jovic (Eintracht Frankfurt) - 87 OVR
- CM: Pierre Lees-Melou (OGC Nice) - 86 OVR
- RB: Kevin Mbabu (VFL Wolfsburg) - 85 OVR
SBC players:
- RM: Raphinha (Leeds United) - 87 OVR
Objective players:
- ST: Francesco Caputo (Sassuolo Calcio) - 87 OVR
February 26 Update: What If Leak
New Loading Screen for FUT What If Event
A new loading screen in FIFA 21 reveals more details about the FUT What If promo event. Besides the three players, three details at the edge of the screen catch the eye. That's because they give clarity on how cards are going to be upgraded.
- What If card upgrades come into effect after 5 matches
- 6 goals scored
- 1 clean sheet, i.e. a game without conceding a goal
It is currently unclear whether these goals apply to teams or individual players.
The most likely assumption is that the FUT What If upgrades will come when a player has scored 6 goals in 5 games or, for defensive players, has won a game without conceding a goal within 5 games.
If a player succeeds in doing this, he will receive a rating boost of +2 points. Something along those lines.
Live Cards Similar to headliners Instead of Wins its based on objectives (team scores a certain amount of goals in 5 games the ATT/MID players get boosted stats. Clean sheets get GK/DEF boosted stats) Player news coming tomorrow #LangpardLeaks https://t.co/ztJZ02snLd pic.twitter.com/qIvaGyXbGw
— #LangpardLeaks (@KingLangpard) February 24, 2021
The new loading screen teases the first three FUT 21 What If players as well.
FUT What If Alejandro Gómez
On the left side we see a CAM player with a 90 OVR from Sevilla. This can really only be new winter signing Alejandro Gómez.
FUT What If Kevin Mbabu
In the middle the FIFA 21 loading screen shows a player from Wolfsburg with 94 pace. Again, there are only two cards that come into question: right-back Kevin Mbabu and left-back Jérôme Roussillon. We assume that it will be Mbabu, as his gold card has the higher pace value.
FUT What If N'Golo Kanté
On the right we see a Chelsea player with 89 defense. Thiago Silva and N'Golo Kanté are the only possible options. We bet on Kanté because Silva already has a live card in FIFA 21 Ultimate Team (Ones to Watch) and it is unlikely that EA Sports will give him another one.
When Does FIFA 21 What If Start?
What If launches on February 26, at 19:00 CET and will probably take two weeks to conclude. We gathered the first bit of info from the current FUT loading screen and the second bit off the fact that all FIFA 21 events appear to go on for half a month.
FUT What If Card Design
We don't know much about the new FUT event yet, but at least the loading screen reveals what the card design of the What If cards look like.
What to Expect From FUT What If?
What exactly FUT What If will be about is still unclear. After all, it is a brand-new promo event that celebrates its premiere in FIFA 21.
If you take a closer look at the card design, you can see two arrows in the top center. This indicates that we may be speaking of live cards. However, since the arrows are either black or white, the FUT What If concept is reminiscent of the FUT Showdown SBCs, which feature the same arrows.
Unlike the RTTF event or the FUT Headliners, we could expect live cards that get a one-time upgrade when a certain goal is reached.
According to leaker Jack Lang, who has been right many times in the past, these are live cards that are supposed to work similarly to the Headliners. However, the upgrades are not linked to victories, but to certain conditions for the teams.
- READ MORE: FIFA 21 Toni Kroos Flashback SBC Solution
For example, if a team scores a certain number of goals or goes several games without conceding a goal. However, it is still unclear how high the upgrades will be and what sort of goals have to be completed.
Live Cards Similar to headliners Instead of Wins its based on objectives (team scores a certain amount of goals in 5 games the ATT/MID players get boosted stats. Clean sheets get GK/DEF boosted stats) Player news coming tomorrow #LangpardLeaks https://t.co/ztJZ02snLd pic.twitter.com/qIvaGyXbGw
— #LangpardLeaks (@KingLangpard) February 24, 2021
FIFA 21 What If Event: Which Players Are Included?
It is still unclear which players we can expect during FUT 21 What If.
The absolute cracker would be a What If card of Neymar (PSG), who surprisingly was not voted player of the month in Ligue 1. It's all speculation before the launch though.
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Original article by EarlyGame's Philipp Briel.
