EA Sports has dropped one of the most anticipated high-end SBCs in FC 26 Ultimate Team: the 91+ Encore Icon Pack. As the highest-rated Icon upgrade released this year, players rushed to open multiple packs in hopes of pulling elite-tier legends, Trophy Titans, Team of the Year Icons, and other special versions of football greats. A large number of cheap FC 26 Coins can also be of great help to you.

In this massive pack opening session featuring 50 attempts, the results show a mix of elite hits, repeat offenders, and plenty of frustration as certain Icons appeared far more frequently than others.

The Hype Around the 91+ Icon Pack

The appeal of the 91+ Encore Icon Pack is simple: it guarantees a high-rated Icon with the possibility of packing some of the most expensive and desirable cards in the game. Players are hoping for Trophy Titans, Team of the Year Icons, Foot Birthday Icons, and other top-tier versions.

However, with every high-value SBC comes risk. While some players hit massive pulls, others end up cycling through the same low-value Icons repeatedly.

From the very first packs opened, patterns began to emerge.

Early Packs: Familiar Faces Already Appearing

The opening packs immediately set the tone. One of the first pulls was Gianluigi Zambrotta, a solid 92-rated Icon but not one of the elite-tier outcomes players are chasing.

Shortly after, Alan Shearer appeared multiple times, quickly becoming one of the most commonly packed Icons throughout the entire opening. Despite being a recognizable legend, his value in-game is relatively low compared to the cost of completing the SBC.

Another frequent name was Ian Rush, who also appeared repeatedly, reinforcing the idea that certain Icons dominate the pack weight distribution.

Mid-Opening Surprises and Mixed Value Pulls

As more packs were opened, the variety increased slightly. Some Foot Birthday and Team of the Year Icons began appearing alongside Trophy Titans, offering occasional spikes in value.

One of the more notable pulls was a high-value Icon worth several hundred thousand coins, showing that while the pack weight may be inconsistent, there is still potential for strong returns.

A few standout cards included:

Foot Birthday Icons with strong meta PlayStyles

Team of the Year Icons that remain usable in competitive squads

Trophy Titan versions of classic players with boosted stats

Occasional Time Warp Icons adding variety to the pool

Despite these highlights, consistency remained an issue, with many packs still producing mid-tier Icons.

The Shearer and Rush Effect

As the opening continued, one trend became impossible to ignore: Alan Shearer and Ian Rush were appearing repeatedly.

In fact, multiple instances showed back-to-back or even repeated cycles of these two Icons across different packs. This led to frustration, as players were clearly hoping for more diverse and higher-value pulls.

At one point, Alan Shearer alone appeared so frequently that he became the most commonly packed Icon in the entire session.

While usable in some squads, neither player provides the coin value or gameplay impact expected from a 91+ Icon SBC.

The Best Pulls of the Session

Despite the repetition of lower-value Icons, there were still several standout moments.

Some of the best pulls included:

A high-value Foot Birthday Icon worth over 400K coins

A Team of the Year Icon with strong in-game performance

Multiple Trophy Titan Icons with elite shooting stats

A few unexpected high-rated midfield Icons offering strong fodder value

One particularly notable pull was a 94-rated Icon striker with elite finishing stats, standing out as one of the better outcomes of the entire opening.

However, even these highlights were surrounded by a large number of duplicates and low-value Icons.

Pack Weight Concerns

One of the biggest talking points from this opening is the perceived pack weight imbalance.

Certain icons, such as Alan Shearer, Ian Rush, and several mid-tier strikers, appeared far more often than others. Meanwhile, elite Icons like Maldini, Ronaldo, or other top-tier legends appeared extremely rarely or not at all.

This created a clear divide between high-end hits and repeated filler pulls.

Even though EA has included a wide pool of Icons from different promos, the distribution appears heavily weighted toward lower-value options.

Are the Packs Worth It?

From a value perspective, the 91+ Encore Icon Pack is a gamble.

On one hand, there is the potential to pack Icons worth millions of coins, including top-tier Trophy Titans and Team of the Year versions. On the other hand, many packs result in duplicates or low-value Icons that struggle to justify the SBC cost.

Players completing multiple packs increase their chances of hitting something big, but the average return remains inconsistent.

Final Thoughts

The 50-pack opening highlights both the excitement and frustration of FC 26’s highest-rated Icon SBC. While elite pulls are possible and occasionally spectacular, the overall experience is heavily influenced by repeated low-value Icons like Alan Shearer and Ian Rush.

For players considering completing the SBC, it comes down to risk tolerance. If you're chasing the best possible Icons in the game, the upside is undeniable. But if you're looking for consistent value, this pack can just as easily lead to disappointment.

In the end, the 91+ Encore Icon Pack remains one of the most exciting yet unpredictable upgrades in FC 26 Ultimate Team—capable of delivering both dream pulls and repeated heartbreak in equal measure. A large number of FC 26 Coins can also be of great help to you.