FC26 Clubs Facilities Guide

Facilities have a direct impact in FC26 Clubs on how both human-controlled players and computer-controlled teammates behave on the pitch. The system is divided into two areas. Player Facilities exclusively improve the attributes and PlayStyles of the human players in a club. AI Facilities are new this year and affect only the bots. However, both types draw on the same Facility Budget, so the decision of which cards to activate is always a matter of strategic priority.

Reputation, Budget, and Unlocking Facilities

The size of the Facility Budget determines the selection of cards that can be activated. A newly founded club begins at Reputation Level 1 with a budget of one million coins. By collecting fans, reputation increases, and with it the budget rises step by step. At the following levels, the budget increases. From Level 5, for example, 1.5 million becomes available.

The maximum budget is 2.5 million and is unlocked at Reputation Level 10. For this last step, 50 million fans are required. Parallel to the budget, the overall rating of the AI team also grows with the Reputation Level, so at higher levels the AI squad ratings can reach up to 88.

The allocation of Facility cards is carried out by one or more managers of the club. Facility cards can be effective in League, Playoff, and Friendly matches. The budget remains after activation of the cards, so clubs can test different combinations without permanently losing the budget.

Principle and Effect of Player Facilities

Player Facilities deliver three types of effects. On the one hand, they increase specific attribute values such as acceleration, reactions, or passing strength. On the other hand, they unlock PlayStyles that are available to all human players in the club. Finally, some cards at higher levels allow the use of a PlayStyle Plus, i.e. an improved version of a PlayStyle that cannot be reached via an Archetype. The choice always follows the question of which roles and game concepts dominate in the club’s own lobby.

In the evaluation of individual cards, a wide spectrum of value-for-money ratios becomes apparent. The Equipment Manager, for example, increases Jumping and Stamina, but at lower levels only provides small bonuses. Since Stamina in FC26 no longer decreases as strongly over a match as in earlier titles, this card is considered relatively poor value. The Head Groundskeeper, on the other hand, increases Balance and Ball Control and provides a significant boost at higher levels. This card is among the more efficient investments because Balance and Ball Control are central to many player types.

The card Press Proven belongs to the PlayStyles with wide application. It is suitable for defenders, midfielders, and strikers alike. The Performance Analyst improves Vision and Short Passing and activates the Tiki Taka PlayStyle at the highest level. This combination is particularly useful for teams that rely on precise short passing play. The Sport Psychologist is a very inexpensive option and improves Aggression and Composure. At higher levels, a PlayStyle such as Jockey becomes available for the entire team, which benefits defensively strong players.

The Sport Scientist card is one that has remained consistently popular in recent years. It increases Acceleration and Reactions significantly, thus providing valuable speed and reaction bonuses. Because of these effects, it is often used as a core Facility. The Speed Parachute card is particularly meta-relevant because of its impact on Pace and the fact that it provides Quick Step for the entire team at the highest level. This card makes it possible to distribute Quick Step broadly without individual players having to invest AP for it.

The Fitness Coach increases Stamina and Jumping and can unlock the PlayStyle Relentless at higher levels. However, since Stamina is less important in the current version of the game, the benefit of this coach is situational. The Passing Coach increases Long Passing and Short Passing and unlocks Pinged Pass at the highest level. This card is very valuable for playmakers and teams that play many diagonal passes.

Specialized cards such as Shooting Coach, Technical Coach, or Tackling Coach provide targeted improvements. The Shooting Coach increases Finishing and Long Shots, but the highest level only brings a simple Chip Shot improvement, which is not necessarily considered particularly valuable. The Technical Coach improves Ball Control and Dribbling and unlocks technical PlayStyles at the highest levels. The Tackling Coach increases Stand Tackle and Slide Tackle and can make sense for defensive setups.

There are also cards with unusual or seemingly less relevant combinations. For example, the Low Driven Drill card affects Balance and Vision, even though the name suggests otherwise. The VR Room card provides Long Throw Plus at the highest level and is thus one of the few ways to obtain PlayStyle Plus effects such as Long Throw Plus that cannot be unlocked via Archetypes. Also noteworthy is the Passing Drill card, which improves Interceptions and Long Passing and unlocks an Interception PlayStyle at the highest level. Interceptions are particularly effective this year, which is why this card is one of the practical options.

Cost Efficiency and Prioritization

For clubs with a small budget, some cards are particularly attractive. The Sport Psychologist and the Defensive Tactical Coach start with very low costs and bring immediate improvements in Composure, Aggression, and Defensive Awareness. The Performance Analyst and the Head Groundskeeper, on the other hand, offer high long-term value, especially when many human players are active in the team. The decision between speed-oriented cards like Speed Parachute and technically oriented cards like Passing Coach ultimately depends on the playing style and composition of the human players.

AI Facilities: New Options for Computer-Controlled Teammates

AI Facilities are a new feature in FC26 Clubs and are organized by position. Defenders, midfielders, attackers, and goalkeepers each receive their own cards, which only improve the respective AI players. These Facilities use the same budget as the Player Facilities. The introduction of these cards gives clubs with few human players the opportunity to strategically improve the quality of the bots.

Goalkeeper AI cards increase Reflexes, Positioning, Diving, or Handling. These cards are generally very expensive and do not provide PlayStyles. Defender AI cards offer options such as increased Pace, improved Interceptions, Defensive Awareness, and Stand or Slide Tackling. The Pace options allow extremely fast AI defenders to be configured, which can be helpful in certain tactics. Particularly promising is the combination of Interceptions and Defensive Awareness, as it can significantly stabilize the positioning of the AI.

In the midfield area, AI cards exist that improve Acceleration, Reactions, Short Passing, or Interceptions. Interceptions in combination with Acceleration can cause AI midfielders to close down spaces faster and block passing lanes more effectively. The Attacker AI cards focus on Sprint Speed, Ball Control, Finishing, and occasionally Vision.

Overall, AI Facilities are useful when only a few human players are active in a match and the bots have to take on the remaining roles.

Budget Management: Players or Bots?

The question of whether the budget should be invested more in Player Facilities or in AI Facilities depends on the average lobby size. If a club regularly plays with a full lobby, maximizing Player Facilities is more efficient because they directly improve all human-controlled avatars. In matches often played with a small lineup, it makes sense to invest in individual AI Facilities to improve the quality of the bots. Because of the shared budget base, this decision is strategic and should be planned for the long term.

Practical Tips for Selection and Combination

When selecting Facilities, the interaction of PlayStyles, PlayStyle Plus, and attribute bonuses plays a major role. For clubs that prefer a fast game, the Speed Parachute card at level three is an attractive choice because it makes Quick Step widely available. Those who prefer controlled passing play should prioritize Performance Analyst, Passing Coach, and Head Groundskeeper. Small investments such as the Sport Psychologist or the Defensive Tactical Coach provide immediately noticeable advantages for little budget. Interceptions are particularly strong in the current version of the game, which is why Passing Drill or Defender AI cards with Interception bonuses should be given high priority.

In budget planning, it is also important to consider which PlayStyle Plus effects are only available through Facilities. Their availability can enable certain tactical concepts that cannot be realized through Archetype choice alone.

Summary

Facilities significantly expand the tactical depth of FC26 Clubs. The right selection improves attributes, unlocks important PlayStyles, and can facilitate entire game concepts for the team. Head Groundskeeper, Performance Analyst, Sport Scientist, and Speed Parachute were highlighted in the input as particularly effective cards.

Affordable options such as Sport Psychologist or Defensive Tactical Coach also enable quick improvements for little money. AI Facilities open up a new dimension for clubs with few human players because they specifically increase bot strengths. What remains decisive is long-term budget planning, since Facility investments must be strategically managed and adapted to the typical playing behavior of the club.