# Unlocking the National Pride Ngumoha Grind in EA Sports FC 26 Season 9

**By Tomás Ferreira**  \nPublished August 5, 2026  \nUpdated September 9, 2026

> Season 9 of EA Sports FC 26 Ultimate Team brings a high-value grind: the National Pride objective rewarding a free 96-rated Rio Ngumoha. Here is how to knock out all five tasks efficiently while stacking progress toward the 98-rated FUTTIES Lampard.

Season 9 of EA Sports FC 26 Ultimate Team has ushered in a wave of fresh seasonal content, highlighted most prominently by the National Pride objective set. Designed to test squad building discipline and tactical patience, the overarching goal offers players a free special card featuring 5-star Skill Moves, a 5-star Weak Foot, and a blistering 97 Pace stat. Beyond securing the 96-rated Rio Ngumoha, completing this objective counts directly toward unlocking the elite 98-rated FUTTIES Frank Lampard Icon.

Attempting to clear the five tasks individually is a trap that squanders hours of match time. To maximize efficiency, managers must construct a single, highly specific starting eleven that satisfies multiple categorical criteria simultaneously before queuing up for matches.

## The Optimized Squad Architecture

Running the numbers across the objective parameters reveals an exact blueprint required for your starting lineup. Missing a single criteria forces extra matches, so verify your squad against this checklist before pressing play:

- **At least 6 English players** in your starting eleven.
- **1 Left Midfielder (LM)** in a preferred position.
- **At least 2 Premier League players** in your starting eleven.
- **At least 6 First-Owned players** (acquired via packs or previous objectives, completely excluding the transfer market).**First-Owned Trap:** Double-check your player origins. Market purchases will completely invalidate your progress toward the win requirements. If you make any transfer market swaps mid-stream, re-verify your entire squad sheet.

Utilizing English Premier League players provides an immediate tactical shortcut, naturally satisfying both the nationality and league quotas at the same time. However, locking in an LM position restricts your formation choices, effectively ruling out standard wide winger setups unless managed through tactical custom tactics.

## Breaking Down the Five National Pride Tasks

The objective set comprises five distinct requirements. While online modes like Division Rivals, Champions Finals, and Live Events remain available, executing these in Squad Battles on a minimum of Semi-Pro difficulty offers the most controlled, high-margin environment to secure clean sheets and blowout victories.

Task NameCore RequirementPrimary Strategy**It’s Coming Home**Play 5 matches with at least 6 England playersUse Squad Battles (Semi-Pro+) to cruise through requirements without human volatility.**Score 5**Score 5 goals with an LM (preferred position)Force touches into the box, pushing your LM forward on set pieces or as a secondary striker.**Win 3**Win 3 matches by 3+ goals with 2 Premier League playersCombine with your core English and first-owned setup to stack win-margin progress.**Squeaky Clean**Keep 5 clean sheetsDeploy a conservative 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1 structure and avoid high-pressure triggers once ahead.**Win 8**Win 8 matches with at least 6 First-Owned playersThe most time-consuming volume task, completed naturally by match eight with a fixed squad.

## The Eight-Match Execution Timeline

With the recommended hybrid squad locked in, your progression follows a strict chronological path. Matches one through five should focus heavily on securing three-goal margins while protecting your defensive third. Because clean sheets represent the most common bottleneck—largely due to the unpredictability of keeping a shutout under human pressure—dropping down to Semi-Pro Squad Battles ensures the artificial intelligence attacks far less frequently.

By match eight, your win counter and first-owned metrics will hit their targets, leaving you to mop up any lingering LM goal requirements by utilizing your wide midfielder as an aggressive secondary runner. Once the final whistle blows on the eighth fixture, the rewards drop straight into your club.

## The Payout: Beyond the Ngumoha Card

Finishing the full sequence yields more than just the headlining 96-rated Rio Ngumoha. Players receive 500 SP toward the Season 9 ladder alongside a pack of five 88+ Rare Gold Players. Even if Ngumoha slots past your primary tactical preferences, the high-tier fodder generated by the 88+ pack provides essential capital for completing expensive Squad Building Challenges across Ultimate Team.

## Sources

- [ITEMD2R](https://www.itemd2r.com/it/blog/fc-26/ea-sports-fc-26-ultimate-team-guida-completa-alle-stagioni-e-ricompense) — original
- [Larc](https://games.gg/ea-sports-fc-26/guides/fc-26-how-to-complete-national-pride-ngumoha/) — original
- [Arka Sarkar](https://www.destructoid.com/quickest-way-to-complete-fc-26-national-pride-ngumoha-objecive/) — original
- [GilangMainFIFA](https://soccergaming.com/how-to-complete-fc-26-rio-ngumoha-objectives-quickly/) — original
- [FUT Mind](https://futmind.com/it/articles/14000/fc-26-guida-all-obiettivo-vai-col-mix-come-ottenere-premi-e-evoluzioni) — original