EA SPORTS FC 26's Journey of Nations: South America objective set is live, and it is basically a speedrun with a passport. Complete this set, add one more set next week, and a 97-rated Maradona card waltzes into the club. The only catch? Ten matches, two phases, and enough nationality requirements to make a customs officer weep. The good news: with a plan, the whole thing can be wrapped in 10 games. No wasted replays, no angry controller throws, just efficient objective hunting. ⚽

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Phase 1: Matches 1–5 — The Brazilian-Colombian-Uruguayan Blend

Phase 1 runs from matches 1 through 5 and asks for a very specific national mix. The squad must include six Brazilians, one of whom is Ronaldinho and one of whom plays as a RB. Four Colombians are required, with one occupying the CAM position. One Uruguayan is needed, and Diego Forlan is the obvious choice because he comes directly from the objective set. Building around Ronaldinho and Forlan from the start matters because both have dedicated task chains that need to be tracked at the same time. 🔥

Tip: Pick up Diego Forlan from the objective rewards before building the squad. He is free and slots straight into the Uruguayan requirement without spending coins.

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Here is the Phase 1 checklist in a handy table:

Task Requirement Best approach
Ongoing 2 goals + 1 assist from South American players Every single match, all 10 games
Brazil Score 7 goals and concede no more than 1 Beginner Squad Battles vs weak AI
Colombia Score 5 goals with Colombian players Stack with the Brazil 7-goal match
Ronaldinho Score a free kick goal Any Phase 1 match, let it happen naturally
Forlan Use the Uruguayan in the lineup All five Phase 1 matches
Low Driven Score low driven goals Hold shoot lightly, aim near post

The Brazil task is the greediest of the bunch. It wants seven goals in one match while conceding no more than one. Set the difficulty to Beginner in Squad Battles and pick the weakest AI opponent available. That same match is the perfect window to knock out Colombia's five-goal requirement too, because the player will already be attacking freely. Two birds, one very overwhelmed goalkeeper. 🥅

Warning: The Ongoing task runs across all 10 matches, not just Phase 1. Make sure South American players contribute 2 goals and 1 assist every single game, or it is replay time.

Phase 2: Matches 6–10 — Rebuild with Argentina and Ecuador or Paraguay

Phase 2 covers matches 6 through 10 and demands a squad rebuild. The six Brazilians from Phase 1 carry over, but the Colombian and Uruguayan slots get replaced. The new requirements are four players from Argentina, one player from Ecuador or Paraguay, and the same six Brazilians. It is not necessary to use the exact same Brazilian individuals, but keeping them consistent avoids confusion with the Brazil-specific task.

Task Requirement Notes
Ongoing 2 goals + 1 assist per game Still the backbone
Brazil First Touch Assist from a Brazilian midfielder or attacker with 80+ Passing Must happen in every Phase 2 match
Argentina Score a header with an Argentine player Cross from wide, use heading input
Ecuador or Paraguay Use one player from either nation Squad requirement only
Low Driven Score low driven goals Appears in both phases

The Phase 2 Brazil task is the one that catches players off guard. A Brazilian midfielder or attacker with at least 80 Passing needs to register a First Touch Assist in every single Phase 2 match. Check the Passing stats before starting and slot the right player into a central position where they will see plenty of the ball. If the chosen playmaker is hiding on the wing like a shy cat, the assist will never come. 😹

Tip: For the Argentina header goal, play the ball into the striker from a wide position and use the heading input rather than forcing it from a corner. It is faster and more reliable.

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The fastest path through all 10 matches is Squad Battles on Beginner difficulty against the weakest available opponents. This lets the player control the scoreline, attempt specific shot types without pressure, and replay the same match if a task is missed. In 2026, with so many objective tracks competing for attention, efficiency is not optional. It is the difference between a 97-rated Maradona and a pile of unfinished checklists. 🏆

A few things to keep in mind across both phases:

  • The Ongoing task of 2 goals + 1 assist per game is the backbone of the entire set. Never lose sight of it. It is the quiet objective that ruins everything if ignored.

  • Stack as many single-match tasks as possible into the same game. The Brazil seven-goal match in Phase 1 is the best opportunity to also hit Colombia's five-goal requirement.

  • Low-Driven shots appear in both phases. Hold the shoot button lightly and aim for the near post to keep the ball low. Grass-level rockets are the goal here.

  • The free kick goal for Ronaldinho does not need to happen in a specific match, so do not waste time forcing it early. Let it come naturally over the five games.

  • If other FC 26 objectives are being worked on at the same time, Argentina players can overlap with Phase 2 squad building. Two checklists, one squad, fewer headaches.

Completing the South America set brings the player one step closer to the 97-rated Maradona card. One more set, due next week, is all that stands between the player and the full Journey of Nations reward. The South America set itself also delivers rewards for individual phase completions, so there is loot throughout the process rather than one giant prize at the end. That means every phase completed is a small victory, and every match won is a step toward the little Argentine genius. 🇦🇷

So, in 2026, the plan is simple: build Phase 1 around Ronaldinho, Forlan, Brazilians, Colombians, and one Uruguayan; smash Beginner Squad Battles; stack tasks like a coupon collector; rebuild for Phase 2 with Argentina and Ecuador or Paraguay; keep the Ongoing task alive; and let the 97-rated Maradona card inch closer. Ten games, two phases, one very smug squad. The only thing left is to actually do it. 🎮