EA SPORTS FC 26 has introduced another major Ultimate Team grind with the Journey of Nations promotion, and the North America chapter is one of the most rewarding objective sets available during Season 8. Players who complete the full Journey of Nations path will move one step closer to unlocking a free 97-rated Diego Maradona card, making the challenge well worth the effort.

While the objectives themselves are not particularly difficult, completing them efficiently requires some planning. The tasks are spread across multiple game modes and demand different squad requirements, meaning players can easily waste matches if they tackle objectives one at a time.

This guide breaks down the North America chapter into three simple phases, helping you complete every objective in the fewest matches possible.

What Is Journey of Nations: North America?

Journey of Nations is a multi-stage Ultimate Team objective campaign that focuses on different regions around the world. The North America section serves as one chapter within the larger Season 8 progression track.

Completing all North America objectives rewards players with packs, coins, special player items, and valuable progress toward the free 97-rated Maradona reward. Because several objectives can be completed simultaneously, building the right squad for each phase is the key to finishing the challenge quickly.

In total, most players can expect to complete the entire chapter in around 12 to 14 matches.

Phase One: USA and Mexico Squad Setup

The first phase is the longest and will take approximately six matches to complete.

For this stage, build your squad with the following requirements:

6 players from the United States

3 players from Mexico

1 player from Brazil

Recommended formation: 4-4-2 (2)

After securing your first clean sheet, you can replace one of the Mexican players with Hero Marquez to complete additional objectives more easily.

During these six matches, focus on completing the following tasks:

Keep one clean sheet

Win six matches

Earn three victories in Rivals, Champions, or Live Events

Score a free-kick goal with a Mexican player

Score six Low Driven goals with a USA player

Score one Low Driven goal using Dempsey

Score a header with Marquez

Assist three goals using through balls

Score seven total goals

The Low Driven shot objectives will likely take the most attention. Players unfamiliar with the mechanic should consider practicing in Kick Off mode before jumping into competitive matches. Consistently converting these chances can significantly reduce the number of games needed to complete the phase.

Because most of these objectives overlap naturally, players can make excellent progress simply by focusing on winning matches while using the required nationalities.

Phase Two: Switch to a Canadian Core

Once the first stage is complete, it's time to rebuild your squad around Canadian players.

For this phase, include at least six players from Canada in your starting lineup. The remaining positions can be filled with your strongest available cards to make objectives easier.

This stage generally requires around five matches and includes the following challenges:

Earn three wins in Rivals, Champions, or Live Events

Register at least two assists in a single match

Score two Finesse Shot goals

Assist three goals using lobbed through balls

Fortunately, several of these objectives can be completed at the same time. A well-placed lobbed through ball that leads directly to a goal counts toward both the assist objective and the lobbed through-ball requirement.

To maximize efficiency, position your Canadian midfielders in creative roles and focus on feeding attacking players with lofted passes. This approach allows multiple objectives to progress naturally without forcing specific gameplay patterns.

Many players find this phase easier than the first because there are fewer scoring restrictions and less dependence on specific player items.

Phase Three: Complete Rush Objectives

The final phase is centered around Rush mode and typically requires only one to three matches.

Compared to the previous stages, the requirements are much lighter and can often be completed naturally through normal gameplay.

Objectives include:

Play a Rush match using a North American player

Win one match by at least two goals

Score seven goals as a team

Record five assists as a team

Since Rush tracks team-wide statistics, progress can accumulate across multiple matches. Even if your squad fails to reach the goal or assist totals in a single game, subsequent matches will continue contributing toward completion.

Players who queue with friends may find this phase particularly easy, as coordinated attacks can quickly generate both goals and assists.

Rewards for Completing Journey of Nations: North America

The North America chapter offers a solid collection of Ultimate Team rewards, including packs, currency, and special player items. However, the biggest incentive remains the progress toward unlocking the free 97-rated Diego Maradona available during Season 8.

Because Maradona is one of the highest-rated free cards currently obtainable, completing every Journey of Nations chapter is a priority for many Ultimate Team players.

The North America section may appear lengthy at first glance, but by following the three-phase strategy outlined above, players can dramatically reduce the time required to finish the objective set. Having plenty of FC 26 Coins can also really help you save time.

Final Tips

The biggest mistake players make is constantly changing their squad after every objective. Instead, focus on completing multiple challenges simultaneously by using the recommended squad setups for each phase.

By sticking to the USA and Mexico lineup in Phase One, switching to a Canadian core in Phase Two, and finishing with Rush mode in Phase Three, most players can clear the entire North America chapter in roughly a dozen matches.

With valuable rewards and progress toward a free 97-rated Maradona on the line, the Journey of Nations: North America objectives are among the most worthwhile challenges currently available in FC 26 Ultimate Team.