FIFA 22 Ones to Watch predictions: start date, OTW cards, Ultimate Edition & ratings

FIFA 22 is fast approaching, and that means one thing: live One to Watch cards are just around the corner too. The 2021/22 transfer window has been flung open, and the world’s heavyweight clubs are already dipping into the market.

Much of the football offseason so far has been dominated by EURO 2020 and the Copa America, and rightly so we here in the Dexerto writing room say.

That being said, the transfers haven’t stopped.

The biggest saga of the summer has been Jadon Sancho to Manchester United. The Englishman had recently penned a rich new £190k-a-week contract with Borussia Dortmund, but the Premier League giants have been able to prize their transfer target away from the Germans in a £73m signing coup.

Manchester United finally got their man in the summer’s richest transfer yet.

Liverpool has also boosted their backline stock with Ibrahima Konate (£36m) and Leicester scooped up French wunderkind Boubakary Soumare on a five-year deal.

On the continent, French titans Paris Saint-Germain haven’t taken losing their Ligue 1 title well; they’ve already scooped up three big-name signings, including Achraf Hakimi, Georginio Wijnaldum, and Sergio Ramos for a combined £60 million.

Dexerto expects to see all these football superstars included in the FIFA 22 Ones to Watch squad unveiled next month. Here’s our full list of OTW predictions.

Our FIFA 22 OTW predictions

Sergio Aguero has finally left Manchester City after a decade with the sky-blue English heavyweights.

FIFA 22 OTW start date

Right now, we don’t know when FIFA 22 will be released.

EA SPORTS is likely to drop their next FIFA game sometime between Friday, Sep 24, and Friday, Oct 8. If FIFA 21’s timeline is anything to go off, the FUT publishers will reveal the first Ones to Watch lineup once the game goes live.

The OTW upgrade squad will then be available to pack in-game once FIFA 22 early access ends, and will likely coincide with the release of Team of the Week 2.

How do OTW upgrades work?

Ones to Watch upgrades are special dynamic FUT items.

The premise behind the FIFA 22 cards are simple. Unlike standard gold, silver, and bronze cards, these OTW upgrades will see their stats increase throughout the season depending on how the players perform in the real world at their new clubs.

OTWs are always rated the same as a player’s highest In-Form card.

Think of them like stock. As their stats rise, their price will too. They’re “live” cards that create a game-long attachment as you watch your favorite card level up.

Ones to Watch cards could feasibly hit “99” ratings if their players shine in 2020/21.

Can I get OTW cards for free?

For the most part, no, Ones to Watch aren’t free.

That being said, the start of every FUT game cycle gives you a chance get one without spending a single in-game dime ⁠— though it will set you back a little extra in real life. If you pre-order the FIFA 22 Ultimate Edition bundle, you will receive a free OTW card when the team is eventually released in-game.

The only downside to this is the OTW card will be untradeable, meaning you can’t make a profit. If you pack a good one though, you may want to keep it anyway!

Could we see Lionel Messi added to the Ones to Watch list after Copa America?

So there you have it ⁠— everything you need to know about FIFA 22’s popular Ones to Watch promo ahead of the big EA reveal. Keep in mind the 2021/22 transfer window is still open, for now, so more players may be on the move.

We will update our OTW predictions as transfers are made.