The first FC 27 ICON leaks have landed, and the early shortlist is heavy on modern-era stars. Reliable leakers report at least five new ICONs being tested for the FC 27 roster: Mario Kempes, Roberto Rivellino, Pepe, Sergio Agüero and Raphaël Varane. EA hasn't confirmed anything officially, but Kempes and Rivellino are reportedly locked in, while the other three are heavily linked. Here's who's leaked, why each name makes the ICON case, and what the leak signals about the rest of the FC 27 cycle.
The five leaked FC 27 ICON debuts
According to the current round of leaks, EA is testing the following five players for ICON release in FC 27:
Mario Kempes (Argentina, 1978 World Cup Golden Boot)
Roberto Rivellino (Brazil, 1970 World Cup winner)
Pepe (Portugal, ex-Real Madrid)
Sergio Agüero (Argentina, ex-Manchester City)
Raphaël Varane (France, ex-Real Madrid / Manchester United)
Kempes and Rivellino are the two reportedly locked in, with Pepe, Agüero and Varane in the heavily-linked tier. Ratings haven't leaked yet, which is normal at this stage of the FC 27 reveal cycle: ICON cards typically don't see stat leaks until late summer, with the full roster usually confirmed at the August media tour.
Why each name makes the ICON case
Pepe
If you've watched any Champions League knockout football in the last 15 years, you've seen Pepe. The Portuguese centre-back is arguably one of the most distinctive defenders of his generation, defined by aggression, work rate and a near-perfect reading of the game (with the occasional moment of controversy thrown in). Three Champions Leagues with Real Madrid, multiple La Liga titles, and a Euro 2016 winner's medal with Portugal make the silverware case airtight. The ICON status is more than earned.
Raphaël Varane
Varane's career was injury-shortened, which is the only real argument against the ICON tag. Everything else checks out: he replaced Pepe in the Real Madrid backline as a teenager, won four Champions Leagues, lifted the 2018 World Cup with France, and spent the bulk of the 2010s as one of the best CBs on the planet. He's not in the Sergio Ramos or Pepe physical-dominator tier, but the trophy cabinet alone makes the ICON debut justified.
Sergio Agüero
There's no real ICON debate for Agüero. The Argentine striker is one of the most prolific scorers in Premier League history with 184 PL goals, sat at the heart of Manchester City's first dynasty, and delivered the single most replayed moment in English football this century: 93:20, the 2012 title-winning goal against QPR. Top-tier Argentina internationals plus a Copa América title round out the case.
Mario Kempes
Pre-Premier League-era fans might know the name less, but Kempes is foundational ICON material. He won the 1978 World Cup Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer while leading Argentina to their first World Cup title on home soil. Goals at every level in Argentina, Spain (Valencia) and Austria, plus the most iconic Argentina shirt moment outside Maradona. EA has been working through this generation of legends across the last three FC cycles, and Kempes was overdue.
Roberto Rivellino
The Brazilian playmaker is a 1970 World Cup winner alongside Pelé, Jairzinho and Tostão, and is widely credited as the originator of the "elastico" skill move (the same one virtual footballers have been pulling off in EA games for decades). Add long spells at Corinthians and Fluminense plus 92 caps for Brazil, and Rivellino fits the classic 1970s-Brazilian-creative-genius ICON archetype that the game has been steadily filling out since the FIFA-era Garrincha and Sócrates additions.
How this fits the bigger FC 27 leak picture
The ICON list is only one piece of the FC 27 rumour cycle. Earlier leaks have suggested:
Point-based SBCs: a new system where SBC submissions earn points toward rewards instead of straight pack pulls
Holographic cards: a new visual rarity tier
Collection Book return: the older menu system for tracking owned players
Alex Hunter return: the FIFA 17–19 single-player story mode protagonist tipped for a comeback
None of these are confirmed, but the combination suggests EA is leaning into nostalgia and progression mechanics for FC 27 after a polarising FC 26 cycle. For reference on how the current game has handled ICON drops, the FUT Birthday Team 2 leaked roster covers the most recent batch of ICON-tier releases in FC 26, and the Beckenbauer Thunderstruck ICON SBC guide shows the price-and-stats template EA has been using for premium ICON content this year.
What FC 26 tells us about the roster size
FC 26 introduced 12 new ICONs across the cycle, plus a similar Heroes batch. If FC 27 follows the same pattern, expect the five leaked names above to be roughly a third of the full debut class, with the rest revealed across the summer leak window and the official reveal in late August.
Watch for the next wave of leaks around mid-July, which is historically when player ratings start trickling out alongside the cover-star announcement. The Icon Swaps Batch 2 breakdown from earlier in FC 26 covers how the current Swap programme handles ICON value, which should give a sense of where these new debuts will land on the meta-vs-collection spectrum once they actually drop.
What this means for FC 26 collectors
Two practical takeaways with FC 26 still wrapping its Ultimate TOTS phase:
Don't dump your existing FC 26 ICON cards yet. They carry over to FC 27 Collection Book mechanics in the past, and if the Collection Book really does return, retained ICONs become more valuable, not less.
Coins still matter. End-cycle FC 26 prices on top ICONs typically dip before the FC 27 reveal week, then rebound on hype. If you've been holding off on a marquee ICON SBC, the next two weeks are usually the cheapest window. You can top up your PS5 club if you want to capitalise before the FC 27 reveal cycle moves the market.
FAQ
Q: Who are the new ICONs leaked for FC 27?
A: Five names so far: Mario Kempes, Roberto Rivellino, Pepe, Sergio Agüero and Raphaël Varane. Kempes and Rivellino are reportedly locked in; the other three are heavily linked but not confirmed.
Q: Is Pepe in FC 27?
A: Reliable leakers report Pepe is in EA's testing pool for FC 27 ICONs, but no official confirmation yet.
Q: When is FC 27 coming out?
A: EA has not announced a release date, but the studio's annual cycle puts FC 27 around the last weekend of September 2026, with the cover-star reveal typically landing in mid-July.
Q: How many new ICONs does FC 26 have?
A: FC 26 introduced 12 new ICONs across the cycle, alongside a similar batch of Heroes.
Q: Is Sergio Agüero an ICON in FC 27?
A: Per current leaks, yes, Agüero is on EA's tested ICON list for FC 27. Given his 184 Premier League goals and Manchester City legacy, the ICON case is uncontroversial.
Conclusion
The FC 27 ICON shortlist is shaping up well: Kempes and Rivellino bring 1970s World Cup heritage, Pepe and Varane anchor a generational Real Madrid defensive duo, and Agüero finally gets the ICON treatment after years of fan campaigns. Five names is just the opening salvo; if FC 26's 12-ICON roster pattern holds, expect another seven debut names plus a Heroes batch to land across the summer leak window. EA's official confirmation usually arrives with the late-August media tour.
Want coins ready for the final FC 26 ICON moves before FC 27 hits? Visit FUTCOIN to grab FC 26 coins ahead of the pre-launch price dip window.
