“Fodder” is the high-rated cards people buy only to put into SBCs: usually 84 to 86 rated golds, plus the cheapest special cards. Because SBCs need them constantly, their prices follow a pattern you can trade.
Why fodder prices move
An SBC that needs an 86-rated squad pushes up the price of every 86, 85 and 84 at once. Thousands of players buy the same cheap cards in the same hour, while the supply stays the same. Prices can jump by a third or more within minutes of a big release.
When nothing big is out, players fund new packs by selling their spare high-rated cards, and prices slowly fall.
The pattern
- Before a big promo: fodder usually rises, as players expect strong SBCs to come with it.
- When big player SBCs drop: a sharp spike, often at 6pm UK time when new content lands.
- During heavy pack weeks: fodder falls, because packs flood the market with high-rated cards.
- Quiet midweek: slow decline, often the best time to buy.
How to invest
- Buy when it’s quiet. Midweek, a few days after a big spike has faded.
- Spread your coins. Several different 84, 85 and 86s, not 50 copies of one card. The cheapest card at each rating is what gets bought for SBCs.
- Set a target. Decide your sell price before you buy. A 10 to 20% rise after the 5% tax is a good result.
- Sell into the spike. Don’t wait for the absolute top. Prices drop fast once the SBC’s first rush is over.
Mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting the tax. A card bought at 10,000 has to sell above 10,526 just to break even. Our tax and price steps guide has the maths.
- Buying during a spike. By the time an SBC is trending on social media, you’re usually too late to buy.
- Holding through a pack-heavy promo. Lots of packs means lots of supply, and prices can fall for days.
Snipe it instead of buying it
Fodder is also one of the best things to snipe. There’s always lots of it on the market, and lots of people list in a hurry to fund packs. A filter like “Gold · Rare · 84 to 86 rated” with a sensible max buy catches underpriced listings all day. FUT Snipe Club can price-check the filter for you and work out the max buy from the profit you want after tax.
And when you do want to use your fodder, the SBC Assistant builds squads from your club first, so you don’t burn cards you meant to sell.