If you’ve logged into eFootball 2026 in the last few months, you’ve almost certainly seen the “nominating contract” icon pop up in your rewards tab or the in-game store. If you’re confused about what is nominating contract eFootball, you’re far from the only one – I’ve seen hundreds of questions about it in Reddit threads and Discord servers I’m part of, and a lot of players are skipping over the feature entirely because they don’t understand how it works. I’ve been playing eFootball (and Pro Evolution Soccer before it) for 12 years, so I’ve tested every new feature Konami has rolled out, and I can tell you this is one of the most player-friendly updates they’ve added in years. This guide breaks down exactly how the system works, how to earn contracts, and how to use them to build a top-tier squad without spending real money.
What is Nominating Contract eFootball, Exactly?
First rolled out in the 2026 winter eFootball update, the nominating contract system is a reward item that lets you pick one specific player from a rotating curated pool, instead of relying on random loot box drops. Unlike standard scout packs that give you a random player matching a narrow set of criteria, nominating contracts let you choose exactly who you want to add to your squad, as long as they appear in the active pool when you redeem the item. Pools update every two weeks, and are usually tied to real-world football performances – for example, players who score hat tricks in the Champions League or put up standout numbers during international breaks are often added to the next pool rotation.
There are two main tiers of nominating contracts in 2026: standard and premium. Standard contracts let you pick any player rated between 75 and 84 from the active pool, while premium contracts let you pick 85+ rated players, including featured and Player of the Week (POTW) cards released that year. Nominating contracts never expire unless stated on the specific item, so you don’t have to rush to use them if the current pool doesn’t have a player you actually need for your squad. That’s a big difference from timed scout packs that disappear after 7 days, which is a nice change for players who don’t log in every single day.
If you’ve ever spent thousands of coins on packs hoping for a specific player and got nothing but low-rated duplicates, you’ll appreciate how much of a game-changer the nominating contract eFootball system is in 2026. It eliminates almost all of the randomness that frustrates so many free-to-play players, and gives you full control over how you build your squad.
How Do You Earn Nominating Contracts in eFootball 2026?
The best part about this system is that you don’t have to spend real money to earn high-tier contracts. Konami has added dozens of ways to earn both standard and premium nominating contracts through regular gameplay in 2026, and even casual players can earn enough to get multiple top-rated players per season. The most reliable ways to earn contracts include:
You can also get nominating contracts as part of the paid battle pass, but it’s completely optional. You don't have to spend real money to earn premium nominating contracts – Konami has given out at least 12 free premium ones in the first 6 months of 2026 alone, so even free-to-play players can get top-tier players without spending a dime. I’ve earned 8 premium contracts this year just from playing 2-3 matches a week, and I haven’t spent any money on the game since 2024.
Be careful of third-party sites claiming to give out free nominating contract codes, though. Almost all of them are scams designed to steal your account information, so only claim codes shared directly through Konami’s official social media channels or in-game announcements.
Key Pros and Cons of Using Nominating Contracts
Like any eFootball feature, the nominating contract system has upsides and downsides, and it’s important to understand both before you start redeeming your hard-earned contracts. The biggest pros are pretty obvious for anyone who’s struggled with random pack drops in the past.
First, you get a guaranteed player of your choice, no randomness involved. If you have a gap at left back in your squad, you can wait until a left back you want is added to the pool, then use your contract to get them directly, no wasted coins on packs that might give you 10 midfielders you don’t need. Second, players from nominating contracts have no level caps, so you can level them up to max 100 just like any other player you get from packs or transfers. Players obtained via premium nominating contracts are fully tradeable, so if you later get a better player for that position, you can sell the nominating contract player on the transfer market to recoup coins for other upgrades.
There are a few downsides to keep in mind, though. First, the pool is limited, so you can’t get any player you want whenever you want. For example, if you’re looking for the 2026 POTW Kylian Mbappe card that dropped in March, you have to wait until he’s added to the nominating contract pool, which might take months, or never happen at all. Second, premium nominating contracts are relatively rare, so wasting one on a player that won’t add value to your squad is a much bigger loss than wasting a standard scout pack. Standard nominating contracts only give untradeable players, so you can’t sell them if you don’t need them later, so make sure you only use them on players you actually plan to use in your squad. I wasted 3 standard nominating contracts earlier this year on high-rated wingers I didn’t need, just because they were in the pool, and I regret it now that there’s a 84-rated defensive midfielder I really want that I can’t get because I don’t have any contracts left.
Actionable Tips to Use Nominating Contracts Effectively in 2026
After testing the system for 6 months and making plenty of mistakes myself, I’ve put together a few simple tips that will help you get the most out of every nominating contract you earn, no matter if you’re a casual player or a competitive ranked grinder.
First, audit your squad first before using any contract. Write down exactly what positions you need to fill, what playstyle you run, and what stats you prioritize for each position, so you don’t pick a player that doesn’t fit your system. For example, if you run a possession-based playstyle, don’t waste a premium contract on a striker that only has a counterattacking playstyle, even if he’s 90 rated. Always check the player's playstyle and stats before redeeming your contract – a lower-rated player that fits your system will perform better than a higher-rated one that doesn’t. I learned this the hard way when I used a premium contract on a 89-rated Erling Haaland card earlier this year, only to realize his physical playstyle didn’t fit my tiki-taka system, and he scored less than my 82-rated backup striker for 3 straight weeks.
Second, save premium contracts for featured or POTW players that have boosted stats that won’t be reset at the end of the 2026 season. A lot of players use their premium contracts on standard 85+ rated players, but those players get their base stats reset when the 2026 season ends, while featured POTW players keep their boosted stats for the entire life cycle of the game. That means a POTW player you get now will still be usable in 2027’s edition of the game, while a standard base player will get a stat reset that might make them useless.
Third, wait until the last 2 days of a pool rotation to use your contract. Konami usually announces the next pool 3 days before the current one expires, so you can compare the current pool to the upcoming one to make sure you’re not missing out on a better player. If the next pool has no players you need, go ahead and use your contract on the current pool, if not, wait another two weeks. Don’t hoard contracts forever, though. Even though most don’t expire, the game adds better players every month, so if you’re waiting for a specific player that hasn’t been added to the pool in 6 months, it’s probably better to use your contract on a player that can improve your squad right now, instead of waiting for a player that might never show up. A friend of mine has been saving 4 premium nominating contracts since January 2026 waiting for a featured Lionel Messi card, and he’s still using a 82-rated striker in his squad, which is holding him back from climbing divisions in ranked mode.
If you’re still confused about what is nominating contract eFootball even after all that, just think of it as a free coupon that lets you pick any player from a rotating list, no strings attached. It’s one of the best features Konami has added to eFootball in years, and it’s a huge win for free-to-play players who are tired of wasting coins on random pack drops. As long as you take the time to plan which players you need, avoid wasting contracts on players that don’t fit your system, and wait for the right pool to redeem your rewards, you can build a top 100 ranked squad without spending a single dollar on the game. If you have any questions about specific players in the current nominating contract pool, drop a comment below and I’ll help you decide if they’re worth redeeming a contract for.