FIFA 22 Ultimate Team pack animations: How to tell if it’s boards or a walkout

Nathan Warby
FIFA 22 walkout player animation

Opening packs is one of the many things that makes FIFA 22 Ultimate Team so addictive, as we desperately hunt for that next star player. Luckily, there is a way to tell if you’re getting a boards or walkout player before you see their face.

FIFA 22 has landed, and eager fans are jumping back into the Ultimate Team grind for another season. A dizzying amount of packs have already been opened, as fans seek to pull the game’s highest-rated players.

Even though EA has made the pack animations far less drawn out this year, there is still a period of suspense while you’re waiting for the player to reveal himself.

However, those with a keen eye will notice a way of knowing how good the pack is ahead of time.

FIFA 22 PSG players in a line

FIFA 22 boards pack animation

Every card can be useful in some way, whether it be as a starter in your Ultimate Team, an impact sub, or SBC fodder. That being said, everyone opens a pack with the hope of getting someone who’s at least boards.

These cards have a rating of 83 or above, and in some cases can still have very high values depending on their stats, league, and nation.

The giveaway from EA that you have packed a boards player is that the stage that shows off the best card in the pack will have orange flames on both sides.

Once you spot it, you know you’re guaranteed at least an 83-rated card or higher.

FIFA 22 boards animation

FIFA 22 walkout pack animation

While packing a boards player is by no means a bad result – what fans really want to see is a walkout.

As the name suggests, these cards are rated 86 or higher and are accompanied by an animation of the player walking onto the screen and doing some sort of celebration.

Much like boards, these packs are also met with fireworks that light up the screen. This time you’ll see six different flames from all around the stage to hammer home that you’ve been awarded something particularly special.

FIFA 22 walkout pack animation

FIFA 22 TOTW walkout animation

Special players, like Team of the Week cards, can also be walkouts if they are 84-rated or higher, and again the tell is in the fireworks.

This one is far harder to spot at first, but there is a clear giveaway if you know where to look.

When the pack first opens and the flares light up, if the card is under 84-rated then the front two fireworks will pop before the remaining four.

However, if the player is a walkout, all six will fire at the same time before your Team of the Week star slowly strolls onto the screen.

FIFA 22 TOTW boards animation

So, that’s how you can tell how good a pack is before the best player inside is revealed.

Some fans have complained that the animations this year are too fast, urging EA to drag them out slightly more to make openings more entertaining.

We’ll update his page with any new tells that are added or discovered by fans.


For more on FIFA 22, check out our predictions for the next Team of the Week, as well as how to claim free Twitch Prime Gaming packs.

Image credits: EA

About The Author

Nathan is a Senior Writer for CharlieIntel and Dexerto, primarily covering FIFA and Call of Duty, as well as general gaming news and guides. After leaving university with a degree in Sports Studies and a master's degree in Magazine Journalism, he took on a role as a local news reporter before moving into games media. You can contact Nathan by email at [email protected].