FIFA 23 formations, the four best tactical setup guides

Thinking through the best FIFA 23 formations is absolutely essential this year. EA’s swan song to the iconic football franchise is a more patient matter, one that requires you to dictate the field from the opening whistle – unless you want to find yourself on the wrong side of a nasty hide. Tried and tested formations in FIFA 23 are out the window. We’ve broken down the hours into Ultimate Team, Career Mode, and Seasons to bring you the best FIFA 23 formations: how to use them, whatever their strengths and weaknesses and Abilities, the last important 1% you should look to to get the best out of your team.

Best FIFA 23 formations: 5-2-1-2

Best for: Players who counterattack

Going forward: This line-up got me a 70% win rate last year, and it’s still worthwhile this year, unlike some old FIFA favourites.

The secret of this tactic is in the marauding wingbacks. FIFA 23 has so far been a battle of attrition in the center of the midfield, and the dribbling nerf means it’s a lot harder to dodge your marker than in previous years. However, 5-2-1-2 gives you an out ball nine times out of 10, with the wingbacks in the system almost always ready to continue your attack.

Keeping tight on the back: While this isn’t exactly a gung-ho build, you should be proactive in your defense by working on the forefoot. Team instruction ‘Heavy Touch Pressure’ is a godsend this year, allowing you to smother any heavy build-up play of the opponent. If you want to keep things a little conservative, set all your rears to only ‘Stay Back While Attacking’ so that they join the attack at your command. Then a tap of the L1/LB button can release them on the wings.

What do you need: With stamina bags and high attack run speed, wingbacks are a must. Alphonso Davies is the prototype of such a formation.

Best FIFA 23 formations: 4-1-2-1-2 (tight)

Best for: Controlling the tempo and pissing off your opponents

Going forward: You may have noticed that FIFA 23 is heavier than past installments. This helps you get used to a new style of play.

‘Grab slow’ on tactical instructions and use one more physical striker to keep the ball up. This way, you can manipulate the space and attract triangles and combinations this year with zip interaction. Don’t be afraid to go the first route and delete any thread.

Keeping tight on the back: Playing ‘The Fall’ may not be considered a sporty move – but all is fair in love and FUT. Use this and resist the urge to manually check your CDM to make sure you have a solid foundation in your own third. The rest can be tweaked as you go – but we’ve found that lowering your depth a little more than the default settings works wonders.

What do you need: Passing is king in FIFA 23, so top the midfield with players who can easily blast the ball. It also helps to have a CAM with high agility, balance and ball control skills as they will be needed in the final three. A pair of grumpy forwards wouldn’t go wrong either.

Best FIFA 23 formations: 4-3-3 (straight)

Best for: Players who like to attack without thinking too much about tactics

Going forward: It’s really hard to recommend single striker formations in FIFA 23. 4-3-3 is the exception to this. For now – before the patches rain down – the crossovers are pretty effective from certain angles. Make the most of this by doubling down on tough wingers and a towering target man at the front. Still, we chose the straight variation of 4-3-3 here because it’s harder to beat a man one-on-one. Having countless options in the midfield as a winger helps maintain rhythm and puts an end to annoying turnovers.

Keeping tight on the back: It’s as plug and play as it is for your defense. However, you should be wary of any full support with a high attack run speed as it can leave your defense vulnerable to a quick counterattack.

What do you need: Focus on the striker and work backwards. Without a formidable forward, this formation is not as effective as it could be. Skill moves, acceleration (who has an advantage over sprint speed so far) and two wingers with four-star weak legs really put this 4-3-3 in action.

Best FIFA 23 formations: 4-2-2-2

Best for: hold tight in the back

Going forward: You can really mess up with player instructions in 4-2-2-2. Setting one of your forwards to ‘Wide drag’ usually means opening up space inside for the narrower CAM to make hay. Combine that with some aggressive overlapping instructions from your wingbacks and you can overload both sides of the pitch whenever you want.

Keeping tight on the back: Making too many concessions? 4-2-2-2 is your friend. Two CDMs are invaluable. Space is already very valuable in FIFA 23 and their presence helps cut most of the passing lanes as well as restrict any sprints from midfield. It also means you can take a few more risks with your attacks, as all four guys will always come back.

What do you need: While the speed isn’t as strong as before, a fast CAM with high dribbling stats can do wonders here. They will often need to carry the ball long distances in midfield. Meanwhile, the two CDMs should have low attack run speed and strong defensive and physical stats such as Interception, Defense Awareness, and Standing Response in the 80+ range.