Are you struggling to rank up in EA FC 26? Can’t get a hold of possession long enough to score? You’re not alone. There are thousands of players still struggling with grasping the basics, let alone mastering niches to advance. However, we change that today. Learning a few tips and tricks is one of the best ways to get better at a game.
Today, we’re going to talk about the top 4 tips in EA FC 26 that every player needs to know. We’ll try to break down smaller bits of information you probably didn’t know about. From offensive tactics like positioning and passing, to defensive formations, this should serve as a great starter guide, regardless of your skill level.
Best Ways To Get Better In EA FC 26
Offensive Build-Up
When going on the offense, it’s not always about how good your stats are, but rather how well you can read your opponent. One of the most important aspects of a good offense is the buildup. Before you near the opponent’s penalty area, are your players in position? Do you have open spaces for passes? Have you cut through enough defenders? These are all questions that decide how successful the offense is bound to be.
A typical error made by many EA FC 26 players is betting on that one super fast ST to sprint all the way from their half to the opponent’s goal. This not only fatigues the player faster, but is a coin-flip strategy. If there are more than two defenders in the opposing half, chances are they will intercept him. To avoid this, move the ball with your team. Pass it around to give your other midfielders and attackers time to get into position. This will help with opening up the pitch.
That brings us to our second point: do you have openings to choose from? If you’re relying solely on one strategy, your opponent will see right through you. That one CF will be marked so heavily, he won’t get within 6ft of the ball. When you allow your team time to fan out in the opposing half, the defense will need to spread in order to cover different players. This allows you to either sprint towards the goal, or at least break up their defensive formation.
Mastering The Art Of Passing
I cannot stress enough the importance of learning how to pass. Passing is the basis of moving the ball around, especially after the changes from FC 25. While you can always practice simple short/long passes and through balls, we’re here to take it a step further: swerve through passes.
So what are swerve through passes? These are through passes that will swerve in either direction to fall right into your teammates feet. This is especially important when playing from the wing. Swerve through passes allow you to spin the ball slightly, avoiding defenders in front of you. However, they require extra power and a teammate should be in position to receive it beforehand.
Branching off from passing is the first touch mechanic. Passing is all about keeping your opponent guessing, and there’s no pass better than a first touch pass to accomplish this. First touch passes are where you receive and pass the ball in a single touch. You don’t wait to control the ball and change direction, which is why your opponents can often be caught off-guard. Once you master the first touch mechanic, it makes passing much smoother and streamlines gameplay.
Stop Overcomplicating The Game
This heading might be a bit vague, but I’m talking about trying to micromanage the entire team. FC 26 gives you full autonomy on how you want the game to play out. Whether you prefer a more defensive mindset, like to wait for a counter-attack opportunity, or want everyone to push forward, it’s all upto you. However, this can feel a bit overwhelming, especially when starting.
For this reason, I’d always suggest focusing on one aspect of gameplay at a time. If you’re focusing on passing near the centre line, let your defenders mark players according to the AI. Start with well-rounded formations like 4-4-3 or 4-3-3-2, and don’t try to cut defenders using tricks when a simple through ball will work.
When players try to control every single player, especially on defense, they sometimes remove coverage from key players in the opponent’s attack. Unless you’re really good at reading plays and can get away with leaving the player open, we’d recommend letting the AI do its job. This also applies to manaully controlling midfielders (particularly CDMs). Since CDMs are you first line of defense against counter-attacks, manually bringing them forward can result in a devastating counter-attack goal.
PlayStyles. Are. Important!
PlayStyles have grown in importance, now more than ever before. You can’t just rely on good stats to get you through the game because chances are, someone’s playstyle synergy will out-match you. Let’s talk about some must-have playstyles that are good in almost every situation:
| Name | PlayStyle |
| Tiki Taka | Executes difficult first-time Ground Passes with high accuracy, using backheels when contextually appropriate. Short distance Ground Passes are highly accurate. |
| Incisive Pass | Through Passes are more accurate, Swerve Passes are delivered with more curve, and Precision Passes travel faster to the destination. |
| Intercept | Increased reach and improved chances of retaining possession of the ball when performing interceptions. |
| Low Driven Shot | Enhances a player’s ability to execute low driven shots with increased accuracy, faster ball travel, and quicker shot execution. |
| Footwork | BAG players will have increased reactions and speed in 1-on-1 situations |
These are some of the best plastyles in FC 26. They’re not only good on their own, but synergize really well with other playstyles as well. Footwork is essential if you find yourself in 1-on-1 situations more often than not. Tiki Taka and Incisive Pass are both great all-around play styles for improving passing, while Intercept is essential for effective defending.
