How to get ahead in FIFA’s Ultimate Team Mode

FIFA 22 is out now with a new game engine and some swanky-looking fresh menus.

Of course, the game’s core premise is simple; it’s soccer, packaged in many different ways, with lots of different challenges, but it is just soccer. That’s two teams of eleven, a ball, and a whole lot of EA gloss to make it feel like an event. Boy, does it feel like an event.

FIFA 22 is perhaps the best ever, finally making the most of the next-gen consoles with crisp graphics and stunning match action. The main event is FIFA Ultimate Team, a tried and tested formula to get gamers invested and parting with even more money. Goal explains how the game mode, known as FUT, has earned the company more than $1.6bn. It is easy to see why; it’s insanely addictive and presents the gamer with a chance to build their soccer team from the ground up.

In the beginning, you are handed an assortment of players, from obscure 54-rated Chinese goalkeepers to run-of-the-mill Premier League midfielders, and you’re forced to create a dynasty, a team to be proud of. You do this by winning games, earning coins, and opening packs (paid for with real money) to improve the team. Getting ahead without extra spending is tough, but it isn’t impossible.

If you’re new to FUT and have taken their tutorial but have no idea what to do next, we’ve got some handy tips for you. These are a few things to do and avoid to help you get ahead in FUT this year.

Check Out Objectives

Early on, you can amass a few thousand coins simply by checking out the objectives. These range from daily objectives, such as playing a couple of games, to real basics, such as renaming your team. Early on, almost everything you do completes a new objective, even buying players on the transfer market. Often, you’re rewarded with packs of players as well as coins. These are untradeable, meaning you cannot list them for sale, but they flesh out your squad. For more experienced players, untradeable players are good for squad-building challenges, but that’s not going to be a route to explore yourself in the early days.

Play the Transfer Market

The real key to getting ahead in FIFA is playing the transfer market. A Bwin Sports infographic on FIFA 22 points out how you have limited coins, so buying players who add value to your team, but do not cost the earth, is a skill you must master. Pick a league to focus on, say the English Premier League, and look to build 11 players from that division. That will ensure high chemistry, so you don’t need to worry about having the very best players. Look for bargains, for instance, Gabriel Jesus of Manchester City, who can be bought for around 1,000 coins. That’s just two wins; after 20 games, you can have an 82-rated squad with 100 chemistry to get ahead with.

Don’t Buy Packs with Earned Coins

There’s a real thrill opening FIFA packs, much like when you opened packets of trading cards in your youth. However, do not be tempted to spend hard-earned coins on the lottery that is FIFA packs. They might look exciting, but they’re really poor value. You might spend 5,000 on a gold pack, but they will average just four or five players and a handful of consumables. In most instances, the coin haul will be less than your outlay. Use the transfer market to make coins and only take the packs when awarded them in the game.