Best EA FC 25 Formations - EA Sports FC 25 Guide - IGN (2024)

Finding the right formation and custom tactics can completely change the game in EA FC 25. Once you’ve slotted in your favorite players into a good formation, you’ll quickly notice them making better runs on offense and filling every hole on defense. This is especially true with the new Player Roles that FC 25 added, giving players even more control over pre-game planning and dynamic on-field strategy. Here are the best formations in FC 25 and the custom tactics you should use to make them sing.

4-5-1 Flat

Tactics Code: E#d4vJsK%io

First up is the new version of FC 24’s most meta formation, the 4-3-2-1. FC 25 has gotten rid of the center forward position, making that formation not as good as it used to be, but the pro players at Team Gullit have used the 4-5-1 Flat to recreate this iconic formation in the new game.

Once you’ve set your formation to the 4-5-1 Flat, you’ll want to switch your Build-Up Style to Counter to get the ball forward quickly when you recover it and set your Defensive Approach to High to keep your defense up the field causing havoc. Then, it’s time to get into the Player Roles.

Defensively, the Player Roles are pretty simple. You want to set your goalkeeper to Sweeper Keeper, your Left Back to Fullback, and both Center Backs to Defender. Leave the three defenders on the Defend Focus, while your keeper can stay on Balanced Focus.

Your Right Back should be switched to Wingback with a Balanced Focus. This shape keeps three defenders back, while your attacking fullback is free to track forward, opening up some space on the wing.

Your left center mid will be on Playmaker with an Attack Focus, letting them get forward and help out your three forwards. Your central CM should be on Holding with a Defend Focus, becoming that fourth defender with your wingback flying forward into attack. Your right CM will be on Box-to-Box with a Balanced Focus, giving you a good pipeline between attack and defense.

Now, to your right and left mids. Both should be on Inside Forward, but you want your Left Mid to have an Attack Focus, while your Right Mid stays on Balanced to help with defense on the side your wingback is playing. It’s worth noting that you can swap your wingback to the left side if you want, just be sure to also switch your Player Roles on your outside mids to make up for it.

Finally, your Striker should be on Advanced Forward with an Attack Focus, keeping him in the opponent’s backline, ready to make a run or hold onto the ball while you build your attack.

4-4-1-1

Tactics Code: QApk?k44i%g

Another formation that’s been making the rounds is something that YouTuber MattHDGamer cooked up. The 4-4-1-1 has quickly become one of the best meta formations during the early days of the game because of how balanced it is. To start, you want to set your formation to 4-4-1-1 Midfield, leaving your Build-Up Style and Defensive Approach on Balanced.

Moving into Player Roles, you want to leave your Keeper on Goalkeeper with the Defend Focus. Similarly, both Center Backs should be on Stopper with a Balanced Focus. This makes the middle of your defensive line a little more aggressive, so feel free to switch them to Defender if you feel you’re getting caught out.

Both fullbacks need to be on Wingback with a Balanced Focus, letting them move up the pitch into attack to give you some extra width. Your left CM should be on Box-to-Box with a Balanced Focus, making them an outlet to string together your attack and defense when you win the ball back. The other CM should be on Holding with the Defend Focus, giving you that extra defender to support your two centerbacks.

Both outside midfielders need to be on Inside Forward with a Balanced Focus. This lets them drift inside the formation, giving your wingbacks room to open up the center of the pitch for attacking opportunities.

Your Attacking Midfielder should be on either Playmaker or Shadow Striker depending on which player you have at the position. Either way, they’re going to act as a second Striker alongside your main Striker who should be on Inside Forward with an Attack Focus. This well-balanced formation is worth a try regardless of your playstyle, as it can be adapted to suit most players.

5-2-1-2

Tactics Code: aszM8&?g$Y6

Finally, there’s one formation that the best player in the world has been using to destroy opponents during the early days of FC 25. Stingray’s 5-2-1-2 tactics are ultra-defensive when you don’t have the ball, while still giving you more than enough attacking options to find the back of the net. If it’s working for the number one player in FC 25, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Using the 5-2-1-2 won’t make you many friends, but it’s likely to be effective. You want to use the Counter Build-Up Style and leave the Defensive Approach on Balanced. The goal here is to soak up pressure with tons of defenders and quickly get out on the counter when you regain possession.

Let your Keeper stay on the Goalkeeper Role with the Defend Focus. Your central Center Back needs to be on Ball-Playing Defender with the Defend Focus. This is important because you want this player to be a quality passer, often serving as the link between defense and attack. Your other two CBs should be on Defender with the Defend Focus.

Then, you want to stick your Left Back on Falseback with the Balanced Focus and your Right Back on Wingback, also on Balanced. As before, you can swap these Player Roles to your preferred sides, just make sure you also change the center mids in kind to keep the formation shape intact.

Speaking of them, your left CM should be on Playmaker with the Roaming Focus. This opens them up to move around the pitch more freely, giving you an extra body in attack and defense. The right CM should be on Holding with the Defend Focus, meaning another defender will be protecting your net. For your CAM, you want to put them on Shadow Striker with an Attack Focus.

Your Right Striker, who should be on False 9 with the Build-Up Focus, will then support them. This lets your CAM move up into attack on the counter, finding space to get off shots the opponent might not expect. Finally, put your Left Striker on Poacher with the Attack Focus. If your Shadow Striker can’t find the space, your Poacher should be able to finish off any attack and give a nice target for your Wingback to cross the ball into.