EA Sports FC 24, the newest football video game from EA Sports, is finally here, and players are already on the race to build their dream team in the FC Ultimate Team mode.
Although the highly rewarding UT Champions mode is not yet available, players can still earn packs in the game through a lot of ways – with Squad Battles being one of them. In this single player mode, players face off against AI opponents at their preferred difficulty level. FC 24 has made some quality of life changes compared to FIFA 23 for Squad Battles, including shorter game length and a maximum of 32 games considered for weekly leaderboard. This makes Squad Battles a viable game mode for both hardcore and casual players to grind for rewards.
However, it is worth noting that Squad Battles is one of the most frustrating game modes in Ultimate Team history. The AI opponents have a reputation for scoring unfair goals and, at times, for cheating blatantly. For players who cannot or prefer not to play online games, this frustration may be unavoidable.
Luckily, there are some tips and tricks that can help improve your Squad Battles performance and reach higher ranks. In this article, we will explore a few of them.
1. Assess your Skill, Aim for a Realistic Rank, and go for the Safer Difficulty
Squad battles have a wide range of difficulties (7 of them to be exact) for a reason. Not every EA FC 24 player has the same skill level and therefore will have to adjust accordingly. For example, if you win a game in World Class difficulty with a comfortable margin, you will earn around 1.700 points.
However, if you lose the same game in Legendary difficulty, you will only earn less than 1000 points. There are 32 (+2) games every week on Squad Battles. If you hit around 1.500 points every game, you can comfortably earn around 48000 points in a week – which is more than enough to hit Elite 1.
If you don’t have a strong team and consider yourself an average player, it’s recommended to play against stronger teams (80+ rating with 20+ chemistry) on Semi Pro difficulty and other teams on Professional difficulty. If the opponent squad is very weak (bronze squads), you could even try World Class difficulty. By following this strategy, you can accumulate around 4,000 points every 4 games and secure at least Elite 3 with a minimum of 32,000 points on the weekly leaderboard.
2. Make Use of the Featured Squad and TOTW Matches
At this point of the game cycle, it is entirely reasonable for someone to glance at the Featured Squad and TOTW Squad and refuse to play against them. Those squads have excellent players with high chemistry and has the potential to decimate your starter rare gold squad. However, there is a catch – They will not only net you much more points in lower difficulties but also will give 1400 points even if you lose.
Therefore, in our opinion, if you are planning to complete some objectives and try to accumulate Squad Battle points at the same time, these squads are the way to go. We recommend you to try these games in Semi Pro difficulty as it is the minimum difficulty to complete the objectives and will also give you 1600 points for a win.
3. Exploit Broken Mechanics and Skill Moves.
As previously mentioned, the AI in squad battles is notorious for cheating. You may have noticed that even low-rated strikers with poor shooting abilities can score incredible goals against your goalkeeper. Therefore, it is crucial that we utilize all the tools at our disposal to outsmart the AI, including exploiting broken mechanics and utilizing skill moves.
One example of broken mechanics in EA FC 24 is Controlled Sprint – a feature that often leaves the defenders in a glitched state. It is recommended that you practice controlled sprint religiously, as this is extremely useful even in PvP modes. Additionally, incorporating basic skill moves like fake shots, body feints, and stepovers can prove to be effective in confusing the Squad Battles AI.
Furthermore, it is important to note the significant impact that Playstyle+ attributes, particularly those related to shooting, have against the Squad Battle AI. Therefore, make sure to take advantage of finesse shots from players like Salah, Son, and Griezmann, or try trivela shots with Modric.
4. Do Not Concede the First Goal
While easier said than done, not allowing the AI to score the first goal is crucial. In the recent Ultimate Team iterations, Squad Battles AI has progressively been adapting to a safer and possession based playstyle. This is extremely irritating and detrimental to our cause since EA has cut down the match length by 33%. If you concede the first goal, they will likely play extremely defensively and may not even attempt to score again – leaving little to no time for a comeback.
On the other hand, if you score first, the AI will be forced to chase the game, making it much easier for you to score additional goals..
5. Be Patient and Composed
Patience is the key when playing Squad Battles. Unlike online modes where opponents may quit after a certain point, you must play the entire game. Rushing decisions will only result in the AI punishing you. Therefore, maintaining composure and patience is crucial not only in Squad Battles but also throughout EA FC 24.
BONUS TIPS
- Always try to score 5 goals, concede 0 goals and keep 60% possession as these are some of the most important factors that will give you the most points in a Squad Battle match.
- Do not touch Legendary or Ultimate difficulty, even if you are a really good player from a PvP point of view.
- Make full use of 5 substitutions according to the match situation.
- Never quit any of the games. We understand that conceding goals can be disheartening, but quitting will earn you zero points, whereas losing the game will still grant you a few hundred points, which may help you achieve a better rank.
- Try not to take the game to penalties, especially in higher difficulties. Always remember that the AI can read your Input.
EA Sports FC 24 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch.
