Best EA FC 24 custom tactics, formations & player instructions in Ultimate Team (2024)

Building your squad with the best EA FC 24 custom tactics, formations, and player instructions will definitely help you win more games and climb the ranks in FUT Champions - and we've got you covered with all of the meta picks.

While you will be just fine with the standard formations and tactics in EA FC, if you have any aspirations for success in both Rivals and Weekend League, then curating the ideal custom tactics can really go a long way.

These tactics will be perfect for the game's meta right now, allowing you to exploit the strengths of your cards and dominate your opponent's weaknesses.

Thankfully we've got all of the best custom tactics, formations, and player instructions that you can use in EA FC 24 Ultimate Team, allowing your squad to stay on top of the meta and win more games.

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How to set custom tactics in EA FC 24 Ultimate Team

To set and create custom tactics in EA FC 24, make sure to follow the steps below:

• Head to your active squad in Ultimate Team
• Press L3 to open the 'Squad Actions' menu
• Select 'Custom Tactics'
• Press L2/LT to open the Game Plan menu and select any of the four options

From there, you will be able to create a completely fresh custom tactic with a formation that is different from the one your squad is using right now. Then, just select the game plan you used when in-game by pressing left or right on the D-pad, and you will be good to go.

While you can set a custom tactic on your default formation, putting it on one of the game plans gives you greater flexibility - especially when it comes to the formation. You will sometimes need to line your squad up in a way that suits chemistry, so being able to switch to one of the meta formations (and change the positions of some players) is very handy.

This means that you can also create a number of different custom tactics to switch between depending on the game state. For example, you will have your standard custom tactic on the 'Attacking' Game Plan, but if you're behind and desperately need a goal, you could set a different custom tactic on the 'Ultra Attacking' game plan to help you score - with the same being true for a defensive tactic too.

• See a full list of the new and returning EA FC 24 Icons here

Best formations for Division Rivals & FUT Champions

Here are the best formations that you'll want to use in EA FC 24 Ultimate Team, helping you win more games in Division Rivals and Weekend League:

• 4-2-3-1
• 4-4-2
• 4-1-2-1-2 (2)
• 4-2-2-2
• 4-3-3 (2)
• 4-3-3 (5)

Out of these, the best formation in EA FC 24 is the 4-4-2, offering the perfect balance between defensive and attacking phases, and giving you an outlet in all areas on the pitch. I find this formation to be especially strong with the current defensive meta, as I will always have at least two players to choose from and rarely feel like my team is outnumbered in any part of the pitch.

This formation is especially strong with the current 71 depth meta, as it means that your team has three separate defensive blocks that the opposition needs to move through. I have found that the strikers and wide midfielders are excellent at aggressively pressing the defensive line, while still having the time to drop back into the midfield and defence too.

The key to succeeding with any of the formations listed above though is to ensure that you're defending with your midfielders, as that will preserve the shape of the team and make it so that your defenders don't step up out of line.

Changes to defending in EA FC 24 have meant that mistakes are far more punishing, so having formations like those listed above will really help cover up and defensive gaps is incredibly strong, especially when you're pushing up high.

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Best custom tactics in EA FC 24 Ultimate Team

I've cycled through countless custom tactics when playing Rivals and Champs in EA FC 24 so far, but the one that has stood out as the best is this 4-4-2 Balanced custom tactic. I have never felt more confident when defending with this tactic, and it supports both quick breaks and progressive possession in attack too.

Best custom tactics for 442

• Key features:
  
  • Extremely strong in defence
  • Plenty of passing options
  • Great against any opposition style

Here are the tactics that you will want to use after you have set the formation to 4-4-2:

What these tactics allow is an ideal balance between attack and defence. 60 depth allows your team to push up higher and win the ball back early, and the direct passing instruction gives a real boost to the speed of your attack in transitional moments too.

Key to the success of the Balanced 4-4-2 custom tactic is the player instructions though, so make sure that you set them up correcting:

What you end up with here is a team that is largely capable of attacking and defending as a unit. I found that the strength of this custom tactic is that you always have an option - which is incredibly strong in the press-heavy meta right now.

You will want to use specific types of players for every position in this tactic to ensure success, so check out the list below for attributes you should be paying attention to:

• RB/LB: High pace, defending, crossing
• CB: High pace, strong defensive PlayStyles
• RM/LM: High pace, stamina, passing; decent defence
• LCM: High defence, stamina, passing, dribbling
• LCM: High pace, dribbling, passing, shooting
• ST: High pace, shooting, passing, dribbling, weak foot

For me, Antoine Griezmann was the perfect player for one of the strikers, as his High/High workrates ensure that he's everywhere on the pitch, and his Finesse Shot PlayStyle+ is ideal in the current meta.

Furthermore, both Grace Geyoro and RTTK Rodrigo De Paul were excellent for the two CM slots, as they are excellent all-round midfielders who can drive the ball up the pitch and create space.

Best custom tactics for 4231

• Key features:
  • Aggressive press
  • Creativity in wide areas
  • Dominant in midfield

Alternatively, if you prefer a single-striker formation then you should definitely try out our Attacking 4-2-3-1 custom tactic below. You will want to set the formation to 4-2-3-1, and then use the following tactics:

These tactics are all based around balanced aggression - where you will want to stay on the front foot and try and win the ball back without overcommitting too much. This is a great custom tactic in EA FC 24 as it gives you a balance between quick counter-attacks and a solid defence, so you should be ready for whatever the game throws at you.

Here are all of the player instructions that you'll want to apply for the Attacking 4-2-3-1 custom tactic in EA FC 24 Ultimate Team too:

There are also a few specific types of players that you'll want for each position in the best custom tactic, allowing them to succeed as much as possible:

• RB/LB: High pace, high defence
• LCM: High passing, high dribbling
• RCM: High defence, high physical
• RCAM/LCAM: High pace, high dribbling
• CAM: High shooting, high passing, high dribbling, high stamina
• ST: High pace, high shooting, high dribbling

The most important position in this custom tactic and formation is the CAM, as theoretically, everything will go through them. They will definitely need high stamina to last the whole match, and high attacking stats as they will have lots of opportunities on goal.

• Using the fastest players in EA FC 24 can really help you succeed with this tactic

Best ultra-attacking 3421 custom tactics

• Key features:
  • Extremely high pressing
  • Gives you lots of options in front of the goal
  • Perfect for reclaiming a lead

If you're in desperate need of a goal, then make sure to use the best ultra-attacking custom tactics in EA FC 24 Ultimate Team below, with the 3-4-2-1 formation:

Here are all of the player instructions that you'll want to apply too:

You will want to be careful when using this tactic, as it will massively drain your players' stamina and leave you very exposed at the back. However, it puts massive pressure on your opponents and gives you a great chance of scoring a goal quickly - so it is very handy to have in those do-or-die moments.

• Find out more about the new EA FC 24 Ultimate Team Evolutions system here

Best defensive 541 (2) custom tactics

• Key features:
  • Extremely compact defence
  • Numbers advantage in every situation
  • Option for counter-attacks too

For those moments when you need to park the bus, make sure to use our best defensive custom tactic in EA FC 24 Ultimate Team, with the 5-4-1 (2) formation:

These are the player instructions that you'll want to apply for the best defensive custom tactic in EA FC 24:

You should only use this tactic when you don't need to score any more goals, as it has very little creativity and attacking impetus. Your striker will really be the only person up-front, but you can create some breakaway moments if you play the right pass over a team with a high defensive line.

That wraps up all of the best custom tactics in EA FC 24 Ultimate Team, giving you all of the meta formations, player instructions, and tactics to win more games and climb the ranks.

Check out our EA FC homepage for more guides like this, including a list of the best Career Mode teams for all playstyles.