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With the tactical changes brought in by FC IQ, the way formations work in FC 25 is completely different to how they worked before. You can’t just set up with a couple of forwards running in behind anymore, you need to think about how your team looks with and without the ball if you want to score goals, and even more so if you want to avoid conceding them.
After spending some time with the system, we’ve made three tactics using three different formations that are very strong in the current match engine. We’ll take you through what each formation looks like, as well as what player roles to assign to get the most out of the tactic, whether you’re using it in Ultimate Team or Career Mode.
The best formations in FC 25
From our time with the game, we’ve found that the best formations to use in FC 25 are:
- 4-2-2-2
- 4-2-3-1
- 3-5-2
4-2-2-2
- Build-Up Style: Counter
- Defensive Approach: Balanced
| Position | Player Role |
|---|---|
| GK | Sweeper Keeper |
| LB | Falseback |
| CB | Defender / Stopper |
| CB | Defender / Stopper |
| RB | Attacking Wingback |
| CDM | Centre Half |
| CDM | Holding |
| CAM | Half Winger |
| CAM | Shadow Striker |
| ST | Advanced Forward |
| ST | Advanced Forward |
This formation is great because it allows you to overload the final third with players while still keeping a solid backline. Your Shadow Striker will play centrally, just in behind your two Strikers, while your Half Winger pushes out wide to stretch the opposition’s defence. On the opposite flank, an Attacking Wingback will bomb down the wing into free space for an easy cross. At the back, one of your CDMs will drop into defence while your LB inverts into midfield to control the centre of the pitch in case you lose possession.
4-3-2-1 Narrow
- Build-Up Style: Counter
- Defensive Approach: Balanced
| Position | Player Role |
|---|---|
| GK | Sweeper Keeper |
| LB | Fullback |
| CB | Defender / Stopper |
| CB | Defender / Stopper |
| RB | Fullback |
| CDM | Holding |
| CDM | Holding |
| CAM | Playmaker / Shadow Striker |
| CAM | Shadow Striker |
| CAM | Playmaker / Shadow Striker |
| ST | Advanced Forward |
The 4-2-3-1 Narrow excels defensively. A back four with two DMs sitting just in front of them provides excellent protection against counter-attacks. Up front, your central CAM plays as a Shadow Striker, linking up with your Advanced Forward to score goals, with two Playmakers on either side to feed balls in. If you want to play a bit more aggressively, you can switch one or both of your Playmakers to Shadow Strikers to completely overload the box.
3-5-2
- Build-Up Play: Counter
- Defensive Approach: Balanced
| Position | Player Role |
|---|---|
| GK | Sweeper Keeper |
| CB | Defender |
| CB | Stopper |
| CB | Defender |
| CDM | Holding |
| CDM | Holding |
| LM | Winger |
| RM | Winger |
| CAM | Shadow Striker |
| ST | Advanced Forward |
| ST | Advanced Forward |
In attack, the 3-5-2 is very similar to our 4-3-2-1 Narrow tactic, except it makes more use of the wings to stretch the opposition defence. Two Advanced Forwards play with a Shadow Striker in behind. Meanwhile, you’ve got a Winger on either side making runs down the flank to create crossing opportunities, or to draw defenders onto them, leaving space for your central three to make runs into. At the back, your three CBs play behind a midfield two, leaving you with excellent coverage if you lose the ball.
This year, simply having the best players isn’t going to be enough to win games. You need to have a formation that gets the best out of them, letting their player roles shine. Tinker with your formations to put emphasis on your star players to let them dictate play and you’ll be picking up wins in no time at all.
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