In FIFA 23, there are many formations that football teams can use, based on the type of players a club has, as well as the coaching staff's preferred playing styles.
Players can choose to line up their team in whatever formation they want. While there is a default formation for both online squads and Ultimate Team, players can change this as they build their roster.
While all formations are at least viable to use, there are some that are better than others. Check out our guide to getting the most out of them in FIFA 23 online.
44-3-3 (3)
A niche choice for players who are confident in their skills, the third variation 4-3-3 is useful for being anti-meta and has seen a resurgence in its use based on early impressions from high-ranking players in the game. Teams with the best central midfielders of the FIFA 23 will be very successful with this training.
In the 4-3-3 (3), the midfield and attack have the same number of players, meaning that 2/3 of the pitch is attacking, as the midfielders are pushed further forward than normal. This leaves counter-attacks wide open, so players should keep their defensive line tight and in shape, only switching to these players when absolutely necessary and tracking the midfielders instead.
For this formation, players should set their offensive attack to be a bit higher than the balanced default. With Defense, only push the back line when you are really confident, go for conservative tactics, to start with.
4-2-2-2
A bit of an average formation in the past, 4-2-2-2 is in good shape for FIFA 23 , being one of the best formations the game has to offer. This formation is a mix of 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 Narrow, making it perfect for players who are finding that they like these formations but are just missing something.
With the 4-2-2-2, all areas of the pitch are well covered by the Defence, in particular having a tight line that serves well when defending. Players should be a little more defensive with their back line when using this formation, keeping the centre backs in the back while attacking. Having the best defenders of the FIFA 23 will take some of the pressure off the defense, allowing this formation to flourish.
One weakness with this formation is that the midfield only has two players, who will be sitting quite deep. This leaves the wingers, who are pulled into a narrower position, with a lot more work to do. Wingers with high work rates will serve the players well in this formation; that should inform the choice they make about which team to use the 4-2-2-2 with.
4-2-3-1
The 4-2-3-1 has been a solid formation in the last two FIFAs, so it should come as no surprise to players that it is one of the best formations in the FIFA 23 so far. With wide and narrow options, the attacking options for a team using this formation open up much more, allowing for a mix of fast and slow attacks involving all areas of the pitch.
Using the 4-2-3-1 to its full potential will make opponents struggle at the back. The team mixes up the attack regularly and can quickly retreat at the back due to the number of players in both the back and midfield in this formation.
With the 4-2-3-1, players can leave their custom tactics pretty much as default, with perhaps some minor adjustments to Width and Depth depending on the players available in their team. Player instructions should be used on the midfielders to have them cover the centre, while the wingers should stay wide. If the team has quick centre-backs, they can opt to have the centre-backs join the attack in an overlapping style, just be careful not to get caught out by the counter-attack as a result. Some of the fastest players of the FIFA 23 are either fullbacks or wingers, so players will do well with this formation if they include these players.
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4-4-2
The 4-4-2 tactic is back on top for FIFA 23 , with the game's meta shifting away from central, narrow formations in favor of wider team setups. The 4-4-2 is one of the oldest formations in football, and its tried-and-tested nature makes it very simple to learn, helping players get used to the fundamentals of football and FIFA in their games until they're ready to add some spice with a different formation.
In a 4-4-2 formation, players should keep everything balanced. A 50 Depth and Width with a balanced defensive style is solid and simple to use in this formation. As long as players are not overzealous in adjusting player positions or significantly changing custom tactics, they should be golden. Having the best attackers of the FIFA 23 as part of the cast will also help.
The attacking style in the 4-4-2 formation can also be broadly balanced, with 50 Width and the bars placed halfway for Players in Box, Corners and Free Kicks.
