EA SPORTS FIFA 23 launched on 30 September 2022 and is the last football game EA published under the FIFA name, because the licensing deal that started in 1993 ended after this release. It introduced HyperMotion2 with roughly 6,000 new animations, a new shot type called the Power Shot, rebuilt free kicks, penalties and corners, and the first playable women's club football in the series through the Barclays Women's Super League and France's Division 1 Arkema. Two facts matter more than any of that if you are looking at it in 2026: EA delisted the game from Steam and every other storefront in September 2023, before EA SPORTS FC 24 had even shipped, and EA switched off the online servers on 30 October 2025. If you already own a copy it still installs and runs, but Ultimate Team, Division Rivals, Pro Clubs, cross-play and every other connected mode are gone for good. What remains is offline Career Mode, offline Kick Off, Volta against the AI and the offline side of the World Cup content, which is still a lot of football with the last officially licensed FIFA badge on the box.
EA SPORTS FIFA 23 features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Career Mode | Any skill level, fully offline and unaffected by the shutdown | Full 2022 season squads, playable highlights, manager personality progression, youth scouting | 4-2-3-1 |
| 2 | Ultimate Team | Was online only, dead since 30 October 2025 | None available now, the mode cannot be launched without servers | 4-2-3-1 |
| 3 | Pro Clubs | Was online only, dead since 30 October 2025 | None available now, virtual pro progression is frozen | 4-3-3 Holding |
| 4 | Volta Football | Offline Volta still playable, online Volta gone | Offline cosmetics and Volta Arcade party games against the AI | 4-3-3 Holding |
| 5 | FIFA World Cup 2022 mode | Offline tournaments, any skill level | Full official tournament brackets, stadium and kit sets, custom tournament creation | 4-3-3 Holding |
Career Mode: Starting Area
The mode that still works completely in 2026, covering both Manager and Player careers. FIFA 23 added playable highlights so you can jump straight to the moments that decide a match instead of playing ninety minutes, plus a manager personality choice that shapes how boards and players react to you.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Any skill level, fully offline and unaffected by the shutdown |
| Key Rewards | Full 2022 season squads, playable highlights, manager personality progression, youth scouting |
| Recommended Role | 4-2-3-1 |
| Key Equipment | Drag Back |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of HyperMotion2 match capture. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Ultimate Team.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Ultimate Team: Early Game
FIFA 23's card collecting mode, which ran the rebuilt chemistry system where individual players earned chemistry points from club, league and nation links rather than from a single squad number. It is entirely unplayable now because it required a connection to EA's servers at all times.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Was online only, dead since 30 October 2025 |
| Key Rewards | None available now, the mode cannot be launched without servers |
| Recommended Role | 4-2-3-1 |
| Key Equipment | Drag Back |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Power Shots. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Drag Back if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Pro Clubs.
Pro Clubs: Mid Game
Eleven versus eleven with a created player, with club progression, Drop In matches and a shared club identity. It was the mode most affected by cross-play arriving in FIFA 23, since same generation platforms could finally queue together.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Was online only, dead since 30 October 2025 |
| Key Rewards | None available now, virtual pro progression is frozen |
| Recommended Role | 4-3-3 Holding |
| Key Equipment | Drag Back |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Power Shot becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Rebuilt set pieces and penalties for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Volta Football: Late Game
The small sided street football mode, playable in three versus three through five versus five formats with arcade rules. The single player Volta Squads content and the offline Volta Arcade minigames still run without a connection, but the online ladder and squad matchmaking do not.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Offline Volta still playable, online Volta gone |
| Key Rewards | Offline cosmetics and Volta Arcade party games against the AI |
| Recommended Role | 4-3-3 Holding |
| Key Equipment | Power Shot |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Power Shot should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- Offline only play since 30 October 2025 mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into FIFA World Cup 2022 mode.
FIFA World Cup 2022 mode: Endgame
Added as a free update after the tournament in Qatar started, letting you replay the men's group stage and knockout rounds with the real 32 team bracket. A women's World Cup 2023 mode arrived as a second free update the following year, and both run offline.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Offline tournaments, any skill level |
| Key Rewards | Full official tournament brackets, stadium and kit sets, custom tournament creation |
| Recommended Role | 4-3-3 Holding |
| Key Equipment | Power Shot |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with 5-2-1-2 for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Career Mode → Ultimate Team → Pro Clubs → Volta Football → FIFA World Cup 2022 mode. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Guides
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Overview
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Best Builds
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Tier List
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Walkthrough
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Beginner's Guide
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Tips & Tricks
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Weapons Guide
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Combat Guide
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Boss Guide
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Crafting Guide
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Classes & Characters
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