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.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Role | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Career Mode | HyperMotion2 match capture basics | 4-2-3-1 | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Ultimate Team | Power Shots mastery | 4-2-3-1 | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Pro Clubs | Rebuilt set pieces and penalties + gear | 4-3-3 Holding or 4-2-3-1 | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Volta Football | Build optimization | 4-3-3 Holding | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | FIFA World Cup 2022 mode | Min-max | 4-3-3 Holding or 5-2-1-2 | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Career Mode)
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.
Level/Difficulty: Any skill level, fully offline and unaffected by the shutdown Key Rewards: Full 2022 season squads, playable highlights, manager personality progression, youth scouting
What to Do in Career Mode
- Learn HyperMotion2 match capture. HyperMotion2 added around 6,000 authentic animations pulled from millions of frames of match capture, and it was the first time the technology captured women's matches as well as men's. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick 4-2-3-1 as your starting role. See our builds guide for why.
- Power Shots take roughly twice as long to release as a normal shot, so only pull them out when the nearest defender is at least two yards away or the block animation eats the whole attempt.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Drag Back or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand HyperMotion2 match capture fundamentals
- 4-2-3-1 selected and functional
- Career Mode main content cleared
- Ready for Ultimate Team
Phase 2: Early Game (Ultimate Team)
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.
Level/Difficulty: Was online only, dead since 30 October 2025 Key Rewards: None available now, the mode cannot be launched without servers
What to Do in Ultimate Team
- Work on Power Shots. Holding L1 and R1 on PlayStation or LB and RB on Xbox while pressing shoot fires a Power Shot, which pulls the camera in, slows the animation and adds serious force at the cost of a much longer wind up. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Drag Back if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- In the rebuilt free kick system you set spin by dragging the target ring across the ball, so practise in the arena until you can pick the same contact point twice in a row before you try one in a match.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Pro Clubs.
- Consider whether 4-3-3 Holding might suit your playstyle better than 4-2-3-1.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Power Shots integrated into gameplay
- Drag Back acquired
- Ultimate Team fully cleared
- Ready for Pro Clubs
Phase 3: Mid Game (Pro Clubs)
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.
Level/Difficulty: Was online only, dead since 30 October 2025 Key Rewards: None available now, virtual pro progression is frozen
What to Do in Pro Clubs
- Master Rebuilt set pieces and penalties. Free kicks moved to a system where you drag a target ring across the ball to pick the contact point and spin, rather than aiming a floating reticle. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Power Shot. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Penalties use a shrinking composure ring rather than a power bar, and stopping the ring dead centre is worth more than picking a perfect corner, because a mistimed input sends the ball high every time.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Ultimate Team chemistry rework for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Rebuilt set pieces and penalties mastered
- Power Shot acquired or in progress
- Pro Clubs fully cleared
- Ready for Volta Football
Phase 4: Late Game (Volta Football)
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.
Level/Difficulty: Offline Volta still playable, online Volta gone Key Rewards: Offline cosmetics and Volta Arcade party games against the AI
What to Do in Volta Football
- Finalize your build. You should be running 4-3-3 Holding or 4-2-3-1 with optimized gear.
- Power Shot should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Career Mode playable highlights cut a full match to the handful of situations that actually decide it, which turns a fifteen minute game into about four minutes without simulating the result.
- Offline only play since 30 October 2025 optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into FIFA World Cup 2022 mode.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Power Shot upgraded to max
- Volta Football fully cleared
- Ready for FIFA World Cup 2022 mode
Phase 5: Endgame (FIFA World Cup 2022 mode)
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.
Level/Difficulty: Offline tournaments, any skill level Key Rewards: Full official tournament brackets, stadium and kit sets, custom tournament creation
What to Do in FIFA World Cup 2022 mode
- FIFA World Cup 2022 mode tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Set corner aim markers before the delivery instead of using the default swing, because a near post target with a tall centre back arriving is the most consistent set piece goal in the game.
- The endgame loop: run FIFA World Cup 2022 mode, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with 5-2-1-2 for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Offline only play since 30 October 2025 mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- FIFA World Cup 2022 mode fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Spamming Power Shots inside the box, where the long wind up gives defenders time to step in and block almost every attempt.
- Buying a copy in 2026 expecting Ultimate Team to work, when EA turned off all FIFA 23 online services on 30 October 2025.
- Playing the whole ninety minutes of every Career Mode fixture instead of using playable highlights, which burns hours for the same result.
- Picking a five star skill move player and never learning the two star ball roll, which is the move that actually creates shooting angles.
- Leaving the default defensive line depth on a high setting and then blaming pace when strikers run in behind repeatedly.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Power Shots take roughly twice as long to release as a normal shot, so only pull them out when the nearest defender is at least two yards away or the block animation eats the whole attempt.
- In the rebuilt free kick system you set spin by dragging the target ring across the ball, so practise in the arena until you can pick the same contact point twice in a row before you try one in a match.
- Penalties use a shrinking composure ring rather than a power bar, and stopping the ring dead centre is worth more than picking a perfect corner, because a mistimed input sends the ball high every time.
- Career Mode playable highlights cut a full match to the handful of situations that actually decide it, which turns a fifteen minute game into about four minutes without simulating the result.
- Set corner aim markers before the delivery instead of using the default swing, because a near post target with a tall centre back arriving is the most consistent set piece goal in the game.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
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 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 Maps & Locations
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Crafting Guide
- EA SPORTS FIFA 23 Classes & Characters
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