Football Manager 2022 Tier List: Current Rankings

Q: What is new in FM22 compared with FM21?

The Data Hub, the Wide Centre-Back role, a weekly Staff Meeting covering Coaching, Development, Staffing and Squad Planning, a rebuilt transfer deadline day, a new animation engine that removed foot sliding, and rewritten pressing logic that weighs stamina and sprint capacity. The manager creator and Fantasy Draft were also revised.

Q: Why is Manchester United called Manchester UFC in FM22?

Manchester United sued SEGA and Sports Interactive in 2020 over use of the club name. The parties settled in late 2021 on a no admissions basis, and from FM22 onward the club appears in the database as Manchester UFC rather than Manchester United.

Q: Is the Data Hub actually useful or is it decoration?

It is the most useful screen added in years. Match momentum, pass maps, zone maps, shot maps and xG timelines all live there, and the Ask For system has your analysts generate a specific graph. Managers who read the xG timeline weekly catch a failing tactic roughly a month earlier than managers who read the table.

Q: Can I still play FM22 Touch on PC?

No. FM22 Touch was made a Nintendo Switch exclusive and was discontinued on Steam, the Epic Games Store, the App Store and Google Play. The full FM22 remains the only PC version of this edition.

Q: Does the gegenpress still work in FM22?

It works, but not as a copy-paste answer. FM22 rewrote how players decide to close down so that stamina and sprint capacity feed into it. A high press with a squad short on Stamina, Work Rate and Natural Fitness collapses in the last half hour of matches.

Football Manager 2022 tier list ranking every role and equipment option. Updated rankings with detailed reasoning.

EarlyGuides Editorial Team

Researched and editorially reviewed. Updated August 12, 2026.

This Football Manager 2022 tier list ranks every major option by overall effectiveness. Rankings factor in damage output, survivability, versatility, gear requirements, and how well each option scales.

Tier definitions: S = best in class, always a strong pick. A = strong and competitive, minor weaknesses. B = solid but clearly outperformed in most situations. C = viable only for players who enjoy the playstyle.

Builds Rankings

Tier	Role	Rating	Playstyle
A	Wide Centre-Back	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Complete Wing-Back	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Deep Lying Playmaker	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Ball Winning Midfielder	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Advanced Forward	8.5/10	Balanced approach

Detailed Builds Analysis

Wide Centre-Back (A-Tier)

Wide Centre-Back is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Work Ball Into Box. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Complete Wing-Back (A-Tier)

Complete Wing-Back is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Overlap Left. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Deep Lying Playmaker (A-Tier)

Deep Lying Playmaker is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Prevent Short GK Distribution. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Ball Winning Midfielder (A-Tier)

Ball Winning Midfielder is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Higher Defensive Line. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Advanced Forward (A-Tier)

Advanced Forward is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Be More Expressive. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Equipment Rankings

Equipment	Best With	Notes
Work Ball Into Box	Possession sides with patient forwards, and any team whose shot map is full of efforts from 25 yards	Tells the side to refuse low percentage shots and keep circulating until a chance opens inside the area.
Overlap Left	An attacking wing-back paired with an Inside Forward who drifts infield	Asks the left-sided attacker to hold the ball and invite the full-back or wing-back past him on the outside.
Prevent Short GK Distribution	High pressing sides facing an opponent with a weak passing keeper	Pushes your forwards onto the opposition centre-backs at goal kicks so the keeper has to go long.
Higher Defensive Line	Quick centre-backs and a keeper with decent Rushing Out, usually paired with a high Line of Engagement	Squeezes the pitch by pushing the back line up, shortening the distance your midfield has to cover to press.
Be More Expressive	Technically gifted squads against deep blocks, where the scripted option is always covered	Loosens the leash so players make their own decisions rather than following the tactical script.

Check our weapons guide for in-depth stats and comparisons.

Equipment Analysis

Work Ball Into Box: Tells the side to refuse low percentage shots and keep circulating until a chance opens inside the area. It lowers shot volume and raises average shot quality, which shows up directly on the Data Hub xG timeline.

Overlap Left: Asks the left-sided attacker to hold the ball and invite the full-back or wing-back past him on the outside. It only works if the player behind has the Stamina and Crossing to justify the run.

Prevent Short GK Distribution: Pushes your forwards onto the opposition centre-backs at goal kicks so the keeper has to go long. In FM22 this interacts directly with the rewritten pressing logic and burns stamina faster than managers expect.

Higher Defensive Line: Squeezes the pitch by pushing the back line up, shortening the distance your midfield has to cover to press. It also exposes anything slow in central defence to balls played in behind.

Be More Expressive: Loosens the leash so players make their own decisions rather than following the tactical script. Excellent with high Flair and Decisions, damaging with a squad that lacks either.

Meta Analysis

The current meta in Football Manager 2022 centers on Data Hub and Scout Assignments. Builds that leverage both systems outperform those that focus on only one. Our combat guide explains these interactions in depth.

What's strong right now:

Wide Centre-Back with Work Ball Into Box is the benchmark. Everything else is measured against it.
Weekly Staff Meeting builds are gaining ground as players find new combinations.
Deep Lying Playmaker remains essential for learning hard content. See the boss guide.

What's underrated:

Complete Wing-Back is consistently overlooked despite being the most flexible option.
Prevent Short GK Distribution offers excellent performance for its investment level.

What's overhyped:

Pure Advanced Forward builds. High ceiling but the consistency isn't there for most players.

Quick Picks by Situation

Situation	Best Role	Best Gear	Why
Overall best	Wide Centre-Back	Work Ball Into Box	Highest consistent performance
New player	Complete Wing-Back	Overlap Left	Most forgiving, teaches mechanics
Hard content	Deep Lying Playmaker	Prevent Short GK Distribution	Survivability when you need it
Group play	Ball Winning Midfielder	Higher Defensive Line	Utility and team support
Experienced player	Advanced Forward	Be More Expressive	Unique challenge and high ceiling

More Football Manager 2022 Guides

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