FIFA Ultimate Team: The Ultimate Beginners Guide

If you’re like me, you’ve probably been hooked by the idea of FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) from the moment you heard about it. I started playing FUT in FIFA 19, and the idea of building my dream team was instantly exciting. Sure, you can manage teams in Career Mode, but Ultimate Team offers something different. It lets you create your own squad, which you can then take online to play against friends or other players, or even face off against the AI if you just want a relaxed match. What makes FUT so special is that you can collect and play with some of the best players in history, from modern legends to all-time greats. Putting Ronaldinho next to Kylian Mbappé or Diego Maradona alongside Cristiano Ronaldo is an experience like no other.

Another awesome aspect of FUT is that player ratings change based on how well they perform in real life. If a player is performing well—scoring goals, getting assists, or dominating matches—their in-game rating will improve. This makes it feel like you’re part of the actual football world.

In this guide, I want to help you get started with FUT. I’ll share tips on building your first team, understanding chemistry, handling in-game currency, and navigating the transfer market. Just a heads-up: I’m not a FIFA pro or an esports legend—I’m just a fan who loves building teams and having fun. I haven’t spent a single penny on FIFA Points, and I won’t be recommending that either. This guide is for those who want to have fun, build a strong team, and maybe win a few games without spending real money.

1. Building Your Ultimate Team from Scratch

When you start a new FUT account, you’ll be given a starter pack. This is a group of low-rated players to get you started. They aren’t stars, but it’s enough to get a feel for the game.

The key to building your Ultimate Team is to be strategic and pick players who fit your play style. Here are some steps to help you get started:

1. Choose a Starter Nation: At the beginning, you need to pick a starter nation. This will determine the nationality of most players in your starting squad. It’s a good idea to choose a country with a lot of players in the top leagues, like England, Spain or France, to make it easier to link players together for good chemistry.
2. Focus on Squad Building Challenges (SBCs): Early on, the best way to improve your squad is by completing Squad Building Challenges. SBCs will reward you with packs that could contain better players than what you started with. They also teach you about chemistry and team building.
3. Play Squad Battles and Division Rivals: To earn coins and rewards early on, play Squad Battles against AI teams. The better you do, the more coins and rewards you earn. Division Rivals is an online mode where you play against other players, which is a good way to build up your coin balance and get weekly rewards.

2. Understanding Chemistry

Chemistry is super important in FUT because it affects how well your players perform. Players with good chemistry get boosted stats, while players with poor chemistry can perform worse. Here’s how to make sure your chemistry is on point:

1. Links Are Key: Players are linked to each other through their nationality, club, and league. The more things they have in common, the stronger the link. Green links are best, meaning the players have a strong connection (same league and nationality or same club). Yellow links are decent, while red links mean they don’t match well.
2. Positioning Matters: Make sure each player is in their correct position. A midfielder playing as a striker will have low chemistry, even if they have good links with other players.
3. Manager Boost and Loyalty: A manager who shares the same nationality or league as most of your players will give a chemistry boost. Players also gain a Loyalty bonus after playing 10 matches for your club, adding +1 to their chemistry. Players you pack or earn from SBCs already have Loyalty.
4. Chemistry Styles: Chemistry Styles are consumables that boost specific stats based on your strategy. For example, a Shadow Chemistry Style will increase a player’s Pace and Defending. There are over 20 Chemistry Styles, so try different ones to find the best fit for each role on your team.

3. Managing In-Game Currency

In FUT, there are two types of currency: Coins and FIFA Points. Coins are earned through gameplay, while FIFA Points are bought with real money. Since this guide focuses on not spending real money, here’s how to get the most out of your coins:

1. Play Matches Consistently: The more you play, the more coins you earn. Play Squad Battles, Division Rivals, or FUT Champs once you’re ready.
2. Use the Transfer Market Wisely: The transfer market is where you buy and sell players and consumables. Try to buy players during off-peak times to get the best deals. Player prices go up and down based on real-life performance and FUT events.
3. Trade Low, Sell High: Buy players when their prices are low and sell them when they go up. It takes some practice, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a great way to earn coins.
4. Complete Objectives and Milestones: Seasonal objectives and milestones often give rewards like packs, coins, and special items. Completing these can help build your team without spending coins in the market.

4. Being a Transfer Market Wizard

The transfer market is at the heart of FUT. It’s where you buy and sell players, consumables, and other items. Here are some tips to make the most of it:

1. Look for Bargains: Use filters to find underpriced players. Sometimes people list valuable players for less than they’re worth, especially when the market is flooded with new packs.
2. Flip Cards for Profit: Buy players that are in demand, especially if there is an ongoing SBC or event, and sell them when their price rises.
3. Keep an Eye on SBC Requirements: When a new SBC is released, the price of certain players might increase. If you anticipate this, you can buy those players early and sell them for profit.
4. Auction vs. Buy Now: You can either bid for players or pay the “Buy Now” price. Bidding can save you coins, but buying now gets the player instantly without competition.

5. Playing Without Spending Real Money

A lot of players spend money on FIFA Points, but you don’t need to do that to enjoy the game. Here’s how to stay competitive without spending real money:

1. Grind for Rewards: Play Squad Battles, Division Rivals, and FUT Champs to earn packs. Completing objectives will also reward you with valuable items.
2. Time Your Pack Openings: Save your packs for when there’s a promo event like Team of the Week or Team of the Year. This increases your chances of getting a valuable player.
3. Complete Objectives and Milestones: EA offers lots of rewards for completing objectives. Keep an eye on seasonal objectives to earn packs, coins, and special players.

6. Customizing Your Club and Stadium

FUT lets you make your club and stadium unique by customizing almost everything. Head to the Stadium tile under the “Club” section in the FUT Main Menu. You can choose from kits, badges, celebrations, goal songs, chants, and even pyrotechnic displays. Customizing your stadium not only makes your club feel more personal but also gives it a unique look that can intimidate your opponents.

7. Game Modes to Play

When you’re ready to take your team to the pitch, there are many game modes to choose from:

1. Squad Battles: Play against AI teams, which is a great way to earn coins and rewards. You can also compete against Featured Squads, like those of professional players or celebrities.
2. Division Rivals: Play online against players with similar skill levels. This is a good way to test your team and earn rewards. Winning matches helps you qualify for FUT Champions Play-Offs.
3. FUT Champions: Compete on weekends for some of the best rewards. After earning enough points in Division Rivals, you can enter FUT Champions Play-Offs and eventually the Finals.
4. FUT Friendlies: Play against friends or other players with custom house rules. It’s a relaxed way to enjoy FUT without pressure.
5. Ultimate Draft: Draft a squad of 23 players, including some of the best in the game, and try to win four matches for big rewards. You can play Draft mode online or offline.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, FUT is about having fun, building the team you love, and enjoying the game. Don’t worry about having the highest-rated team or winning every match. Celebrate your victories, learn from your losses, and enjoy the journey of building your Ultimate Team.

FIFA Ultimate Team is more than just a game mode—it’s a community of football lovers building dream teams and competing with each other. Starting out can feel overwhelming, but with patience and strategic thinking, you’ll be on your way to assembling a squad that not only looks great on paper but also performs well on the pitch. Remember, it’s all about enjoying football and expressing your love for the game.