The FIFA 23 career mode is EA’s last before their partnership with football’s governing body ends and they begin their journey anew with EA Sports FC. While often seen as a secondary mode to Ultimate Team, the football game single-player mode has had a slight facelift this year, with plenty of quality of life improvements to hopefully bring some players back into the fold.
The focus this year is very much on useful additions rather than a major overhaul, including tweaks to both Player and Manager careers, as well as new teams and leagues to play with. Here are all of the new FIFA 23 career mode features and team changes
NEW TEAMS
RIP Piemonte Calcio. Everybody’s favourite fictional club is no more after EA secured the Juventus licence following a three-year hiatus. While that’s good news for fans of Italian football, many of the Serie A giants are missing in FIFA 23. Champions AC Milan have signed an exclusive deal with Konami’s eFootball. The likes of Napoli, Atalanta, and AS Roma are also absent this year, while big-hitters Inter Milan have already secured a deal that gives EA’s rival exclusivity from July 2024.
Konami’s new agreements with Liga MX and the J-League also mean they won’t feature in FIFA 23. Alongside this, Russian teams have been excluded due to the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
It’s better news for Women’s club football, though, with the Women’s Super League and French Division 1 Arkema added to the game. Here are all the clubs featured in FIFA 23 career mode:
WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE (ENGLAND)
- Arsenal
- Aston Villa
- Brighton & Hove Albion
- Chelsea
- Everton
- Leicester City
- Liverpool
- Manchester City
- Manchester United
- Reading
- Tottenham Hotspur
- West Ham United
DIVISION 1 ARKEMA (FRANCE)
- Bordeaux
- Dijon
- Fleury
- Guingamp
- Le Havre
- Lyon
- Montpellier
- Paris FC
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Reims
- Rodez
- Soyaux
It’s also worth noting a handful of stadiums have been added to FIFA 23. The Camp Nou (Barcelona), Stadio Olimpico (Lazio/Roma), Allianz Arena (Bayern Munich), Allianz Stadium (Juventus), and City Ground (Nottingham Forest) have been fully replicated for your career mode pleasure.
Onto the new features. There are most definitely some interesting additions this year, but it remains to be seen just how much longevity these features will add to a very similar package to the year’s previous offerings.
PLAYER CAREER PERSONALITY
An increased customisation option has been added for those who love to focus on the player career mode. Taking your created pro from the reserves to superstardom has grown stale, but EA has tried to inject some life with a new personality system.
Your decisions on and off the pitch will contribute to whether your player type is Maverick, Heartbeat, or Virtuoso. Each is defined by personality traits that will contribute to stat improvements when you align with them.
Mavericks seek individual glory and their name in lights. If you choose to shoot from a difficult angle instead of assisting a teammate for a tap-in, you can bet you’re heading down this route. More selfish players might also choose to buy a sports car or invest in businesses in newly added activities away from the on-field action.
Heartbeat players are defined by reading the game well and leading by example in their daily lives. Virtuosos are skilful, intelligent players who prioritise effective technique, but may act spontaneously during a game and away from match days.
Options such as launching a phone app, clothing brand, or esports team will underline what type of player you are. There are also team-based activities, such as visiting injured colleagues in the hospital or deciding to read a book by a club legend, which will appeal to those who only want to take the righteous path.
PLAYABLE HIGHLIGHTS (BOTH PLAYER + MANAGER CAREER)
This is perhaps the most useful addition to FIFA 23’s career mode. Playable Highlights will bridge the gap between the slog of playing every 90 minutes to completion and the risk of running a quick sim.
Although previous FIFA games allow players to watch sims play out in Football Manager style before hopping in to take control whenever wanted, FIFA 23 has streamlined the process somewhat. Playable Highlights give you the responsibility for situations that would influence the outcome of the match only. So think one-on-ones and anything that may or may not lead to a goal.
DYNAMIC MOMENTS (BOTH PLAYER + MANAGER CAREER)
It’s really hard to be excited about cinematic sequences. Both FIFA and ye olde Pro Evolution Soccer have already tried press conferences and the like. It’s always repetitive and feels quite alien.
Even so, FIFA 23 has a multitude of cut-scenes to heighten key moments, such as when you switch clubs, sign a world-renowned talent or achieve something special in your career. Just avoid eye contact with the soulless avatars of players who haven’t lent their voice to the game.
TRANSFER ANALYSIS (MANAGER CAREER)
Transfer negotiations were quite repetitive in FIFA 22 and haven’t really changed in a few years. While the base system is still the same, you’ll now receive an evaluation once a deal is confirmed. These metrics grade how well negotiations went, provide pointers on how to improve, and offer hints as to where your new signing would best fit in.
AUTHENTIC MANAGERS
Ever wanted to omit the scowl of Antonio Conte after Thomas Tuchel has dented his palm with an aggressive, and frankly, strange handshake? Now you can. Real managers are now playable, meaning you can assign them to any club you desire to play with in career mode. Time to watch out for Pep Guardiola’s Accrington Stanley.
NEW MENUS
Last and definitely least… a new menu interface makes navigation slightly faster. EA noted that players spend most of their time in the menu, so want to ensure things are as simple as possible to find.
FIFA 23’s new features should keep things ticking over until what seems like the perfect opportunity for significant changes when the first EA Sports FC arrives in 2024. If you’re looking to sign an absolute superstar, make sure you check out the top 100 FIFA 23 ratings, along with the FIFA 23 icons we know will feature in Ultimate Team.