EA FC 26 Guides Best formations and custom tactics

Best formations and custom tactics

Published: Nov 10, 2025, 15:36

If you’re looking to dominate Division Rivals and Champions in EA FC 26, you’re going to need the best formations and custom tactics to get your team playing its best football.

Ultimate Team gives you the freedom to create your own squad from scratch, and while fielding a starting 11 full of the game’s best players, you’ll soon get undone if your system isn’t strong enough. Choosing the right formation, player roles, and build-up play options to get the most out of the players is essential in higher ranks.

With this in mind, here are the best formations and tactics to help you dominate Ultimate Team this season.

Best formation in EA FC 26

The best formation in EA FC 26 at launch is 4-2-1–3, as it’s easily the most balanced setup. Whether you like to pack the midfield and play through the opposition, or spread the ball out wide and get crosses into the box, this system has it all.

By having a LW, RW, and CAM, you have a lot more flexibility. If your opponent is using their full-backs to bomb forward, you can set the wide players to Wingers, giving them the freedom to exploit the space on either flank. Or, you ask them to flood the box by making them Inside Forwards, giving you a lot of attacking options.

The two CDM positions are also crucial, as these provide some-needed defensive cover. That being said, you can also encourage at least one of them to support the attackers by assigning them the Box Crasher role, giving them license to push forward.

But if you really want to get the most out of this formation, you need to choose the right players. Especially in the wide positions, as you’ll need plenty of pace and creativity.

Meta formations, tactics, and codes

4-2-1-3

Code: &YQyNaQ6?wAD

Tactics

Tactical Preset: Custom
Formation: 4-2-1-3
Build-Up Style: Counter
Defensive Line: 40

Player Roles

GK: Goalkeeper / Defend
LB: Fullback / Defend
CB: Defender / Defend
CB: Defender / Defend
RB: Fullback / Defend
CDM: Box Crasher / Balanced
CDM: Holding / Defend
LW: Inside Forward / Attack
RW: Inside Forward / Attack
CAM: Playmaker / Balanced
ST: Advanced Forward / Attack

4-4-2

Code: t4Ht?T2z3ph8

Tactics

Tactical Preset: Custom
Formation: 4-4-2 (Flat)
Build-Up Style: Counter
Defensive Line: 45

Player Roles

GK: Goalkeeper / Defend
LB: Fullback / Defend
CB: Defender / Defend
CB: Defender / Defend
RB: Fullback / Defend
LM: Inside Forward / Attack
CM: Holding / Defend
CM: Deep-Lying Playmaker / Build-up
RM: Inside Forward / Attack
ST: Target Forward / Balanced
ST: Advanced Forward / Attack

4-4-2 is a top-tier formation in FC 26, but it’s very attacking, so you need to make sure you have the right players to make the most of it. Again, the key here is the midfield, as going with two in the middle of the park means that you need a lot of energy, crucially, players who can defend as well as attack.

We recommend a duo that has great all-round stats, with someone like Ryan Gravenberch being ideal. Of course, you could have one CDM and one CAM, but you find that opponents can play through you easily.

4-4-1-1

Code: 7JV$CB7BF3nM

Tactics

Tactical Preset: Custom
Formation: 4-4-1-1
Build-Up Style: Counter
Defensive Line: 60

Player Roles

GK: Goalkeeper / Defend
LB: Fullback / Defend
CB: Defender / Defend
CB: Defender / Defend
RB: Fullback / Defend
CM: Box-to-Box / Balanced
CM: Holding / Defend
CAM: Shadow Striker / Attack
LW: Inside Forward / Balanced
RW: Inside Forward / Balanced
ST: Advanced Forward / Attack

4-4-1-1 also offers great balance, but is a slightly more attacking variation of 4-2-1-3. Swapping CDMs for CMs allows you to be a little braver when it comes to sending midfielders forward, as long as you have one that sits back.

The real star of the show here is the CAM position, as you need someone who can play killer passes to create chances for the striker or give wingers something to chase. This is the kind of role where players like Bonmati or Bellingham really shine.

4-1-2-1-2 (Narrow)

Code: twGr2xF13rxN

Tactics

Tactical Preset: Custom
Formation: 4-4-1-1
Build-Up Style: Counter
Defensive Line: 60

Player Roles

GK: Goalkeeper / Defend
LB: Fullback / Defend
CB: Defender / Defend
CB: Defender / Defend
RB: Fullback / Defend
CDM: Holding / Defend
CM: Box-to-Box / Balanced
CM: Box-to-Box / Balanced
CAM: Classic 10 / Attack
ST: Target Forward / Attack
ST: Advanced Forward / Attack

You don’t see too many narrow formations in football these days, but that doesn’t mean you should discount it in EA FC 26, as it offers a ton of versatility. Not only does it give you a CAM and two strikers, making it very easy to open up defenses with quick passes, but packing the midfield makes you tough to play against as well.

The only real weakness is the lack of width, which also puts a lot of pressure on your full-backs. So, it’s vital that you have players at LB and RB who are comfortable on the ball and putting in tackles, like Hakimi or Nuno Mendes.

4-2-2-2

Code: zgM9UdP79xPT

Tactics

Tactical Preset: Custom
Formation: 4-2-2-2
Build-Up Style: Short Passing
Defensive Line: 40

Player Roles

GK: Goalkeeper / Defend
LB: Fullback / Defend
CB: Defender / Defend
CB: Defender / Defend
RB: Fullback / Defend
CDM: Holding / Defend
CDM: Box Crasher / Balanced
CAM: Playermaker / Balanced
CAM: Shadow Striker / Attack
ST: Target Forward / Attack
ST: Advanced Forward / Attack

On the face of it, 4-2-2-2 seems a little unconventional, but it’s still one of the best formations and tactics in EA FC 26. It’s fairly balanced, but the real key here is nailing down what you want from the two CAM positions.

Having two playmakers might leave you feeling outnumbered in the box, so it’s worth setting at least one as a shadow striker. This essentially gives you a front three, and if your CAMs have plenty of pace, they can also be makeshift wingers.

4-2-3-1 (Wide)

Tactics

Tactical Preset: Custom
Formation: 4-2-2-2
Build-Up Style: Short Passing
Defensive Line: 40

Player Roles

GK: Goalkeeper / Defend
LB: Fullback / Defend
CB: Defender / Defend
CB: Defender / Defend
RB: Fullback / Defend
CDM: Deep-Lying Playmaker / Build-Up
CDM: Holding / Defend
LM: Inside Forward / Balanced
RM: Inside Forward / Balanced
CAM: Playmaker / Build-Up
ST: Advanced Forward / Attack

Much like 4-2-1-3, the 4-2-3-1 (Wide) formation offers a great deal of balance, especially in midfield, since you have the benefit of two holding players as well as a more creative attacker. This ensures you never get overrun in the middle of the park, and gives you the freedom to go more offensive or defensive when needed.

The lone striker has a lot of work to do, as they’ll need to link up with the CAM and wingers, but if you’ve got a number 9 who is comfortable on the ball like Mbappe, you won’t miss that extra player in the middle.

5-2-1-2

Tactics

Tactical Preset: Custom
Formation: 5-2-1-2
Build-Up Style: Counter
Defensive Line: 45

Player Roles

GK: Goalkeeper / Defend
LB: Wingback / Balanced
CB: Defender / Defend
CB: Inside Forward / Balanced
CB: Defender / Defend
RB: Wingback / Balanced
CM: Box-to-Box / Balanced
CM: Box-to-Box / Balanced
CAM: Playmaker / Build-Up
ST: Advanced Forward / Attack
ST: Advanced Forward / Attack

The 5-2-1-2 formation may look a little defensive on paper, but these tactics are actually great for overloading the opposition’s defense. Two up front, while giving all of your midfielders the freedom to attack the box, keeps the center backs occupied and opens up plenty of room to attack.

Amongst all the chaos, pushing your full-backs up the pitch gives you some much-needed width and creates plenty of crossing opportunities. Meanwhile, your three defenders are there to mop up any counterattacks.

The EA FC 26 meta will evolve as more and more updates roll out, so we’ll be sure to keep this page updated with the latest tactics.

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