5 best formations to use in FIFA 23

FIFA 23 has a range of customization options that you can experiment with while controlling your favorite team. Whether it’s substituting players on the field or changing their boot’s appearance, these customization elements offer a lot of options. Formations are one of the areas you can tinker with across all the game modes, and knowing how to set up a team can make a massive difference in the scoreline.

Experimenting with formations is an essential part of any FIFA game, as it allows you to check which shape works best for the players on the team. Teams with multiple strikers or wingers will always benefit from playing a front three. Similarly, clubs with talented midfielders will enjoy linking up the play by putting in more players at the center of the field. Naturally, you need to know the best formations that would work for your team.

Here are the five best formations to use in FIFA 23.

The best formations to use in FIFA 23

Changing formations for a team will depend entirely on the players you have in the squad. If a team has a rich set of attackers, it’s always advantageous to play a 4-3-3 formation over a single striker. Likewise, squads with pacey wingers and fullbacks can rely on overlapping runs on the flanks to create scoring opportunities. Remember, putting a player out of their assigned position can have a different impact on how the squad performs on the pitch.

4-2-3-1 Wide

This is one of the oldest and most effective formations in the playbook, and it is used by some of the popular Premier League clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, and more. The essence of this formation lies in four defenders and two central defensive midfielders. These players will hold the defensive line while providing forward balls to wingers and the striker.

The fullbacks are tasked with making overlapping or inverted forward runs to support the forward line. Similarly, the midfielders can drift wide when required or stick to their positions. The CDMs on the team can take up the deep-lying playmaker role to increase the chances of link-up play between attack and defense. The wingers, central attacking midfielder, and striker focus on creating opportunities with direct forward runs, crosses, and through balls. 4-2-3-1 is one of the most balanced formations in FIFA 23 that can be used with any team in the game.

4-4-1-1 Midfield 

The 4-4-1-1 Midfield formation is a slight deviation from the 4-2-3-1. Instead of defensive midfielders, this structure incorporates two central midfield players, along with a central attacking midfielder to support the lone striker. The wingers are positioned up the field to provide crossing opportunities and make cutting runs inside the box. 

The midfielders in this formation have to track back during the opponent’s attacking transitions. They can get into the box to support on crosses, or stay on the edge of the penalty area. The midfielders can also drop between defenders to maintain the shape of this formation. You can change the tactics to make the midfielders perform conservatively or go for aggressive interceptions. While this formation relies mostly on its midfield prowess, it can be highly effective against opposing teams playing a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 setup.

4-3-3 Holding

The 4-3-3 Holding formation is one of the best structures used by teams with fast wingers and defensive midfielders. Teams like PSG and Real Madrid use this formation to get the best out of their attacking players. This formation has four defenders in the back line, with one central defensive midfielder, and two center mids. Players like Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Marco Verratti, and Danilo Periera fit perfectly in the CDM role for both PSG and Real Madrid.

The two center midfielders create chances by feeding precise through balls to the striker or wingers. The striker in this formation has options to drop back and play as a false 9, or as a target man holding up the play until teammates arrive. This formation does brilliantly with agile wingers who can hit on the counterattack with a boost of speed, and cut inside to score goals. You can also alternate between 4-3-3 Attack and 4-3-3 Holding depending on the players available in your squad.

5-2-3

This is one of the most efficient defensive formations you can play in FIFA 23. Teams with multiple center backs can use this formation to create a strong five-player backline, with two center midfielders in front. The wingbacks will provide support to the midfield players, and run down the flanks to create chances up front. The forward three will fall back to defense whenever necessary, making sure to speed up the transition from an opponent’s attack to your team’s counterattack. 

As compared to other defensive formations, 5-2-3 is one of the best to use in FIFA 23. The fullbacks hold the shape of this formation moving from defense to attack, while the midfielders act as a barrier in front of the back three. The striker plays more of a center-forward role here, dropping down in midfield to create passing lanes for wingers on the flanks.

3-5-1-1

The 3-5-1-1 is an unorthodox formation and is mostly used by weaker teams against top-tier squads. The idea is to have more players in the center of the field to support both defense and attack equally. This formation was employed by Premier League club Brighton to overcome Arsenal and Tottenham. The three defenders are protected by the central defensive midfielders up front, and the wingers drop back to fill the role of fullbacks. You can experiment by changing the roles of the midfield players to suit your squad. 

The three players in the center of the pitch can take up a free role, where they can support the attack or fall back to defense. Likewise, the center attacking midfielder joins the striker in attack as a center forward. The best part of this formation is that the midfielders push up-field during counterattacking situations. Similarly, the five players in midfield apply more pressure to the opponents when ball possession is lost. Another variation of this formation is the 3-5-2, where you have two strikers up top to create pressure on the opposing defense.