How to play co-op in FIFA 21 Ultimate Team

FIFA 21 is the first edition to allow players to play co-op competitive matches in Ultimate Team, the game’s most popular mode. You can now team up with a friend to play Division Rivals matches, Squad Battles, and FUT Friendlies.

By implementing these changes, co-op has become a meaningful part of FIFA 21 Ultimate Team. You and your friend can play for FUT Champions qualification points and grind objectives together, such as unlocking FUT packs or special players. Although co-op is available for new-gen consoles, there’s no cross-play in FIFA 21 Ultimate Team as of yet, meaning that you and your friend have to play online using the same console model.

Here’s what you need to know to start playing co-op matches in FIFA 21 Ultimate Team.

• Navigate to the initial menu of FIFA 21 Ultimate Team and press RT (Xbox controller) or R2 (PlayStation controller) to open the new Friends Widget. From there, you can select a friend to play a game, and it will take you straight to the co-op lobby.
• The person who sets up the lobby will become the captain of the co-op mode. The captain have control over which of their squads will be used for the match and what game mode will be played.

Once you are in the FIFA 21 Ultimate Team co-op lobby, you can choose the following game modes:

FUT Friendlies

The only mode that doesn’t have a limit of matches to play. Pair up with a friend and play against an unknown opponent via matchmaking. You can choose one of the seven different types of match: Classic, Mystery Ball, Swaps, King of the Hill, Max Chemistry, Headers and Volleys, Survival, Long Range, and No Rules.

Division Rivals

If you opt to play a Rivals match with a friend, both players will use one of their 30 weekly matches. This game mode is used to gather qualification points for FUT Champions, also known as Weekend League. The matchmaking will be based on the higher of your two Skill Ratings, but rewards will be similar to what you would earn playing solo.

In case one of the players don’t have matches left in their weekly allocation, neither of you can earn Division Rivals points. But you will still be able to play and complete objectives, earn FUT coins, and FUT Champions qualification points.

Squad Battles

It’s perhaps the least challenging game mode of FIFA 21 Ultimate Team since you’ll be playing against the AI. But Squad Battles are still useful to earn coins, weekly rewards, and complete objectives. The lobby captain will choose what squad both players will play against and the match will count as one of the 40 weekly matches you have to score points.