FIFA 22 has continued FIFA's long-successive reign over the soccer video game landscape. Packed with the same modes that FIFA players know and love, it has even added some expansion on the VOLTA game mode as compared to its predecessor FIFA 21.
FIFA 22 has a lot of different modes for players to choose from; with a balance of single-player vs multiplayer game modes. The more hardcore FIFA players will more than likely play a mixture of all of the modes. but those with less time may need to be more choosy; a bit like when signing players on a tight budget in the Career Mode. In that case, players should aim to find modes that they enjoy more than others.
Updated on April 27, 2022, by Ritwik Mitra: FIFA 22 is another addition to a long line of soccer video games that are all the rage. Each annual release sells like gangbusters, which is enough to prove just how incredibly popular this series really is. People can't wait to check these games out every single time and get up-to-date with the major changes and minor tweaks made to each installment. With the sheer number of game modes present in FIFA 22, players are going to be pretty entertained indeed. Here are all the game modes in FIFA 22, ranked on the basis of how fun they are.
13 Practice Arena: Get A Hang Of The Basics
Each FIFA game generously features a Practice Arena where beginners can understand the controls of the game. Of course, the Practice Arena isn't gated in the slightest, and even well-seasoned players of FIFA 22 can check this arena out to brush up on their skills or master a new move.
The Practice Arena lets players understand each and every facet of the game, from open-play sequences to set pieces. Given the sheer number of times the penalties or free kicks have changed in FIFA, players appreciate the opportunity to test out these new mechanics in the Practice Arena.
12 Exhibition: Where It All Started
Exhibition Mode isn't necessarily bad; quite the opposite in fact - it's where the FIFA series started! As the series has grown over the years, Exhibition Mode has become a barebones, couch play mode. Well suited for players who don't normally have much time to play and want to fix their mistakes in FIFA to improve.
The mode allows guests to set up profiles so that they can track their Win/ Loss ratio against the player. Any teams across any leagues can be selected, including the Soccer Aid and Classic XI teams.
11 UEFA Champions League: Simulate A Legendary Clash
Players who want to spice up a game with their friends can simulate an entire Champions League, with the finale being the stuff of legends. Playing with friends in this mode can be pretty legendary... although there are bound to be certain teams that will be controlled by the AI due to the sheer depth of this competition.
Of course, players can circumvent this by just playing a single clash within this setting instead, with the UEFA Champions League final being as grand a stage as any. It might be nothing more than a glorified exhibition, but it's still a pretty neat way to play against a friend regardless.
10 Skill Games: Practice The Tekkerz
Skill games are a useful mode for when players want to improve their skills. There are lots of skills available in FIFA, spanning 5 stars or tiers. Players should practice with 2 and 3-star skill moves, as this is what most players on FIFA will be. When players are comfortable with that, they can move onto 4 or even 5 stars skill moves.
Any player can be used for the skill moves and it's fun to try and beat friends on the leaderboards for each of the various drills. Skill games are obviously not the main mode but are a nice way to unwind and improve at the same time.
9 Co-Op Seasons: Play Online With Friends
Co-op seasons allow two players to control the same team together online, battling throughout five Divisions in order to get to Division 1. This adds a teamwork-based dynamic to the game, as every pass switches the receiver of the ball, changing gameplay somewhat.
Players can expect a great feeling when they and their buddy manage to pull off a skillful, smooth attack; but most of the time Co-Op Seasons just feels a little awkward and puts players off their game in the main game.
8 King Of The Hill: Maintaining Possession In Key Areas
King of the Hill is a pretty interesting take on a normal competition. Here players need to stay in certain designated stations on the pitch and build up a multiplier to let them score a more valuable goal.
Goals start out with a multiplier of zero, so players have to remain in this area at some point if they want to score. It's a pretty unique way to spice up a game of FIFA, especially since the basic game can get pretty repetitious if played for longer stretches.
7 Mystery Ball: A Fun Mode With Powerups
Mystery Ball is another unique game of football that makes for a great time with friends. In fact, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that Mystery Ball outright turns FIFA into a party game!
The various boosts that people can enjoy in this mode make it pretty exciting indeed. While there is a bit of tactic involved, there's no denying that Mystery Ball makes games pretty chaotic and arcade-y with its wild goal multipliers and powerful boosts.
6 VOLTA: The Newest Game Mode
VOLTA is the newest game mode in FIFA, first appearing in FIFA 20. A smaller-scale version of the old spin-off series FIFA Street, Volta adds Futsol to the game, allowing players to choose between 3v3, 4v4, or 5v5. There is a good amount of pitch selection, and the game feels enjoyable enough.
There is more that can be done to make VOLTA as great as it could be, however, and it is certainly not a replacement for FIFA Street in actuality. Regardless, it's a fun little fast-paced mode that can help players get better at dribbling and skilling in the main game.
5 Pro Clubs: Underrated And Ignored
Pro Clubs has long held a cult following within the FIFA community. The very nature of the game mode in bringing together groups of players, all of them controlling a single player on the pitch adds to a realistic experience and one that keeps players hooked.
Unfortunately, some fans have often felt that Pro Clubs is ignored by EA, generally missing updates compared to other modes, and that it's FIFA's biggest needed fix. The menus feel a little clanky, and sometimes the game's player rating seems to be inconsistent.
4 Ultimate Team: FIFA's Crown Jewel And Thorn In The Side
Ultimate Team is popular enough to splinter off into its own game, but it's also the biggest source of controversy for the FIFA franchise. Players open packs, complete objectives, and complete challenges in order to earn coins and players; all of them aiming to have the best team in the world filled with FIFA's highest-rated players. It's backed up with a weekly tournament that allows anybody playing the game to reach the top of FIFA's player base in skill.
Unfortunately, it is a game mode that promotes grinding for the best player cards and generally irritating, meta-focused multiplayer gameplay. Ultimate Team gets stale very quickly, especially for older players who have responsibilities. Players that have the time and the money to spend on Ultimate Team will have a blast, but for the everyday gamer, this game mode is a little too intense.
3 Online Friendlies: Battle Against Friends
Online friendlies let players play against people on their friends' list, with a season set-up that runs off 5 games but can be won in 3 games. Online Friendlies is really fun and allows friends to play as the teams they support and duke it out, re-enacting popular fixtures from over the years, and discovering hidden gems in lesser-known leagues.
The seasons could be a little longer, and it would be cool if a league system could be implemented where lots of friends could join together, Online Friendlies is one of the best modes on FIFA.
2 Seasons: Battle Online
Seasons is a staple game mode that allows players to play against each other with any official team. There are 10 Divisions, with players starting off in the bottom (10) division and fighting to get to Division 1. Players can choose teams with the highest rated forwards or highest rated goalkeepers, or choose lesser-known teams in the 3 or 4-star region.
With any official team available for selection, and a simpler ranking system that players can get their time to get to the top of; Online Seasons is better for the everyday gamer because of its simplicity. It's a little predictable that players always pick the best teams such as PSG, and there's still a bit of meta reliance from players just like in the Ultimate Team.
1 Career Mode: FIFA's Best Mode
Career Mode is one of the longest-lasting modes available on FIFA, having entered the series in FIFA 04. Players can choose a team from any league across any part of the world, and create their own world. Fostering new players through the Youth Academy, balancing Board Expectations and Team Morale with multiple competitions throughout the year. Building a team that gets to the Champions League within 5 seasons, or building on a pre-established super-club to ensure its longevity; the opportunities are endless.
Career Mode receives regular updates from one FIFA entry to the next, and it's not hard to see why it's so popular. There is never a shortage of updates EA could make to the game mode, but as it stands in FIFA 22 it is definitely an improvement on earlier FIFA entries with the inclusion of Create-a-Club, and some refinement over features that were buggy during FIFA 21.
FIFA 22 was released on October 1, 2021, and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia.