FUT 22 Champions: Tips and tricks from Ryan Pessoa

FIFA Pro Ryan shares his expert knowledge to help you keep your cool in FIFA’s toughest competition. A must read for the start of the FIFA 22 – Season !.

To get to the finals you need a strong team

With FIFA 22, the Ultimate Team Champions Weekend League undergoes the most comprehensive changes since its introduction. You don’t have to play 30 matches in 3 days anymore, but you still need a strong team, good meta tactics and persistent concentration. Let’s take a closer look at the new FUT Champions in FIFA 22 now.

“You can have both the best players and the best tactics ready in FIFA 22, but it won’t do you much good if you don’t work on your mental side,” FIFA Pro and Red Bull athlete Ryan Pessoa tells us. Before we go into more detail about this aspect later, we’ll first take a look at the FFUT Champions innovations, as I said before.

In FIFA 22 you increase your rank to get rewards © EA Sports

What’s new about FUT Champions in FIFA 22?

The only thing that has remained the same from previous Champions modes is the necessary qualification points from the FUT game mode Division Rivals.

Qualifying via Division Rivals will get you the entry token for the FUT Champions playoffs that take place during the week. These playoffs are accessible during the current FUT – Season (duration: 6 weeks). After entering you have to play a certain number of matches during the – Season . This will earn you Rank Points and rewards, which you will redeem at the end of your playoff run.

Earning enough points will earn you a token for the Finals – from here on you’ll enter the new version of the Weekend League. The Champions Finals are to be played with this token during the current – Season , and you can choose the “weekend” to be played.

Are the Champions Finals the new Weekend League?

Since lost matches also earn points, every match played is worth it. © EA Sports

The Champions Finals no longer consist of a 30-game grind, you now need a smaller number of games completed within the weekend time frame. The rewards at the end are calculated based on your achieved points. A welcome change in FIFA 22 is that even lost games earn you points.

Also, you no longer have to wait until the next week to redeem the rewards. They will be available as soon as you are done with your Champions Finals matches. If you still have matches to play, you can access the rewards at the end of the tournament.

Overall, the new features here are pleasing, as you can choose when to start your playoff matches. A shorter Weekend League should also allow more time for family, friends, and the things that need to be done on weekends.

“The pressure during FUT Champions can get really intense as the rewards are on the line.”

FUT Champions: The mental attitude

FUT Champions is “the” competitive mode in FIFA 22. © EA Sports

Even though some things have changed, FUT Champions is still the most intense competitive mode in FIFA. Prestigious rewards are tied to achievements, so it’s no surprise if you’re nervous before each match.

“The pressure during FUT Champions can get really intense because the rewards are on the line,” Ryan says. “That’s why when you’re behind, it’s important not to give up on your game. Not panicking and getting defenders out of positions is essential. Play to your strengths and treat the game as if it’s 0-0.”

Responding positively to defeats is immensely difficult. They tempt people to look for the next opponent right after, but that can be counterproductive.

“I always tell people to take a break after a loss,” Ryan said. “If you rush into the next match right away, you’re still on the last match in your head, so you’re still on the last opponent. Take some time in between and you’ll play better.”

In preparation for the FUT Champions matches, you can play a match in Rivals as a warm-up exercise. Even if you only play half the match, it will definitely sharpen your focus instead of starting cold.
Pay attention to your concentration, it drops rapidly after a few matches. Many experienced FUT Champions players play three to four games in a row and then take a long break. Always play in a state of maximum concentration.

FUT Champions: Tactics

Many players bet on their favorite formation and hope for the best. This may work for Squad Battles and to a certain extent in Rivals, but in FUT Champions it pays to take it a little closer.

So, activate your inner Pep Guardiola and look closely at what your opponent is doing. Does he always have the ball at a certain height? Is your formation too central, allowing the opposing wingers to break through often? Who determines the tempo of the game? It’s a matter of seconds to change your formation or give out player instructions. If this is too much for you at the beginning, try using the opponent’s formation. This way it will be more difficult for him to triumph numerically in one area.

You should also watch out for recurring patterns in the opponent. Some players often feint, only to choose the less obvious option – passing into tight spaces, for example. Often these habits are hard to spot, but once a player repeats certain actions, anticipate his approach next time.

FIFA 22 has a bunch of tactics settings, but there is no recipe for all possible situations. A good option on your consoles or PC is to record the gameplay. This way you can analyze lost matches in detail. What led to the ball being lost? What situation caused the goal? This is much more useful than moving something to the left or right on one of the many bars.

FUT Champions: Tips and Tricks

Hopefully Ryan’s tips will lead you to FIFA’s GOAT! © EA Sports

Sometimes you just get unlucky in a FUT Champions game – think unfair penalty kick and the like. That makes it all the more important to control the variables you can control.

Here are some things we do to play successful matches in FUT Champions:

Penalty Shooting – If your opponent is constantly streaking back and forth on the line to intimidate you, follow him with the cursor. When shooting, aim at the spot where the goalkeeper is currently standing. According to our experience, he usually rushes away again.

Taking penalties during the game – If you get a penalty in the game, change the player who is going to shoot, wait a few seconds and shoot in the middle. The opponent will think you are going for a certain player’s technique when you switch – put him in.

Deflecting penalties – Just stay in the middle. It’s an attitude thing: if you stay in the middle and defend, you have the upper hand mentally. If he hits the side, it shouldn’t matter – penalties are like playing the lottery – aren’t they?

Keep a cool head and keep all players on the field – it’s always worse to play outnumbered. Avoid serious fouls in defense and replace yellow-penalized defenders at halftime.

Player substitutions – A tired Neymar is unlikely to be as effective as an 80-something, 95-speed winger just off the bench. Take advantage of player substitutions especially towards the end of the 90 minutes.

Avoid goal celebrations – FIFA 22 gives you the option to watch the reaction of your own players instead of the opponent’s goal celebration. Use this option and save yourself the phone gesture after Gabriel Jesus scored against you.