FIFA 21 Pro Clubs Will Let You Customize Players And Tactics

FIFA 21 is bringing some changes to its Pro Club mode, letting you customize your teams and tactics far more than you could in the past. Players who like to solo Pro Club, or just play in small groups, will find that they have some more control over teammates, and a lot more input on their appearance.

Pro Club is an online mode where players control one player on a team they have created themselves--and you can play with as many as 22 players, or as few as two. In a new update on the FIFA website, EA Sports explains that you'll be able to customize AI players in your Club for FIFA 21. This refers specifically to the PS4, Xbox One, and PC versions of the game, although this could just be a case of EA being cagey about how FIFA 21 will be different on next-gen in the lead up to its release.

In this year's entry, a "Manage" section in the Pro Clubs menu will let you change the appearance, name, and kit of every player on your virtual team. You can name and create your friends, or a team that pays tribute to your favorite TV show, or just design a team of folks with strange faces, if you want.

This option will only be accessible to the managers of each club. Here's a full list of everything the managers will be able to customize:

• Name (First/Last/Known As/Commentary/Kit Name)
• Kit Number
• Birth (Date/Nationality/Region)
• Preferred foot
• Face
• Skin Tone
• Eyes
• Brows
• Nose
• Mouth
• Ears
• Hair
• Facial Hair
• Kit Fit
• Accessories (Gloves, Boots, Wristbands, Sock Tape)
• Animations (Running Style, Celebrations)

Club managers will also be able to set preset tactics in this menu, so you can change how the AI will perform based on your personal play style. You'll also be able to "provide instructions" to AI players, so you'll really be playing the part of a manager as you set up your tactics.

You'll still have the option to just edit formations while not going granular on tactics, but these options are here for players who want to dive deep.

FIFA 21 will launch for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 9, alongside the Switch Legacy Edition. You'll be able to carry over progression across console generations when the game arrives on PS5 and Xbox Series X, and you can upgrade from current to next-gen for free.