FIFA 16 Ultimate Team - how to assemble a successful team

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FIFA 16 Ultimate Team is out now on Google Play and the App Store, meaning it’s once again time to scour the transfer market and spend far too much time opening virtual packs of cards in search of the best players for your new squad.

It’s always been easy enough to build the team of your dreams if you’re willing to pay for the privilege, but it’s still possible to build a competitive side without laying a finger on your wallet.

So, listen up budding Wengers, pay attention wannabe Van Gaals; here’s how to succeed in the cutthroat world of FIFA 16 Ultimate Team.

Pay attention to player chemistry



Walter White saw chemistry as the study of change, but I prefer to see it as a midfield duo of Francis Coquelin and Mathieu Flamini. A partnership blessed with plenty of pointing, shouting, tackling and - as of last night - goal of the season contenders.

Such partnerships are key to success in Ultimate Team because of how they enhance your squad's chemistry. They're both French, they both play in the Premier League for Arsenal, and I've got them both stationed in defensive midfield roles.


Players in the same area of the pitch with similar characteristics are a great way of building chemistry. You could have a back four of Englishmen or a strike partnership forged in France, for example.

Also worth noting is what formation your players enjoy, and also which manager you're able to attain to guide them. Manuel Pellegrini would be a good bet for those of you with attacking intentions, whereas Jose Mourinho works well if you're loading the side with defensive midfielders and cheats.

Hit the pitch with a team lacking chemistry and your players will be about as reliable as EA’s servers, with plenty of misplaced passes and poor defensive positioning.

Much like real football, it’s not all about throwing a load of big names together and hoping they operate as a cohesive unit. And I’ll keep telling myself that when Manchester City have the title sewn up in March.

Play lots of football to earn lots of coins



The more you play, the more fun you’ll have in the transfer market.

We’ll get onto buying and selling players, but the most natural way in which to find players and earn in-game coins is simply to play matches.

Offline seasons are the best way of going about it early doors, as the AI is pretty forgiving and so you can earn a raft of rewards for winning matches and producing good performances.

Play more football, earn more coins, buy more players, win more football. If only everything else in life was so simple.

Maximise your profits by selling the deadwood



Earn enough in-game coins and there’ll never be a need to even contemplate unloading the credit card for some FIFA points.

Amassing a legion of bronze and silver players is rarely a blessing when it comes to performing on the pitch, but they can be a quick and easy way to increase your income by selling them in bulk as soon as you begin to collect a sufficient number of gold players.

EA has made it very simple to fill your squad with top tier players at launch; with cheaper packs, rewards for completing basic in-game achievements, and even for linking your Facebook account.

You’ll soon have more than enough gold players to fill the team, making all those bronze players you started with nothing more than coins with legs.

Swap lesser players for the chance of someone special



An interesting addition to Ultimate Team this year is the ability to exchange up to ten of your fringe players for a chance at receiving someone of a higher calibre.

You could feasibly sacrifice a host of the bronze players you started out with and end up receiving an Eden Hazard in exchange. You could also end up with Joe Bloggs, but that’s beside the point.

Selling your lesser players for coin makes more sense if you’re saving up for a specific target on the transfer market, but otherwise the exchange system is a fun and potentially effective method of getting hold of a marquee player.

Unearth gems on the transfer market



Everybody wants Messi, Ronaldo, and Zlatan (and Flamini), and so they do every season. But last season nobody wanted Bellerin or Martial, and now they’re some of the most sought after players. Let’s find someone new.

The best way to discover an unlikely hero on the transfer market is to ignore that overall rating and hone in on individual stats that would really make a difference to your team. Zlatan is one of the game’s best strikers based purely on his overall ability, but he’s not going to be worth much to you if you rely on your forward having blinding pace.

FIFA’s bias towards pace and strength makes average players like Loic Remy and Victor Wanyama potential stars for anyone having no luck stumbling across Messi in one of their card packs.

Want some help for when you actually get on the pitch? We've got you covered.