FC 26 SMART TACTICS
FC 26 Smart Tactics give you more control over your team while in-game, allowing you to modify certain aspects of your playstyle without having to pause a match.
Smart Tactics for Ultimate Team
Smart Tactics allow you to modify your approach in crucial moments without the need to pause the match.
While being able to use the D-Pad during a match to adjust your game strategy in real-time isn’t new, the somewhat limited Quick Tactics, also known as D-Pad Tactics, have been replaced in FC 26 with a much more robust system.
Smart Tactics were designed to make in-game tactical decisions more accessible and intuitive while integrating tactics more fully into the match experience. The new system provides tactical suggestions based on the flow of the match, allowing for quick adjustments that can change the course of the game. Smart Tactics aims to help players quickly adapt to any situation with simple directional pad presses and animated visuals signifying tactical changes.
How to activate a FC 26 Smart Tactic?
- While playing a match, move the D-Pad once to display the Tactics Group (arrows on PC)
- Move the D-Pad again to select the action you want to activate.
- My Tactics;
- Tactical Focus;
- Quick Tactics;
- Tactical Suggestions.
My Tactics
The first group of Smart Tactics lets you switch your current formation to one of the four other formations you’ve set as preferred.
By moving the D-Pad to the left, you’ll see the four additional formations along with the one you’re currently using (displayed at the top). Another D-Pad movement will instruct your team to switch to the new formation.
Just like in real life, this change can take some time to fully implement. During this transition, until all players adjust their positions on the field, you’ll see the message ‘Tactical Change in Progress.’ The transition will be quicker if the ball goes out of play or if the change is made during a stoppage. To cancel the request while it’s in progress, return to the My Tactics menu and re-select your previous tactic.
| My Tactics |  |
| Custom Tactic 1 | /  |
| Custom Tactic 2 | / |
| Custom Tactic 3 | /  |
| Custom Tactic 4 | /  |
Tactical Focus
Instead of completely changing your tactic, Tactical Focus modifies your current setup while maintaining your selected Formation and Roles. It adjusts Build-Up Style, Defensive Approach, and Role Focus.
By moving the D-Pad to the right, you’ll see three options that correspond to the setups you want to implement: Default, Attacking, or Defending.
Selecting ‘Attacking’ as your Tactical Focus increases both your Build-Up and Defensive Approach by one level, while shifting all Role Focuses to a more offensive strategy. On the other hand, choosing ‘Defending’ lowers both your Build-Up and Defensive Approach by one level, with all Role Focuses adjusted to a more defensive approach.
Once you’ve made your selection, you may see the ‘Focus Change in Progress’ message until the updated Focus takes effect. Additionally, if a player is already on a more defensive Focus when the Defending Tactical Focus is applied, there will be no change to their Focus.
| Tactical Focus | |
| Default | , |
| Defending | , |
| Attacking | , |
Quick Tactics
Quick Tactics allow you to issue specific instructions to your team. If you’ve played previous editions of the game, you’re already familiar with how this feature works.
Some Quick Tactics have been removed, including Attacking Full Backs, Hug Sideline, Extra Striker, Striker Drop Back, and Overload Ball Side. However, the remaining three Quick Tactics have stayed, and a new one has been added.
By pressing Up on the Directional Button, you’ll access the four available Quick Tactics:
Offside Trap
This tactic pushes your defenders forward to disrupt your opponent’s through-ball passes and catch attackers offside. It coordinates your defenders’ movement as a unit, minimizing potential offside threats.
Team Press
Activating this tactic instructs your team to apply relentless pressure on your opponent. Your players will push forward and press aggressively, making it hard for your opponent to find safe passing lanes.
Overload Set Pieces
This increases the number of players in the box during Free Kicks and Corner Kicks. Unlike other Quick Tactics, it can be activated at any time, except during a Set Piece itself.
Get in Box
This encourages more players to move into the penalty area to anticipate crosses. When activated, players on the edge of the box make runs toward the goal, while midfielders also push forward to support the attack and position themselves near the box’s edge.
| Quick Tactics | |
| Offside Trap | , |
| Team Press | , |
| Extra Striker | , |
| Get In Box | , |
Tactical Suggestions
A real-time tactical suggestion system suggests tactical changes based on the match’s flow and you can implement them by pressing Down on the Directional Button.
The Substitution sub-menu will show your Suggested Subs, Custom Subs, or a mixture of both and can display up to four entries at a time.
Balanced
A structured approach that aims to maintain team shape to stay strong defensively while still being able to construct attacks.
Tiki Taka
This approach demands that the entire team be comfortable on the ball, as it uses short passing and constant rotations to create space for attacks.
Long Ball
A direct approach that gets the ball forward quickly, relying on the strength and athleticism of powerful forwards to exploit space behind defenders and battle for second balls and rebounds.
Counter Attack
This approach sees the team sit back and defend the area before rapidly breaking when possession is regained.
Wing Play
This approach uses the entire width of the pitch, switching play to wide positions and overloading the flanks to create crossing opportunities.
Park the Bus
Disciplined and well-organized defending, with a compact defensive line to prevent opposition attacks.
Pressing
our team will attempt to win back the ball quickly and high up the pitch, using fast turnovers to create goalscoring opportunities.
| Tactical Suggestions | |
| Tactic Suggestion 1 | , |
| Tactic Suggestion 2 | , |
| Tactic/Focus Suggestion | , |
| Substitution | , |
Frequently Asked Questions
While in-game, you can adjust your game plan by using the D-Pad. This allows you to modify your playstyle during crucial moments without pausing the match.
FC 26 Smart Tactics are divided into four groups:
- My Tactics;
- Tactical Focus;
- Quick Tactics;
- Tactical Suggestions.
Attacking
- Defend -> Balanced
- Balanced -> Attack
- Defend -> Build-Up
- Defend -> Roaming
- Roaming -> Attack (for CM Playmaker) or Attack -> Roaming (for RW/LW Inside Forward)
- Balanced -> Roaming
- Attack -> Complete
- Balanced -> Defend
- Attack -> Balanced
- Build-Up -> Defend
- Roaming -> Defend
- Attack -> Roaming (for CM Playmaker)
- Roaming -> Balanced
- Complete -> Attack
- Wide -> Balanced
FC 26 has four quick tactics:
- Team Press;
- Overload Set Pieces;
- Offside Trap;
- Get In The Box;
This tactic encourages your AI-controlled teammates to apply heavy pressure on your opponent for up to 20 seconds or until they lose possession. When activating Team Press, remember that there is a 100-second cooldown before it fully recharges.
This tactic tells your defenders to quickly push up as a unit, intending to catch an attacker offside. Be extra careful when triggering an Offside Trap, though, using it at the wrong moment can often lead to easy breakaways for the attacker.
This tactic maximizes the number of players trying to get inside the box when you’re in a crossing situation.
To deactivate a Quick Tactic, you have to perform the same input used to activate it in the first place. For example, you can use the arrow keys when playing with a keyboard.
This is performed instantly, so it can’t be deactivated.
FC 26 Quick Tactics are a great way to quickly adapt to the current game situation and enhance your tactical options. However, it’s important to understand that while making a tactical adjustment can benefit your team, it may also come with trade-offs.
You will always have 2 suggested Tactics, like Tiki-Taka or Counter Attack, then either 1 Tactical Focus or an extra suggested Tactic, and access to the Substitutions menu.
Prompts that remind you when new suggestions are available and give you context for those suggestions will pop up at crucial moments with specific suggestions. These prompts can also be disabled in the settings.
Inside the Tactical Suggestions menu, you can press down on the directional button to access the new substitutions menu. This will display your Suggested Subs, Custom Subs, or a combination of both, with up to four entries visible at once.
To request a substitution, simply press the directional button corresponding to the desired player. You can press as many as you like, and to cancel a request, press the same direction again.
Before entering the menu, you’ll see the number of available substitutions and substitution windows remaining. Keep in mind that if you run out of subs or substitution windows, this menu will become inaccessible.
To request a substitution, simply press the directional button corresponding to the desired player. You can press as many as you like, and to cancel a request, press the same direction again.
Before entering the menu, you’ll see the number of available substitutions and substitution windows remaining. Keep in mind that if you run out of subs or substitution windows, this menu will become inaccessible.
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