In FIFA 23, the MLS has a unique alignment because of its start and finish dates. The last season ended on 5 November, crowning LAFC as the champions, and will start up again on 25 February this year. Essentially, FIFA players get two seasons of the MLS in each game. However, the MLS is one of those seldom-played divisions of FIFA 23. It’s great that Electronic Arts have included the league to help grow the sport in the US, but for most, it’s all about taking charge of an elite European side or a team that can battle up the tables to join the elite.
While you’ll need to get a little creative, here’s why an MLS-based FIFA 23 Career Mode is a fun experience for those who want a new challenge.
Structure to follow in an MLS campaign
One of the interesting things about US sports leagues is that there is no promotion or relegation. Rather, major leagues hold a monopoly and keep the clubs in one league. What this means is that, for a new team to enter, there has to be an expansion to include the club or a franchise has to be moved to a new location.
FIFA 23 gives many options to create your own new MLS club, just as David Beckham did with Inter Miami. From there, you’re also limited by a cap, which you’d need to enforce in the game. The in-depth MLS cap rules are fairly complicated, but the key is that there’s a salary budget of $4.9 million to stick to.
The next element to factor in is the MLS SuperDraft. Since this is a locked league with the aim of bad teams eventually becoming good, those that finish lower get earlier picks of the best up-and-coming talent via the SuperDraft. It’s a way for the league to monopolise talent in the country and help lowly teams build back better.
In the real league, the SuperDraft is how talent gets added to rosters and teams, with each club having a limited number of picks. Perhaps the best way to replicate this would be to send a handful of scouts to the North American continent and the odd one to either Africa or Europe, limiting how many players you can sign each season to two or three.
Which MLS team to pick for Career Mode
If you’re not creating your own MLS franchise, then it’s always great to start with a club that is lower down the standings and in need of a rebuild. Based on the fact that they went from the top of the Western Conference to tenth in 2022, this makes the Colorado Rapids a great choice. Even at the sites offering the best Colorado sportsbook promos, the Rapids aren’t in with the favourites this season. Via the bet365 site with a “200 to 1 odds boost”, the Rapids are at 16/1 to win the MLS Cup in 2023. After a weak season, the Rapids rank 22nd in FIFA 23 with an overall rating of 68 but a 4 out of 10 prestige rating.
Those who want it easy would go for LAFC or Philadelphia Union, who are at 11/2 and 8/1 to win the league respectively, but the Rapids offer a good basis for a rebuild. Diego Rubio, Michael Barrios, and Jack Price are all rated 72 overall, while Dantouma Toure, Ralph Priso, Max, and Braian Galván all have potential ratings at or exceeding 75.
It takes some self-control, but going through the cycle of building, winning, and then rebuilding an MLS team per the league’s rules is an exciting way to experience FIFA 23 Career Mode.
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