EA FC 25 is finally here and Career Mode has received some attention in the latest edition of the franchise, which may lure you back in. If you’re looking for a challenge to test yourself with, we’ve got some suggestions.
Career Mode in EA FC 25 has been neglected in previous editions of the game, but major updates have occurred this year, including a playable youth squad for the first time and the fact that progress in the season pass is shared across all game modes—so you won’t fall behind in Ultimate Team if you put time into Career Mode.
If you’re looking for some challenges to sink your teeth into in EA FC 25 Career Mode, we’ve got some ideas for you to try.
Best EA FC 25 Career Mode challenges
Everton
League: Premier League (England) Transfer Budget: $45.9m
Everton have a proud history and have never been relegated from the Premier League—although that record has come under threat in recent seasons following a huge decline. Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Toffees have endured three consecutive campaigns finishing in the bottom half of the standings.
The current season has not begun with promise either, picking up zero points from the opening four matches and throwing away two-goal leads in each of the last two, showing that another fight against relegation is lurking—and your challenge is to change that fate.
Como
League: Serie A (Italy) Transfer Budget: $9.2m
Promoted to Serie A for the first time in 21 years last season, Como have caught the attention of fans in recent years following significant investment and, led by former Arsenal, Chelsea, and Barcelona man Cesc Fabregas, are back among the big boys.
Staying there will be a tough challenge given the competitiveness of Italy’s top-flight, but there are promising platforms to build upon, the biggest of all being a bunch of familiar names on the squad, including Raphael Varane, Andrea Belotti, Alberto Moreno, and Pepe Reina.
Schalke
League: 2. Bundesliga (Germany) Transfer Budget: $10.8m
The seven-time Bundesliga champions and former Champions League semifinalists have fallen from grace since relegation from the top-flight in 2020-21, where another swift relegation followed an immediate return to the Bundesliga in 2022-23.
Schalke have remained in the second-tier of German soccer since then, with disappointing finishes of 10th and 13th in the past two seasons. The challenge here is to get Schalke back among the top dogs in German soccer, which is certainly a tough task.
LOSC Lille
League: Ligue 1 (France) Transfer Budget: $23.2m
Dethroning Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 is not a simple feat, but it’s something Lille did not too long ago in 2020-21, winning the title. Since then, it’s been a struggle for consistency with finishes in 10th, fifth, and fourth.
Lille’s squad, which includes Jonathan David and recent England debutant Angel Gomes, is definitely capable of better and it’s your task to lead them to that glory. The bonus here is Lille are in the Champions League already, giving you plenty of top matches to challenge yourself in.
Athletic Club
League: LaLiga (Spain) Transfer Budget: $22m
Athletic Club are mainstays in LaLiga and have even won trophies in recent years, a remarkable triumph considering the might they face in the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid—plus the fact they only employ players born or developed inside the Basque region.
While EA FC 25 doesn’t offer the ability to continue that tradition outright, there are some ways to mimic it—ban yourself from transfers and only gain new players through the youth academy, limiting your search area to Spain and France. This isn’t for the faint-hearted but it’s a challenge well worth trying.
Bolton Wanderers
League: League One (England) Transfer Budget: $3.9m
The former Premier League mainstays are now languishing in the third tier of English soccer, having not played in the top-flight for over a decade since relegation in 2011-12. During that time, there was even a brief period in League Two.
Things have started to improve, however, and a third-place finish last term saw Bolton lose the playoff final to Oxford United at Wembley. There’s still a long way to go to reach the top, but this is a good long-term challenge for anyone wanting to work their way through the divisions.
St. Louis City
League: MLS (United States) Transfer Budget: $30.8m
One of MLS’ most recent additions to the league, St. Louis City didn’t get off to the best of starts with a 13th-placed finish in the Western Conference, above only San Jose, winning just five of their 29 matches in the campaign.
There’s clearly a long way to go to the top, especially with a squad that has many areas of improvement, but the addition of former Borussia Dortmund stopper Roman Burki provides reliability between the sticks and, given their young age, it’s a chance to craft out an entirely new history.
Ajax
League: Eredivisie (Netherlands) Transfer Budget: $31.3m
The four-time European champions boast a huge amount of history and were the starting point for many legendary players, though competing in Europe in modern soccer is a much more difficult challenge—and this season marks 30 years since Ajax’s last European triumph.
Ajax have a strong squad, though, and offer Champions League soccer early on to test yourself with, giving you plenty of room to grow. Can you get Ajax back to the pinnacle of European soccer?
Deportivo La Coruna
League: LaLiga Hypermotion (Spain) Transfer Budget: $7.3m
Deportivo’s glory years at the turn of the millennia, which saw glory in LaLiga, the Spanish Cup, and the Spanish Super Cup, are now a distant memory. Relegation from the top-flight in 2019-20 was followed by more struggles and three seasons in the third tier of Spanish soccer.
A first-place finish last year, however, puts Deportoivo back in the second division and thus back in the EA FC 25 roster. The deciding match last season was attended by over 30,000 fans, showing the size of the club, and it’s your task to bring them back to the top.
Sassuolo
League: Serie BKT (Italy) Transfer Budget: $11.4m
Sassuolo’s 11-year stay in Serie A came to a close last season with relegation to the second-tier and it’s been an indifferent start in the fight for an immediate return, winning two and drawing two of the opening five matches.
A strong squad is waiting for you, including 83-rated Domenico Berardi, so bringing Sassuolo back to Serie A should be expected in your first season. From there, the challenge is qualifying for Europe and fighting for the title.
