Why Do My Squad Battles Points Change? A Deep Dive into EA FC’s Ultimate Team

Your Squad Battles points in EA FC’s Ultimate Team (formerly FIFA) can feel like they’re constantly shifting. It’s not magic, and you’re not imagining things. The fluctuation stems from a combination of factors, primarily driven by the dynamic ranking system and the performance of other players in the mode. Understanding these elements is crucial to maximizing your rewards and climbing the leaderboard. Essentially, your points don’t directly decrease after being earned (unless you are scored on during a match), but your rank can fall because others are actively earning more points than you.

The Core Mechanics of Squad Battles Points

Squad Battles is a single-player game mode in Ultimate Team where you compete against AI-controlled squads. You earn points based on your match performance, specifically your scoreline and the difficulty you play on. The higher the difficulty, the greater the potential point reward.

The points you earn translate into a rank, which determines the rewards you receive at the end of each week. These ranks are not static. They’re based on your performance relative to other players. This is the crux of why your rank can change even if you don’t play any further matches.

How Others Impact Your Rank

The most significant reason for your changing rank is the activity of other players. Here’s how it works:

• Continuous Competition: Squad Battles is a weekly competition. Thousands of players are simultaneously competing for the top spots. As other players engage and accumulate points, they can overtake you in the rankings.

• Percentile-Based Ranking: The ranking system uses a percentile system. This means your rank isn’t determined by a fixed point threshold but by where your point total places you relative to the entire player base. So, if you have enough points to be in the Top 20%, and many more players score more points, you might fall into Top 25%, even if you haven’t lost any points yourself.

• Dynamic Leaderboard: The leaderboard is constantly updated, reflecting the real-time performance of all players. This continuous update means your rank is in constant flux, influenced by the efforts of the entire community.

Factors Influencing Your Point Gain

The following factors determine how many points you gain during each game:

• Difficulty Level: The higher the difficulty, the more points you earn. Playing on Legendary or Ultimate will yield significantly more points than playing on Semi-Pro.

• Match Result: Winning earns you significantly more points than losing.

• Goals Scored: You earn points for each goal scored, up to a maximum of five goals.

• Clean Sheet: Keeping a clean sheet (not conceding any goals) provides a bonus.

• Skill Bonuses: Certain in-game actions, like flair passes and tackles, grant small bonus points.

What if you lose?

It’s crucial to also understand that if you get scored on, you lose points. Thus, your offence and defense must be on point during your matches.

End-of-Week Rewards

Every Sunday, your final rank is assessed and rewards are distributed. The rewards vary depending on your rank and can include coins, packs, and other valuable items.

Squad Battles Schedule

Squad Battles refreshes every Sunday at 08:00 UTC which aligns with the following times:

• UK – 9am (BST)
• Europe – 10am (CEST)
• East Coast US – 4am (EDT)

The EA FC 24 Squad Battles rewards become available at the same time every week:

• Sunday, 1pm PT.
• Sunday, 3am CT.
• Sunday, 4am ET.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How are Squad Battles points calculated?

Battle Points are earned for up to 40 Squad Battles matches each week. They’re used to determine your Rank in the weekly Squad Battles competition. Points are based on difficulty, match result (win/loss), goals scored (up to five), clean sheets, and bonus skill actions.

2. How often do Squad Battles points go up?

Battle Points are earned at the end of each of the first 40 Squad Battles matches each week. After these matches, the points are applied to your overall score, contributing to your rank. Keep in mind that even after your points are added, your rank can change due to other players’ activity.

3. Why is my rank not going up in Squad Battles?

The bar may not be progressing because you’ve reached a certain percentile-based rank. To advance further, you’ll need to accumulate more points to surpass other players in the standings. The next rank is often Top 200, a competitive leaderboard requiring a high point total.

4. What happens if I quit a Squad Battles match early?

If you choose to end a match early or skip a match by refreshing, you won’t earn any Battle Points for that match. To maximize your rewards, you should try to play out each of the 40 matches per week.

5. How often do Squad Battles refresh?

Squad Battles refreshes every Sunday at 08:00 UTC. This refresh brings new opponents, resets the leaderboard, and starts a new week of competition.

6. Is there a limit to the number of Squad Battles matches I can play?

The maximum number of Squad Battles matches you can play in a week for earning points is 40. While you can technically play more matches, only the first 40 contribute to your weekly score and rank.

7. Does chemistry matter in Squad Battles?

Yes, team chemistry does matter in Squad Battles. The AI-controlled opponents’ team chemistry can impact their performance, making matches more challenging. This is mentioned at the bottom of the screen when choosing difficulty.

8. How can I maximize my Squad Battles points?

To maximize your Squad Battles points, select the highest difficulty level you can consistently win on. Focus on scoring goals, keeping clean sheets, and playing all 40 weekly matches. If you have a low-rated squad, a higher difficulty level like Legendary or World-Class is recommended.

9. Are Squad Battles rewards tradeable?

Yes, Squad Battle rewards are generally tradeable. This means you can sell the players and items you receive from your reward packs on the transfer market for coins.

10. How long do Squad Battles rewards last?

Rewards are released at the start of each new week of Squad Battles. You have seven days to play Squad Battles and earn enough points to secure the rewards you want before the competition resets.

11. What time are the Squad Battle rewards released?

Squad Battles rewards are typically released every Sunday morning at 8:00 AM UTC.

12. What should I do if I don’t receive my Squad Battle rewards?

If you don’t receive your Squad Battle rewards, try logging out and back into Ultimate Team. This often resolves the issue. If the problem persists, contact EA Support for assistance.

13. Can I lose rank in Squad Battles even if I don’t play?

Yes, you can lose rank in Squad Battles even if you don’t play. This happens because other players are actively earning points and climbing the leaderboard, pushing you down in the rankings. The ranks aren’t fixed point limits, but rather represent the percentile of players within each rank.

14. Do you get match points if you lose Squad Battles?

Yes, you do get match points if you lose Squad Battles. However, the amount of points earned for losing is significantly less than winning. The points awarded depend on the difficulty level you played on.

15. How long does a Squad Battle game take?

In EA Sports FC 24, SQUAD BATTLES matches have 4 MINUTE halves.

Strategy and Long-Term Planning

Winning is not the only important aspect of Squad Battles, it also encompasses long-term planning and strategic gameplay. Knowing when to push for higher difficulties and understanding how others are progressing is crucial for sustaining your desired rank and receiving optimal end-of-week rewards. This dynamic system aligns with the principles explored by the Games Learning Society, showcasing how game mechanics can influence player behavior and engagement. To learn more about game-based learning and its applications, visit GamesLearningSociety.org.