10 of the Best Clubs to Manage in FIFA 23 Career Mode

Get ready for another season of FIFA with this list of 10 of the best clubs to manage in this year's Career mode. With the release of FIFA 23 being so close, it's time to choose which team you want to try and achieve years of success with. There are plenty of established and struggling clubs here to pick from.

10 of the Best Clubs to Manage in FIFA 23 Career Mode

For the final time, the new season of FIFA has arrived. Career mode returns once again in FIFA 23, albeit with very few notable differences. There are more cutscenes to discover, new menus to play around with and players can now control authentic managers. EA Sports may well have some more major improvements in store for their upcoming EA Sports FC series. For now, though, there are plenty of great team options this year for fans of the game mode. These include declining giants, newly wealthy clubs and lower league minnows. The journeys in store would have Amazon on the phone in real-life. Here are 10 of the best clubs to manage in FIFA 23 Career mode.

Newcastle United (Premier League)

Last season was a historic one for the Magpies as they were taken over by a Saudi-led consortium. The new owners have high hopes of taking the club to the very top. So far, they have opted to take things slow and not splash the cash. In the virtual world, however, players can spend loads immediately if they please. Newcastle’s starting transfer budget is £70m. This is, obviously, not reflective of their actual war chest but luckily you can choose to increase this. For realism, this is recommended.

Newcastle may well be among Europe's elite sooner than later

Newcastle may well be among Europe’s elite sooner than later

With the amount of money at your disposal, this is an exciting job to take on that still poses a challenge. The best players in the world may be reluctant to drop down to a mid-table side. Luckily, there are already some quality players in this Newcastle squad who all still have potential to fulfil. From the skilful Saint-Maximin to the quick Alexander Isak, these are talent who will be crucial to keep around. Ultimately, the goal is to transform the club into a European powerhouse and win trophies. Make Ant & Dec proud.

TSV 1860 Munich (3. Liga)

The former West German champions have had a rough time over the past couple of decades. Once a founding member of the Bundesliga, 1860 Munich now spend their time in the third division. They once even dropped down to the fourth tier in what was truly a dark period. This story, though, makes them one of the best FIFA 23 Career mode clubs. Bringing the good days back may look like a daunting task, but these ‘road to glory’ saves are often the most enjoyable.

Fun fact: 1860 Munich used to share the Allianz Arena with their rivals, Bayern Munich

Fun fact: 1860 Munich used to share the Allianz Arena with their rivals, Bayern Munich

The Lions’ squad consists of both young and old players who certainly have enough to make it out of 3. Liga. Niklas Lang and Leandro Morgalla, in particular, are two youthful defenders to keep an eye on. They could hit overalls of 80+ if used well. One warning is that a lot of contracts are set to expire at the end of your first season, so control your funds wisely. The loan system may well be your best friend initially, but it’ll help you rise up the leagues quickly. 

Sevilla FC (La Liga)

What is going on at Sevilla? The six-time Europa League winners have experienced a terrible start to the season. They are 15th in La Liga as of writing after finishing 4th just a few months ago. Fingers can be pointed towards an ageing squad and the loss of their two star centre-backs, Jules Kounde and Diego Carlos. At least this makes them one of the best FIFA 23 Career mode clubs. Players will enter this job with multiple objectives to achieve straight away. Reduce the average age and replace those defenders.

While Real Madrid continue to thrive, Sevilla are in decline

While Real Madrid continue to thrive, Sevilla are in decline

Older players should be gradually phased out, especially because a few of them are highly rated. The 34 year old Alejandro Gomez, for example, is a superb attacking midfielder at 84 overall. There are some promising young talents at the club but not a lot, so a solid youth academy is a must-have. As for the defensive issues, Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah is a great, affordable option to help steady the sinking ship. He can be the start of a lengthy rebuild that will eventually take Sevilla to new heights.

Derby County (League One)

England legend Wayne Rooney did his best, but unfortunately Derby fans witnessed the relegation of their club to the third tier this year. Financial issues almost sent them out of business completely. The Rams are one of 10 clubs to have competed in every season of the English football league system, so their demise would’ve been disastrous. This game marks your chance to rescue Derby County, stabilise the team and bring them back to the Premier League.

Now an Ultimate Team Icon, Rooney came so close to pulling off the great escape

Now an Ultimate Team Icon, Rooney came so close to pulling off the great escape

You’ll be inheriting a small squad, but it features a mix of veterans and youth with some being among the highest rated players in League One. The likes of Max Bird and Jason Knight have incredible potential. Keeping them at Pride Park Stadium is a necessity. While all is good in midfield areas, the forward and back lines contain players who will decrease in quality throughout the first season. On a limited budget, it will be very difficult to fix up in those departments. Even the most skilled Career mode players will have a tough time with this journey.

Juventus (Serie A)

After a three year-long absence, The Old Lady is back in FIFA 23 and is one of the best clubs to manage in Career mode. This is partly because the team is currently undergoing a difficult period. Juventus, not Piemonte Calcio, finally relinquished the Serie A title in 2021 after nine consecutive victories, and have since floated around 4th place. Key players like Ronaldo and Chiellini have left but their ex-teammates have struggled to move on. Can you restore this legendary club back to where it should be?

Juventus possess a mixture of very skilled veterans and youngsters. Bonucci and Angel Di Maria, now well into their 30s, both still have something to offer. Meanwhile, Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic look set to be among the very best in their positions for the next 10 years. Playing as them is exciting to think about. It would be ideal to build your team around them, however the Italy giants don’t have the biggest budget. The main focus should be on properly developing the many young talents who are already at the club. There’s a lot of players here with potential ratings of 85+, who can help you to bring the Champions League to the Allianz Stadium.

Olympique Lyon (Ligue 1)

The seven-time French champions need help badly. Last season, Lyon finished in 8th place and were over 20 points behind Ligue 1 winners PSG. To make matters worse, they just lost arguably their best player to West Ham in Lucas Paqueta. This is an average squad that is also bursting with promising future stars. It’s up to you to come in, bring out of the most of what you’ve got and ensure that success returns to the club.

The more successful Lyon women's team are included in this year's game!

The more successful Lyon women’s team are included in this year’s game!

Upon entering the manager role, you may decide that some of the young players are already good enough to play regularly. Maxence Caqueret and Castello Lukeba may well be two of those names. For the sake of realism, try to mainly sign French players. Evan Ndicka from Frankfurt is a great choice to replace the ageing Boateng, while Martial is someone whose career desperately needs reviving. The end goal is for Lyon to once again rule as the kings of France, and maybe even Europe.

Nottingham Forest (Premier League)

For the first time since 1999, Nottingham Forest are in the Premier League. The former back-to-back European Champions have invested heavily during the summer by bringing in a British record 21 players. In real-life, everyone is taking a little while to gel. In-game, their chemistry will be there immediately which makes Forest one of the best FIFA 23 Career mode clubs. The squad is full of names from the past and the future. It’s well-balanced in regards to overall ratings, which means you’ve got some fun experimenting to do.

City Ground will be arriving in a future update

City Ground will be arriving in a future update

If you wish, you can bring in even more players during the game’s transfer window. A legendary figure like Thiago Silva or David Silva, for example, may be unrealistic but they would help keep the team together with their leadership qualities. Avoiding relegation is the first goal, as the Premier League can be brutal. Afterwards, though, the only way is forward for Forest. Becoming their best manager since Brian Clough is a huge ask but hard work will certainly make it achievable.

Como 1907 (Serie B)

Along with Juventus, Serie B is back in FIFA. The second tier of Italian football includes Como 1907, a 115 year old club which has been refounded twice. Currently, they are struggling towards the bottom of this season’s table. Relegation to Serie C would potentially mean a quick exit from EA Sports’ game series. This is a new kind of challenge as this league is unfamiliar territory for many players. The club has a fantastic story, though, which deserves to have a fairy-tale ending.

Can Como overtake the likes of Juventus and Milan?

Can Como overtake the likes of Juventus and Milan?

A fun fact about Como is that their president is Chelsea icon Dennis Wise, who my fellow Britons will know is a very small and angry man. He will not accept being stuck in Serie B for too long. This is much easier said than done considering the current squad is uninspiring. Luis Binks is a centre-back with high potential, but is only on loan. There are two established names in the form of Patrick Cutrone and Cesc Fabregas who may be enough to get you promotion. From then on, though, it’ll take an almighty effort to remain in Serie A. This may be the biggest challenge on this year’s list.

Union Berlin (Bundesliga)

The undefeated Bundesliga leaders have been on a steady rise ever since arriving to the league for the first time in their history. Obviously, there’s still a long way to go in the season but could we have a shock on the cards? On FIFA 23, you can find out if you’re able to make this surprise happen. Union Berlin lack star names and strong potential, but there’s enough talent here to be able to compete as long as you’re a skilled player.

Looking to pull off a Leicester

Looking to pull off a Leicester

Building for the future is crucial for this team. Investing in young talent through transfers and the youth academy should be the main objective of this career. Even if you fail to win the league, you don’t want The Iron Ones’ progression to screech to a halt. It’s worth noting that Berlin have seemingly not been afraid of selling their big players for good money over the years. You can either follow this, adding a bit more of a challenge, or choose to stabilise the team and keep outgoings to a minimum. 

AFC Richmond (Rest of World)

Ted Lasso has made it to the virtual world. The comedy-drama TV series has been one of Apple TV’s biggest hits since its premiere in 2020. Viewers have been left charmed by the college football coach and his AFC Richmond side. Now, people can step into his shoes (yes, he’s in the game too!) and send the club to the top of world football. Located in the Rest of World section, players have to swap Richmond with a team in a league of their choosing in order to play as them. You can do the same for Wrexham too and set up a fierce rivalry between Deadpool and Ted Lasso.

EA Sports have been extremely generous with the ratings for this squad of fictional players. Phil Dunster’s Jamie Tartt, for example, is 84 rated with the potential to reach 91. He’ll be one of the world’s elite strikers. Brett Goldstein’s Roy Kent may well be the best 40 year old in FIFA history at 83 overall. There’s a lot of fun to be had with this save, especially when you start bringing in real stars. Imagine Ted Lasso managing Lionel Messi. It can happen this year. That alone makes AFC Richmond one of the best FIFA 23 Career mode clubs.

What other clubs do you think are among the best to manage in FIFA 23 Career mode? Let us know in the comments below!

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