If you’ve ever been stuck using a low-rated squad in a casual match against friends, or wanted to test out a new club’s roster in Dream Team without resetting all your progress, you’ve probably wondered how to change teams in eFootball 2023 without jumping through unnecessary hoops. Most players miss the small, hidden menu options that let you switch squads across different game modes, leading to frustration when you’re stuck playing with a team you don’t enjoy. I’ve spent dozens of hours testing every mode in the game to figure out the fastest, safest ways to switch teams without losing your earned rewards or customizations, so you don’t have to waste time clicking through random menus to find the right setting.
How to Change Teams in eFootball 2023 for Offline Modes
Offline modes are the easiest place to switch teams, since there’s no competitive progress or rank tied to your squad choice. Whether you’re playing exhibition matches, offline cups, or local co-op with friends, the process is almost identical across all non-online modes. You don’t need to save any progress before switching teams in offline casual modes, since no stats or rewards are carried over between matches unless you’re playing a dedicated career mode save.
To switch teams in offline mode, first select the mode you want to play from the main eFootball 2023 menu. When you reach the pre-match lobby, use the left and right bumpers on controller, or the arrow keys on PC, to navigate between regional leagues, national teams, and custom saved squads. If you’re playing local co-op, you can even switch teams after selecting your initial squad by pausing the match before kickoff and selecting the “change team” option from the pause menu, which is perfect if you and your friend both want to swap sides after seeing each other’s initial picks.
If you want to use a custom squad you built in Dream Team, you’ll need to export it first to the offline team roster from the Dream Team main menu. A lot of players skip this step, so their custom squads don’t show up in offline mode, which is an easy fix if you remember to do it before you load into the offline match lobby. You can export up to 5 custom squads at a time, so you can save multiple builds for different playstyles.
Step-by-Step Process to Switch Teams in Dream Team Mode
Dream Team is the most popular mode in eFootball 2023, and it’s also where most players run into confusion around switching teams. Switching base teams in Dream Team will not erase your existing player collection or progress – that’s the biggest myth I see floating around community forums, so let’s get that out of the way first. Changing your base team only updates your club’s crest, kit, stadium, and default manager, none of which affect the players you’ve packed, trained, or added to your active squad.
To switch your base team in Dream Team, first open the Dream Team main menu. Select the “Club” tab at the top of the screen, then scroll down to the “Base Team” option. You’ll see a full list of all licensed clubs and national teams available in the game, plus any limited-time event base teams that are currently active. Select the team you want, preview the kit and stadium to make sure it’s the right pick, then confirm the change.
You can only switch your base team once every 30 days, so don’t make the choice on a whim if you’re attached to your current kit design. Some special edition base teams are only available for a limited time during in-game events, so if you see a team you really like, you can queue it up to apply as soon as your 30-day cooldown ends. Your team change will go into effect after your current scheduled match week ends if you’re part of a competitive Dream Team league, so you won’t get disqualified from ongoing fixtures.
What to Know Before Changing Teams in Competitive Online Modes
Competitive online modes like ranked Divisions and the eFootball League have slightly stricter rules around team switches to keep play fair for all participants. You can’t switch teams mid-match or mid-rank season if you’re already in the middle of a promotion or relegation battle, but you can switch your active squad between matches as long as you do it from the main mode lobby before you queue for a new game.
There are a few common pitfalls you’ll want to avoid when switching teams for competitive play to keep your win streak intact:
- Don’t switch to a team you haven’t tested in casual play first, as different club squads have vastly different playstyles that can throw off your ranked win streak even if you’re using the same custom tactics
- Make sure all your custom tactics and player instructions carry over to the new team, as the game will default to preset tactics if your old setup doesn’t match the new squad’s formation or player positions
- Avoid switching teams right before a ranked promotion match, as you’ll have no time to adjust to the new squad’s passing speed, player movement quirks, and weak points
If you notice your player ratings drop after a team switch in competitive mode, it’s likely because your new manager’s playstyle doesn’t match your players’ preferred positions, which is a quick fix by adjusting your formation or swapping a few players around. If you’re playing in a community-run tournament, make sure to check the tournament rules before switching teams, as many organizers restrict team changes mid-tournament to avoid unfair advantages for players who pick squads specifically to counter their next opponent.
Troubleshooting Common Team Switch Issues
Even if you follow all the steps correctly, you might run into a few common errors when trying to switch teams. The most frequent error is the “team change failed” notification that pops up in Dream Team, which almost always happens if you’re trying to switch base teams before your 30-day cooldown is up, or if you have an ongoing competitive match that you haven’t finished or forfeited. You can check your remaining cooldown time in the Base Team menu, right below the list of available teams.
Another common issue is custom squads not showing up in crossplay matches. That’s because crossplay lobbies only support default licensed teams to prevent compatibility issues between different platforms, so you’ll have to use an official club or national team if you’re playing against someone on a different console or mobile. If you’re playing on mobile, the team change options are in the same place as console and PC, but you’ll have to tap the menu icon in the top right corner to access the club tab, which is easy to miss if you’re used to the controller layout.
I’ve had this happen to me once when I switched from Manchester United to Bayern Munich last year, and losing my custom counter-attack tactics cost me three ranked matches before I realized I could restore them from my backup. Most of the errors you’ll run into when learning how to change teams in eFootball 2023 are easy to fix with a quick menu check, so you don’t have to reach out to support for most common issues. If you do run into a persistent error that won’t go away, restarting your game or clearing your cache usually fixes the problem within a minute.
At the end of the day, figuring out how to change teams in eFootball 2023 doesn’t have to be a confusing process, as long as you follow the right steps for the mode you’re playing. Take the time to test out your new squad in casual matches before you jump into ranked play, and always double check that your progress and custom settings are saved before you confirm any changes. You’ll be able to play with your favorite club’s kit and roster in no time, without losing any of the hard-earned progress you’ve built up across your time in the game.