There’s nothing better than settling in for a soccer game with a friend on the couch, no lag or random disconnects to ruin the fun. But if you’ve ever tried to set up a local match without internet, you know how confusing the game’s menus can be at first. I recently spent 20 minutes clicking through every tab when my little brother came to visit, just to figure out how to play 2 player on eFootball 2023 offline, so I put together this guide to save you the same frustration. All these steps are tested on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, so you can follow along no matter what device you use.
Step-by-Step Process to Play 2 Player on eFootball 2023 Offline
First, you’ll want to prep your device before you even open the game. Ensure both controllers are connected and recognized by your device before launching the game, as the offline mode often won’t detect new controllers added mid-session. For console users, just turn on both controllers and pair them to your account; you don’t need a second profile signed in, just two active controllers. For PC users, make sure both controllers are either wired or connected via Bluetooth, and check your device settings to confirm they’re both showing up as active input devices.
Once your controllers are set up, turn off your Wi-Fi or mobile data to make sure the game doesn’t try to force an online connection. Launch eFootball 2023, and when you get to the main menu, skip any prompts to sign in or update the game. Head to the “Play” tab on the top menu, then scroll down to the “Offline” section. You’ll see an option for “Local Match” – that’s what you want to click.
When you enter the local match menu, you’ll see two controller icons pop up at the bottom of the screen. Use the first controller to pick which side you want to play on, then use the second controller to select the opposite side, or the same side if you want to play co-op against AI. Do not sign into a second eFootball account if you’re playing offline, as this will trigger an internet check that will kick you back to the main menu if you don’t have a connection. From there, you can pick your team, adjust match settings like length, difficulty, and rules, then hit start to begin playing.
Best Offline 2 Player Game Modes to Try
Local friendly matches are great for casual play, but eFootball 2023’s offline mode has way more options to mix up your sessions if you want something a bit more structured. I’ve tested all of these with friends over the past year, and these are the three that get the most play during our group hangouts:
- Friendly Match: The most casual option, where you can pick any team, adjust match length, and turn off penalties or injuries for a laid-back game with friends. You can also use custom locally saved squads here, so if you’ve built a dream team of your favorite players, you can use it without an internet connection.
- Local Tournament: If you have more than two people over, you can set up a knockout bracket that rotates two players at a time, with offline saves so you can pick back up later if you take a snack break. We usually run 8-player tournaments when we have friends over, and the winner gets bragging rights for the rest of the month.
- Co-op VS AI: If you don’t want to play against each other, you can team up with your friend to take on the game’s AI on varying difficulty levels, from Beginner to Legend. This is a great option if one of you is new to the game, because you can work together instead of competing, and it’s way more fun to beat the Legend difficulty AI with a friend than alone.
One thing to note: the offline Master League mode is only for single player, so you won’t be able to play that with a friend. But the three modes above are more than enough to keep you entertained for hours, even without internet access. I usually switch between friendly matches and co-op mode depending on who I’m playing with, and I’ve never gotten bored of the options available.
Common Issues to Avoid When Playing Offline 2 Player
Even if you follow the steps perfectly, you might run into a few common snags that can derail your match before it even starts. I’ve dealt with all of these myself, so these fixes are tested and work 90% of the time. Turn off your device’s Wi-Fi or mobile data before launching the game to prevent accidental updates or account sync prompts that will kick you out of offline mode. I’ve had this happen twice where the game tried to run a background update mid-session, and it kicked me out right as I was about to score a winning goal. Total nightmare, so just turn off your internet first to avoid that.
Another common issue is the second controller not showing up in the local match menu. If this happens, close the game completely, unplug and re-plug your controllers (or re-pair them if you’re using wireless), then launch the game again. Don’t try to add the second controller after you’ve already opened the local match menu, because the offline mode rarely detects new inputs once you’re in that screen.
If you’re trying to use custom squads and they’re not showing up, that’s usually because you saved them to the cloud instead of locally. Next time you’re online, go to your squad settings and select “save to local storage” so you can access them when you don’t have internet. I made this mistake once, I spent hours building a custom all-star squad of 90s soccer legends, and I couldn’t access it when my friend came over to play. It was such a letdown, so don’t make that same error.
Tips to Make Your Offline 2 Player Sessions More Fun
Once you’ve got the setup down, you can tweak a few settings to make your matches way more enjoyable, especially if you’re playing with people who don’t play eFootball very often. Consider adjusting the match speed to 0 or +1 if you prefer a more fast-paced, arcade-style experience instead of the default simulation feel. The default speed is a bit slow for casual players, so cranking it up a notch makes the game feel more dynamic and fun for people who don’t play every day.
Setting house rules is another great way to keep things fair and fun. For example, if you’re playing with a newer player, you can agree to no skill moves or no long-range shots until they get the hang of the controls. We also have a rule in my friend group that the loser has to buy the next round of drinks or snacks, which adds a fun little stake to every match.
You can turn off offside rules if you’re playing with casual players who don’t know much about soccer, it makes the game far more accessible for new fans. A lot of people who don’t watch soccer regularly don’t understand the offside rule, so turning it off means they don’t get frustrated when their goals get called back for no reason they can see. You can also turn off fouls and penalties if you want a totally chaotic, no-rules match that’s all about scoring as many goals as possible.
If you’re playing on a big TV, consider switching the split screen view from horizontal to vertical. Most consoles let you adjust this in the eFootball display settings, and it gives both players a wider field of view, so you can see more of the pitch without having to squint at a narrow half of the screen. I switched to vertical split screen a few months ago, and it’s made such a big difference for our matches, I’ll never go back to horizontal.
At the end of the day, you don’t need a fancy internet connection or multiple paid accounts to enjoy eFootball with people in the same room. Once you work through the initial setup steps, how to play 2 player on eFootball 2023 offline becomes second nature, and you can spend less time fumbling with settings and more time scoring game-winning goals against your friends. Next time you have a buddy over, give these tips a try, and don’t forget to rub it in if you score a last-minute winner. If you run into any weird issues I didn’t cover here, feel free to mention it in the comments, I’m happy to help troubleshoot.