I’ve spent way too many nights fumbling through eFootball’s messy menu layout when a friend shows up unannounced ready to play, so I’ve memorized every shortcut and fix for common headaches. The game doesn’t exactly hold your hand when it comes to setting up multiplayer matches, and it’s easy to waste 20 minutes clicking through random tabs instead of kicking off your first game. If you’re struggling to figure out how to play 2 player on eFootball 2023 Xbox, you’re not alone. This guide breaks down every step for local and online matches, plus quick fixes for the most common issues that pop up.
Step-by-Step Setup to Play 2 Player on eFootball 2023 Xbox Local Matches
Local matches are the easiest way to play with someone in the same room, and you don’t need any special subscriptions to get started. First, make sure both of your Xbox controllers are fully charged and paired to your console. You can pair a controller by holding the sync button on the top of the controller and the sync button on the front of your Xbox until the controller light flashes, then stays solid. You don’t need an active Xbox Live Gold or Game Pass Core subscription to play local 2 player matches, which is a common misconception a lot of new players have.
Once your controllers are paired, launch eFootball 2023. You can skip the intro cutscene and log-in prompt if you only want to use default teams, but you’ll need to sign into your Konami account if you want to use your custom Dream Team squads for your match. Navigate to the “Play” tab on the top of the main hub screen, then select “Local Match” from the dropdown menu. You’ll see two options here: “Head to Head” for 1v1 PvP play, and “Co-op Match” if you and your friend want to team up against AI opponents.
When you select your game mode, you’ll see a prompt to assign controllers. Player 1 is automatically assigned to the first controller that was used to launch the game. To add a second player, press the A button on the second controller, and you’ll see a small player icon pop up in the top right corner of the screen to confirm it’s connected. From there, you can select your teams, adjust match settings like half length, difficulty level, and rule toggles for offside or injuries, then hit “Kick Off” to start your match. You can also adjust individual control settings for each player before the match starts, so if your friend uses a different button layout than you, you don’t have to compromise on your preferred setup.
How to Set Up Online 2 Player Matches With Friends on eFootball 2023 Xbox
If you want to play with a friend who isn’t in the same room, you can set up online 2 player matches in just a few steps. You will need an active Xbox Live Core or Game Pass Core subscription for online play, and both you and your friend will need to have the latest eFootball 2023 patch installed to avoid connection issues. First, sign into your Konami account and Xbox profile, then navigate to the “Online” tab on the main hub screen.
Select “Friend Match” from the menu options, then choose “Create Lobby”. You’ll be prompted to set your lobby preferences: match length, allowed teams, rule settings, and privacy level. Set your lobby privacy to “Friends Only” or “Private” to avoid random players joining your 2 player session. If you set it to private, you’ll get a 6-digit lobby code that you can send to your friend directly, or you can invite them through your Xbox friends list by pressing the Xbox button, navigating to your friends list, and selecting “Invite to Game”.
Once your friend joins the lobby, you can assign teams: you can either play 1v1 against each other, or team up to play against AI or other random online pairs. Online 2 player matches count towards your Dream Team XP and item unlocks, so it’s a great way to grind for new player cards while hanging out with a friend remotely. If you want to play more competitive co-op matches, you can navigate to the “Online Co-op” tab instead of Friend Match, where you can team up with your friend to play against other 2-player co-op pairs from around the world, with ranked leaderboards for top teams.
Common 2 Player eFootball 2023 Xbox Issues and Quick Fixes
Even if you follow all the setup steps perfectly, you might run into small glitches or connection issues that stop your match from starting. I’ve tested all of these fixes myself across dozens of local and online matches, and they resolve 90% of common problems with no extra hassle. If you’re running into issues, try these fixes first before you reinstall the game or reset your console:
- Second controller not detected: Restart your Xbox, re-pair the controller by holding the sync button on both the controller and console, then launch the game again. Avoid using third-party wireless receivers if possible, as they often conflict with eFootball’s input detection.
- Input lag during local 2 player matches: Turn off VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) on your Xbox display settings, and lower the game’s graphics quality to “Performance” mode. Input lag is almost always caused by high display latency, not the game itself.
- Online 2 player lobby connection fails: Check that both you and your friend have NAT type Open or Moderate on your Xbox network settings. Strict NAT type blocks 90% of peer-to-peer game connections for eFootball 2023.
- Progress not saving for co-op 2 player matches: Make sure both players are signed into their own Xbox profiles before launching the game. Guest profiles won’t save any match progress, XP, or item unlocks to your account.
I once spent 20 minutes trying to figure out why my second controller wasn’t working, only to realize I had paired it to my friend’s Xbox instead of mine the last time he was over. So always double check that both controllers are paired to the correct console before you launch the game, that saves a lot of frustration. If you have an Xbox Series S or X, make sure you’re running the optimized version of eFootball 2023 for your console, because the backward compatible Xbox One version has far more input lag issues during local 2 player matches.
Fun 2 Player Game Modes to Try on eFootball 2023 Xbox
Once you have your 2 player setup working, you don’t have to stick to basic 1v1 matches. eFootball 2023 has a ton of underrated game modes that are way more fun with a friend, whether you’re playing locally or online. These are my go-to modes for casual and competitive play with friends:
First, Ranked Friendlies are perfect if you want to keep track of your head-to-head record against a friend without risking your overall online rank. You can set custom rules for these matches, so you can turn off injuries or offside if you want a more casual, silly game, or stick to official rules for more competitive play. The game automatically tracks your win/loss record against each friend you play against, so you can settle bragging rights for good.
Co-op Dream Team mode lets you pool your best players to create a squad that’s stronger than anything you could build alone. You and your friend can both use players from your personal Dream Team rosters to build a combined squad, and you can split control of positions so one person handles attacking and the other handles defense. It’s a great way to use players you don’t usually get to play with in single player mode, and you can even combine your in-game coins to buy shared player packs if you want.
Local Tournament mode is my personal favorite for group hangouts. You can set up a 4 or 8 team bracket with a mix of real national teams, club teams, and custom Dream Teams, and the game automatically tracks wins and updates the bracket as you go. Local tournament mode automatically saves bracket progress if you need to pause mid-event and come back later, so you don’t have to play the whole tournament in one sitting. I usually set up an 8 team tournament with 5 minute halves when I have 3 or 4 friends over, and the winner gets to pick the takeout for the night, it’s become a regular weekend tradition.
At the end of the day, learning how to play 2 player on eFootball 2023 Xbox doesn’t have to be a confusing process. Once you get the hang of the menu layout and common fixes for small issues, you can jump straight into matches with friends in under a minute. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different game modes to find what works best for you, whether that’s casual 1v1s on the couch or co-op Dream Team matches with a friend across the country. If you have a trick that works for your 2 player sessions, feel free to share it in the comments below.