There’s nothing quite like gathering a group of friends on the couch, grabbing a couple of controllers, and settling in for a few rounds of competitive football games. Online matches can be fun, but they often come with toxic random players, lag spikes, and unpredictable connection drops that ruin the vibe. If you’ve been struggling to figure out how to play local multiplayer on eFootball 2024, you’re not alone. Konami rearranged a lot of the mode menus in this version, so the option you’re looking for isn’t always where you’d expect it to be. We’ve tested every step of this process across console and PC, so you can skip the frustration and get straight to playing.
What You Need Before Setting Up Local Multiplayer on eFootball 2024
First, let’s cover the basics you’ll need to have ready before you jump into the menu settings. The good news is local mode doesn’t require any fancy extras, and no active online subscription is required to play, even on PS5 or Xbox Series X/S. You don’t even need an internet connection once the game is installed, which makes it perfect for travel or places with spotty service.
If you don’t have extra user profiles, you can still play as guests, but your progress won’t save to any account. That’s totally fine if you’re just playing casual matches with people who don’t own the game, but if you’re running a small tournament with regulars, setting up quick guest profiles takes less than a minute per person and makes tracking scores way easier.
Step-by-Step Setup for Console Local Multiplayer Matches
Console players make up the majority of eFootball’s local multiplayer user base, so we’ll start with those steps first, for PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. First, boot up the game as you normally would. You can skip the online sign-in prompt if you don’t want to connect to Konami’s servers, it won’t impact offline mode access at all.
From the main home screen, navigate to the Game Modes tab on the top menu bar. Scroll past the online modes like Dream Team and Ranked Matches until you see the Offline Play option. Select that, then choose Local Multiplayer from the submenu that pops up. From there, you’ll see a screen that prompts you to add players.
Each player who wants to join just needs to press the confirm button (X on PlayStation, A on Xbox, B on Switch) on their controller to be added to the lobby. You can assign players to either the home or away team, or even put multiple players on the same team if you want to play co-op against the AI. I once spent 10 minutes confused why my second controller wouldn’t register, turns out it was still paired to my friend’s PS5 from a game night the week before, so double check your controller connections if you run into that issue.
Once all players are assigned, you can pick your teams, adjust match settings like half length, difficulty, and stadium, and launch the match. It’s that simple, the whole process takes less than 90 seconds once you know where to look.
How to Set Up Local Multiplayer for PC and Custom Match Options
PC local multiplayer works almost the same as console, but there are a few extra steps to avoid input issues, especially if you’re using third-party controllers that aren’t official Xbox models. First, plug in or pair all your controllers to your PC before you launch the game. Windows will usually recognize official PS and Xbox controllers automatically, but you may need to download a small mapping tool for older or niche controllers.
Launch eFootball 2024, and head to the controller settings menu first to confirm all inputs are mapped correctly. A lot of third-party controllers default to swapped attack and pass buttons, so fixing that before you start a match will save you a lot of frustration. Once your controls are set up, head to the Offline Play menu, select Local Multiplayer, and add players the same way you would on console.
PC supports up to 4 local players at once, which is great if you have a bigger group. You can also adjust a ton of custom match settings to fit your group’s skill level. If you’re playing with new players who don’t know all the football rules, turn off automatic offside to cut down on confusing stoppages. If there’s a big skill gap between players, you can adjust shot and pass assistance levels individually for each player, so even beginners can land good passes without feeling like they’re being crushed by more experienced friends.
One thing to note for PC players: if you’re using 3 or more Bluetooth controllers at once, you might notice small input lag. That’s because most PC Bluetooth adapters can only handle so many connected devices at the same time. If that happens, just swap one or two controllers to a wired connection, and the lag will go away immediately.
Common Local Multiplayer Issues and Quick Fixes
Even if you follow all the steps perfectly, you might run into a few small bugs or issues, most of which have super simple fixes we’ve tested dozens of times at our own game nights. The most common issue people report is the second player being stuck on the same team as the first player, with no option to switch. That happens when you accidentally toggle same team co-op on in the pre-match settings. Just head back to the lobby settings, toggle that option off, and you’ll be able to assign players to separate teams again.
Another common error is the “content not available” pop-up that appears when you try to launch a local match. That’s a bug from earlier versions of the game, so all you need to do is download the latest patch for eFootball 2024 and the error will disappear entirely. Konami rolled out a fix for this in late 2023, so if you have automatic updates turned on, you probably won’t run into this at all.
If you notice that one controller has consistent input lag even when no other devices are connected, avoid using USB hubs for multiple controllers if possible. Cheap USB hubs often don’t have enough bandwidth to support multiple controllers at once, so plugging them directly into your PC or console’s USB ports will fix that lag almost instantly.
One last tip: if you want to use your custom edited squads or Dream Team rosters in local multiplayer, you just need to make sure they’re saved to your local device storage, not just the cloud. The game can’t access cloud saves when you’re playing offline, so a quick sync before you disconnect from the internet will make sure all your custom teams show up in the selection menu.
At the end of the day, playing local co-op is still the most fun way to enjoy eFootball, no random disconnects or toxic messages to ruin your night. Once you know how to play local multiplayer on eFootball 2024, you can set up matches for any group size, from 1v1 casual games with your roommate to 2v2 co-op tournaments with a big group of friends. All the steps and fixes we’ve shared are tested by real players, so you won’t have to waste time scrolling through forums for untested solutions. Grab your controllers, pick your favorite teams, and get playing.