If you’ve spent hours grinding single-player matches in eFootball 2022 to perfect your through ball timing and set piece routines, you’re probably ready to take your skills to a live player base. There’s nothing quite as thrilling as scoring a last-minute winner against a random opponent from another continent, or messing around in a casual 3v3 match with your high school friends who live across the country. This guide breaks down how to play multiplayer in eFootball 2022 step by step, so you can skip the frustrating menu hunting and get straight to the pitch.
How to Play Multiplayer in eFootball 2022: Basic Setup First
Before you jump into any online matches, there are a few quick checks you need to run to avoid avoidable issues down the line. Wired connections are always better than Wi-Fi for multiplayer matches, because they cut down on input lag and sudden disconnections mid-game. If you can’t use a wired connection, sit as close to your router as possible and make sure no other devices are streaming or downloading large files while you play.
You’ll also need to link your platform account to your Konami ID if you haven’t already, especially if you want to use crossplay features. Crossplay works between PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, but you have to enable the crossplay toggle in your account settings first. If you’re playing on console, don’t forget you need an active online subscription (PlayStation Plus, Xbox Live Gold) to access online multiplayer. I’ve seen so many players spend 20 minutes trying to join a friend’s lobby only to realize they forgot to renew their PS Plus subscription, so double check that before you start. If you’ve never tried online play before, the process to get set up to play multiplayer in eFootball 2022 is far more straightforward than it was in earlier Pro Evolution Soccer titles.
Different Multiplayer Modes You Can Choose From
There’s a multiplayer mode for every mood in eFootball 2022, so you don’t have to stick to sweaty competitive matches if you just want to have fun. Quick Match is for when you want to jump straight into a game against a random opponent of similar skill level, no extra setup needed. You can pick your favorite club or national team, or use your custom Dream Team if you prefer to play with the squad you’ve built from scratch. The skill matching is pretty accurate for the most part, so you won’t get matched against a top 1% player in your first ever online game.
If you want to play with people you know, Friend Matches are the way to go. You can create a private lobby, set a password, and adjust rules like match length, handicap, extra time, and penalties to fit what you want. There’s also Co-op Mode where you can team up with 1 or 2 other players to take on another group of 2 or 3, that’s super fun for group game nights. If you’re more competitive, you can join Dream Team Competitive Leagues, where you use your custom built Dream Team to climb ranks against other players, earn rewards for high placement each season. I personally stick to co-op matches with my friends on weekends, because we get to laugh at each other’s terrible defending instead of getting frustrated at toxic random opponents. All of these modes are available when you play multiplayer in eFootball 2022, so you can pick whatever fits your mood that day.
How to Set Up a Private Multiplayer Lobby for Friends
Setting up a private lobby is way simpler than most players think, and you can have it ready in less than a minute if you follow these steps:
- From the main menu, navigate to the Game Modes tab and select Friend Match from the multiplayer submenu
- Choose Create Lobby, then adjust your match rules including match length, team selection restrictions, and whether to allow spectators
- Set a 4-digit password for the lobby, then share the lobby ID and password with the friends you want to invite, either through in-game friend requests or external messaging
- Wait for all players to join, then assign teams and hit start match to begin playing
If your friends can’t find your lobby, make sure you all have crossplay enabled if you’re playing on different platforms. That’s the most common mistake people make when setting up cross-platform lobbies. Also, if you want to mix things up, you can turn on random team assignment so no one gets to pick their go-to meta team, which makes the matches way more unpredictable and fun. Sometimes lobbies will show as full even if there are empty slots, that’s usually a minor sync bug, just close the lobby and create a new one and it will fix itself 9 times out of 10.
Fixes for Common eFootball 2022 Multiplayer Issues
Even if you follow all the steps correctly, you might run into issues every now and then, so we’ve compiled the most common fixes that work for most players. First, Input lag during matches: The first thing to do is turn off any background downloads or streaming services on your device, because they take up bandwidth that you need for the match. If that doesn’t work, go to the in-game settings and lower the graphics quality slightly, that can reduce lag on lower-end devices. You can also turn off the in-game live chat and notifications to free up extra processing power.
Next, Failed to join lobby errors: Make sure you and the host are both running the latest version of the game, if one of you has an outdated patch you won’t be able to connect. Also, check that your firewall or antivirus isn’t blocking eFootball 2022 from accessing the internet, that’s a common issue for PC players. If you’re still having trouble, try restarting your router and your device, that clears up most minor connection glitches.
Crossplay not working? Double check that all players have enabled crossplay in their account settings, and that you’ve added each other as Konami friends in addition to platform friends if you’re on different systems. I’ve had this issue myself when trying to play with a friend on PC while I’m on PS5, and adding each other on Konami ID fixed it immediately. If you keep getting disconnected mid-match, it’s almost always an internet issue on either your end or the host’s end, so switching to a wired connection if possible will eliminate most of those problems.
At the end of the day, multiplayer is where eFootball 2022 really shines, because no AI opponent can replicate the unpredictable playstyles and trash talk that comes with playing against real people. Whether you’re playing casual matches with your friends or grinding competitive ranks to prove you’re the best player in your region, now you know exactly how to play multiplayer in eFootball 2022 without any unnecessary headaches. Don’t be discouraged if you lose your first few matches, every player goes through that, and the more you play against real opponents the faster your skills will improve. Next time you’re looking for a break from single-player grind, grab a few friends or jump into a quick match, you won’t regret it.