If you’ve spent hours scrolling through eFootball 2023’s team select screen only to be stuck with a handful of default squads, you’re not alone. I spent the first two weeks after the game launched grinding matches just to get access to my favorite underrated European league teams, and I made a ton of avoidable mistakes along the way. This guide breaks down exactly how to unlock all teams in eFootball 2023 PS4, no shady hacks or account bans required. All the methods I’m sharing here I tested myself on my own PS4 account, so you don’t have to waste time testing tricks that don’t work.
Legitimate Methods to Unlock All Teams in eFootball 2023 PS4 (No Hacks)
Before we dive into the specific steps, it’s critical to call out that any method promising instant free team unlocks outside of official in-game systems is a scam. Konami’s anti-cheat system for eFootball 2023 is extremely strict, and using mods, third-party unlock tools, or fake account generators will get your PSN account banned from all online eFootball play, if not suspended entirely. Stick to the official methods I’ve listed below to keep your account safe while building your team collection.
- Unlock teams via in-game GP and event rewards (100% free, no real money spent)
- Purchase the premium team pack DLC for immediate access to all licensed squads
- Complete limited-time career mode and online event challenges for hidden unlicensed teams
Each of these methods works for every PS4 account region, though pricing for DLC and specific event rewards may vary slightly depending on where you live. You don’t need a PlayStation Plus subscription to use any of these unlock methods, either, unless you’re participating in online ranked event challenges.
Never download any mod files or enter your PSN login details on third-party sites claiming to unlock teams for free – every single one of these is either a scam designed to steal your account information or a virus that can damage your PS4. I’ve heard from dozens of players who lost years of in-game progress trying to skip the grind with these fake tools, so it’s never worth the risk.
Free GP Grind Method: Unlock Teams Without Spending Real Money
GP is the standard in-game currency you earn for every match you play, whether you compete offline against AI or online against other players. You don’t have to win matches to earn GP, though winning will give you a significantly higher payout than losing or drawing. This method is perfect for casual players who don’t mind putting in a bit of play time to build their collection without spending extra cash.
You earn roughly 300 to 1,200 GP per match, depending on your difficulty level, match result, and any active booster items you have equipped. Most licensed club teams cost between 10,000 and 50,000 GP to unlock permanently, while national teams are usually a bit cheaper, ranging from 5,000 to 30,000 GP. If you play 2 10-minute matches a day, you can expect to unlock 2 to 3 full teams a week, depending on how many of those matches you win.
There are a few easy tricks to speed up your GP grind without putting in extra play time. First, play offline matches on beginner difficulty if you’re new to the game. You can finish a full match in 10 minutes flat, and you’re almost guaranteed a win, which gives you a consistent 800 GP per run. Second, log in every day to claim your daily login bonus, which often includes GP bundles of up to 10,000 GP on weekends and holiday periods. Third, complete the daily and weekly skill challenges, which often give out GP rewards of 5,000 to 20,000 GP for completing simple tasks like scoring 3 goals with a midfielder or winning 2 matches in a row.
The only real downside of this method is that some rare teams are only available for GP purchase during limited-time events. If you see a team you really want in the event shop, grab it immediately – many of these limited drops don’t come back for 6 months or longer, and some have never been re-released after their first event run. You can check the in-game news tab every Tuesday to see what new teams are added to the shop each week.
Premium DLC Route: Instant Access to Every Licensed Squad
If you don’t want to spend weeks grinding GP to unlock your favorite teams, Konami sells an official all-licensed-teams DLC pack for eFootball 2023 PS4 that gives you immediate access to every licensed club and national team in the game. The pack costs around $19.99 USD, and it’s a one-time purchase with no recurring fees. Once you buy it, all teams are tied to your PSN account permanently, so you’ll still have access to them if you delete and reinstall the game, or even if you switch to a different PS4 console.
This DLC includes every team from the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, and all licensed national teams that appear in the base game. It also includes all limited-time licensed teams that were released in event shops throughout the game’s lifecycle, so you don’t have to wait for specific events to access rare squads. For players who want to jump straight into custom tournaments with their favorite teams, this is by far the most convenient option.
There are a few caveats to keep in mind before you buy the pack. First, it does not include hidden unlicensed teams or classic legendary squads, which you’ll still have to unlock via in-game challenges. Second, make sure you buy the DLC specifically for eFootball 2023 PS4, not the PS5 version or a different year’s edition – they’re not compatible, and PlayStation’s refund policy will not cover you if you purchase the wrong version by mistake. Third, you’ll need to have at least 2GB of free storage space on your PS4 to install the DLC pack once you purchase it.
Activating the DLC is simple. Once you complete your purchase from the PlayStation Store, boot up eFootball 2023, navigate to the “My Content” tab on the main menu, and all unlocked teams will automatically appear in your team select list. If they don’t show up right away, restart your game and they should be there – I’ve had this happen once when I bought the pack on a slow internet connection, and a quick restart fixed it immediately.
How to Unlock Hidden Unlicensed Teams and Classic Squads
Even if you buy the full premium DLC pack, there are around 30 hidden unlicensed teams and classic squads that you can only unlock by completing specific in-game challenges. These include old World Cup winning national teams, legendary club squads from the 90s and 2000s, and small regional teams that aren’t part of the main licensed league rosters. Many of these squads have custom player stats for legendary athletes that don’t appear in regular team rosters, so they’re well worth unlocking if you’re a long-time fan of the sport.
The specific challenges to unlock these squads change regularly, but there are a few consistent ones that are always available in the game. Completing the full Master League career mode on medium or higher difficulty will unlock 3 classic national teams, for example, while winning 10 consecutive online ranked matches will unlock a legendary European club squad. Completing all 12 weekly skill challenges in a single calendar month will unlock 2 hidden regional lower-league teams that are not available for purchase anywhere else in the game.
You can check your progress towards these hidden team unlocks in the "Challenges" tab of the main menu, so you don’t have to guess what tasks you still need to complete. The tab will also show you how long you have to complete each limited-time challenge, so you can prioritize the ones for teams you really want. For example, last year Konami ran a limited challenge where you could unlock the 1998 Brazil national team by winning 5 matches with any current Brazil squad, and that challenge only ran for 2 weeks. Players who missed it haven’t been able to unlock that squad since.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to complete all of these challenges in a single play session. Your progress carries over across game restarts and even across console transfers, as long as you’re signed into the same PSN account. If you get stuck on a specific challenge, you can find tips for beating it from other players in official eFootball community groups, but avoid any paid services offering to complete challenges for you – that will also put your account at risk of a ban.
At the end of the day, the method you pick to unlock all teams in eFootball 2023 PS4 depends entirely on how much time and money you’re willing to spend. If you play the game casually a few times a week, the free GP grind is a great way to build your team collection slowly while improving your skills. If you want to jump straight into playing with your favorite teams without waiting, the official DLC pack is a safe, reliable option that won’t put your account at risk. Just make sure you avoid any shady hacks or third-party tools, no matter how good they sound, because losing your account is way worse than waiting a few weeks to unlock a squad. If you run into any issues unlocking teams, drop a comment below and I’ll help you figure out what’s going wrong.