At its best, the game is a digital masterclass in soccer tactics. Kids learn formations, player stats, and the history of the sport. But let’s be real: most kids aren’t just playing "Kick-Off" mode against the computer. They are playing Ultimate Team.

Ultimate Team is a game mode where you build a "dream team" by collecting player cards. It’s essentially a digital version of trading cards, but with a high-stakes competitive twist.

When your kid loses a match and calls the opponent's team "so Ohio" or says the goalie is "giving Skibidi," they’re just using the current slang for "this is weird/bad/cringe." The frustration usually comes from the fact that in Ultimate Team, you aren't just playing against someone's skill—you’re often playing against their wallet.

Learn more about the latest gaming slang and what it actually means

This is where we need to have a serious talk. Ultimate Team is the primary way EA makes money, and they are very good at it.

To get the best players (like Mbappé or Haaland), you usually have to open "packs." These packs are bought with "FC Points," which are purchased with real money. You don't know what’s in the pack until you open it. This is a loot-box mechanic, and for a developing brain, it triggers the same dopamine response as a slot machine.

The cycle looks like this:

It’s not just "draining the bank account" like a Roblox habit; it’s a system designed to create FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). New "special edition" cards are released every week, making last week's cards feel obsolete.

Check out our guide on how to manage in-game spending and loot boxes

If you want to lean into the soccer craze without the "gambling-lite" mechanics of EA Sports FC, or if you want to supplement their gaming with good content, here are a few picks:

Ages 7+ It’s soccer, but with rocket-powered cars. It’s high-skill, incredibly fun, and while there are cosmetics to buy, you cannot "buy" a better car that makes you win. It’s purely about skill.

Ages 14+ If you have teens, this is the gold standard. It’s about soccer, sure, but it’s actually about emotional intelligence, masculinity, and kindness. Note: there is a lot of swearing, so it's not for the little ones.

Ages 12+ This is a "battle royale" style soccer anime. It’s intense, stylized, and very popular with middle schoolers right now. It focuses on the "ego" of being a striker.

Ages 12+ A documentary series about Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney buying a struggling Welsh soccer team. It’s a great way to show kids the real stakes of the sport beyond the shiny cards in EA Sports FC 25.

At this age, the mechanics of Ultimate Team are likely too predatory. Stick to Career Mode (where they manage a team against the computer) or Volta (street soccer). It’s the same game, but without the pressure to spend real money. Disable the "Store" via console parental controls.

This is the prime demographic for Ultimate Team. If you allow it, set a hard monthly budget. Use it as a lesson in "opportunity cost." If they spend their $20 allowance on FC Points and get nothing, that’s the end of the money for the month. No "just one more pack."

By high school, many kids have figured out that "opening packs" is a scam, but the social pressure to have a "meta" team is still high. This is a great time to talk about the psychology of game design and how developers use "dark patterns" to keep people playing and spending.

Ask our chatbot for a specific script on how to talk to your teen about loot boxes

Some kids will argue that they are "learning the market" by trading players in the Ultimate Team Transfer Market. While there is a tiny bit of truth to this—they are learning about supply, demand, and timing—it’s mostly a closed ecosystem designed to make the "house" (EA) win. Don't let them convince you that spending $50 on points is an "investment" in their future business career. It’s entertainment spending, full stop.

EA Sports FC 25 is a fantastic sports simulator wrapped inside a somewhat predatory monetization engine.

If your kid loves soccer, they will love this game. There is no reason to ban it, but there is every reason to gatekeep the credit card.

Play a game with them. Let them beat you 10-0. Ask them why they chose their specific formation. If you see them getting genuinely angry—throwing controllers or screaming—it’s time for a break. Not because the game is "evil," but because the competitive design is meant to keep them on edge.

Learn how to set up parental controls on PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch