FIFA 19 Ultimate Team Gets New 'Division Rivals' Mode

FIFA 19 Ultimate Team will have a brand-new mode called 'Division Rivals', its developer EA Sports announced during an extended look at the upcoming game at the FIFA eWorld Cup final in London on Saturday.

In Division Rivals, FIFA 19 players will compete against others with similar skill levels. The first time you start, you’ll be asked to play “a set of placement matches to see how you measure up against other players”. Your performance and results will be used to determine your “skill rating” and in turn, an appropriate division.

After that, every match you play during the same week will have an impact on your “skill rating”, which controls whether you move up or down a division. This is all very similar to Rocket League’s competitive side. Division Rivals in FIFA 19 has a total of 10 divisions, just as in other online modes.

Each week is a new competition in Division Rivals, as with Squad Battles that was introduced in FIFA 18. You’ll earn rewards at the end of the week, depending on ranking – there a total of five – and your progress towards the next step on the ladder.

In addition, Division Rivals will also grant you Champions Points, which can be used to qualify for the existing Weekend League, a much tougher Ultimate Team competition. If you’ve enough Champions Points, you can enter that week’s Weekend League or you can choose to bank your points, allowing you to take part in a week when you’ve time to play.

According to Eurogamer, Division Rivals is meant to replace Ultimate Team’s Online Seasons mode and the daily knockout tournament used for Weekend League qualification. It’s aimed at mid-tier players, "below the hardcore-focused FUT Champions mode and above the casual-focused Squad Battles mode”.

FIFA 19 is out September 28.

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