How to Fix Lag in FIFA 23 & EA Sports FC 24 (2024)

The FIFA franchise, now known as EA Sports FC for some reason, is the most fun you can have playing football… while indoors and sitting down. But like any game with online multiplayer, it is subject to lag. The other players are just temporary opponents. Lag is the true enemy.

So if you’re tired of being absolutely sure you should have been able to steal the ball, and Jim3344y32 from Boise should not have been able to score that goal, this is the article for you. Let’s go over what causes lag, and how to fix it.

What Causes FIFA/EA Sports FC to Lag?

Distance to the Server

Death, taxes, and physics. We haven’t figured out how to properly mitigate any of those things, and so the signals that go between your computer and the game server have a speed limit, even if the cables are fiber optic. The further away you are from the signal’s destination, the longer it will take.

Your Home Network

If your home network is under heavy usage, or it’s not configured properly, you can end up with completely avoidable lag. Most home internet connections are set up with sensible defaults, but now and then they need to be double-checked.

Clogged External Networks

Signals between one computer and another in some place far away very rarely follow a straight line. The networks between you and the game server might be under heavy use, or simply not configured right.

Software Errors

Here, I don’t necessarily mean software errors in the game itself, though that can certainly happen too. But software errors in everything from your console or PC operating system to your router can potentially cause lag, so be sure to check on that.

ISP Issues

Your internet service provider can cause lag in one of two ways: One, they might just not have configured their own servers and network correctly. It happens. Two, some of them will intentionally throttle game traffic.

8 Ways to Fix Lag in FIFA 23 & EA Sports FC 24

Luckily, there are a lot of fairly easy ways to potentially reduce your lag while you game. Most of them are even free, or at least very cheap. Here’s what you can do:

1. Use a Wired Connection (and Double-Check Your Internet Usage)

Wi-fi is pretty great these days, but this brings us back to what I was saying about physics. As things stand, wired connections will always be faster than wireless connections, so make sure you connect your PC or console to your modem with an ethernet cable.

Also just check that five other people in your home aren’t watching the latest streaming sensation while uploading TikToks and downloading torrents all at the same time. That’ll slow you down.

2. Update Your Software

This means your operating system, your game, your graphics drivers (if you’re on PC), and anything else you can think of. Updates will sometimes fix bugs that have been slowing down your internet connection in one way or another.

Also, log in to your modem or router’s settings page, and make sure all of that is up to date as well.

3. Try a Different Game Region

You can actually choose your matchmaking server in the FIFA / EA Sports FC games themselves. Double-check that you’re actually using game servers that are close to your location, if speed is all that matters.

4. Use a VPN

In fact, use the best FIFA VPN: CyberGhost. Why? Well, there are several things it can do for you:

First and foremost, a VPN can actually reduce your ping/latency/lag, under the right circ*mstances. Remember what I said about internet signals not going in a straight line? Well, they don’t always take the most direct route either. A VPN can actually help.

You just have to connect to a VPN server that’s close to the game servers, and the VPN can potentially bypass a lot of the things that would otherwise slow you down. Pro gamers often use VPNs for just this reason.

A VPN also encrypts all traffic between your device and the VPN server, and hides your IP. This means that your ISP can’t selectively throttle your game traffic, and third parties can’t attack your home network with DDoS attacks, which also cause lag.

5. Give It the Old Off-and-On

This goes for your PC/console and router/modem both. Every computing device collects leftover data called “cruft” as it runs, and it needs to be cleared out. The most effective way to do this is with a reboot, as your RAM gets wiped, and your processes all get restarted.

This can clear out issues causing lag, and other performance problems.

6. Flush Your DNS Cache

Your computer and/or gaming console like to save information about domain names you regularly access in what is called the DNS cache. On rare occasions, an outdated DNS cache can interfere with some games, including FIFA.

The process for clearing this information out is different for every device or operating system, but there are plenty of tutorials out there. It’s usually not that hard.

7. Upgrade Your Router or Modem

This may or may not be possible, depending on what your ISP will allow. However, if it’s an option, upgrading your router or modem to a newer model can help with lag issues. This usually isn’t the problem, though.

8. Change Your Internet Plan or ISP

Internet service plans typically affect your bandwidth, not your ping or latency, unless you’re still using DSL — but it depends on your provider. Try upgrading your plan to see if it helps. Failing that, see if you can upgrade to a better ISP altogether. They are certainly not made equal.

Fix FIFA Lag with a VPN

These are all the easiest and cheapest ways to reduce lag… and some that are less easy. If you’ve gone through all of these steps, and still haven’t reduced your lag, then you might need to move.

Kidding aside: moving really shouldn’t be necessary. Give CyberGhost VPN a try risk-free with our 45-day money-back guarantee. For the best results, connect to one of our gaming-optimized servers or choose a server that’s close to the game server you like to play on.

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