To create chances in UFL before you shoot, practice four drills: spot three options on every reception, learn Manual Ground Pass, prepare the action after the pass, and compare finishes in similar conditions. Use the control mapping shown in your own game; you do not need to buy cards for any of the exercises.
This article is part of our complete UFL guide, which collects all of our coverage of the game.
Official documentation and original suggested drills as of October 7, 2026. For PC and consoles. No claim of hands-on testing or measured success rates.
Before you start five minutes of preparation
Open the control settings and note the actions for passing, through balls, Manual Ground Pass and shooting. Use the mapping displayed in your game; on PC, do not infer keyboard bindings from controller symbols. Choose a fixed squad and a camera that makes the pitch easy for you to read. You do not need to buy cards for these exercises.
Use training for an isolated action and a local match for situations involving an opponent; official documentation mentions both modes. Screen names and available options may change. You can practice with a friend who agrees beforehand. Do not try to recreate the same move ten times against a random opponent expecting a normal match. Prepare three columns: decision, outcome and likely cause.
Exercise one three options on every reception
Whenever a midfielder receives the ball, look for three things: a nearby player, an advanced player and a route backwards. Before passing, choose one option and identify why it is open. If a defender stands between the ball and the target, try changing the angle with a short movement or a pass to another teammate.
Play ten attacks in which you pass forwards only after identifying the passing lane. A suggested goal is at least seven decisions you can explain afterwards. A pass that reaches its target but puts the receiver under pressure is not necessarily a good decision. Also record whether the receiver could perform another action. The intended outcome is to distinguish a pass that appears available from one that advances the attack.
Exercise two learn Manual Ground Pass
Update 0.73.0 replaced Driven Through Ball with Manual Ground Pass, using R1 + Triangle on PlayStation or RB + Y on Xbox. The documentation describes manual stick direction and an aiming indicator. An older guide calling this combination a driven through ball can therefore be misleading.
Start with two nearby players and a clear lane. Aim at an area beside the receiver, varying the power slightly each time. Make five attempts in each direction. Next increase the distance, and only then try passing ahead of a moving player. Change one variable at a time. Success means reaching the area you intended; it does not require a goal. If the ball misses that area, separate directional error from power error before making an adjustment.
Exercise three prepare the action after the pass
According to update 0.74.0, reception quality depends on the pass, the receiver and opponent pressure. The One Touch attribute affects first-time shots. These are documented mechanics; the following exercise is a training suggestion.
Choose an area near the penalty box and repeat two situations: receive and pass again, then receive and attempt a shot. Before releasing the ball, decide which side you want to move towards. Add an opponent only when you consistently identify your intended receiver. If the next action gets blocked, ask whether the problem began with the passer. The intended outcome is planning two actions ahead, without forcing a quick sequence when there is no space.
Exercise four compare finishes in similar conditions
Collect ten finishing situations from a similar area: attempt a first-time shot in five, and take a preparatory touch before shooting in five. Keep the same finisher wherever possible. Record whether the shooting lane was open, whether you were under pressure and whether the attempt was on target. Do not conclude from five attempts that one shot type is always better.
If the route is blocked, try another short pass instead of automatically increasing power. Update 0.74.1.0 fixed a failure of the Finesse Shot Skill to activate on a first-time shot; this is a documented fix, rather than a promise that this finish will be the best choice in every situation. The comparison aims to reveal when you rush your shots.
Turn the exercises into a habit
Divide a session of roughly twenty minutes between checking controls, passing, reception and finishing. Afterwards, choose three lost possessions and write down what you saw before pressing the button. Classify each as target selection, direction, power or a late decision. If you can save a gameplay clip, watch it before blaming the card or formation.
In the next session, change only the factor that kept recurring. If you lost the ball because the target was covered, work on scanning; if the lane was clear and the ball passed the receiver, return to power calibration. A useful measure is fewer mistakes of the same kind across several sessions. There is no guaranteed winning formation, universal button-hold duration or requirement to buy a new squad here.
Sources
- UFL update archive
- Update Notes 0.74.1.2
- Looking for assistance with the PC/Console version of UFL?
- Update Notes 0.71.0
- Update Notes 0.73.0
- Update Notes 0.74.0
- Update Notes 0.74.1.0
