The most demanding teams to manage in FIFA 18

When choosing which team to manage in FIFA 18, not everyone pays much attention to the board expectations, but they can make or break your career mode experience. Find an interesting team with unrealistic board expectations and suddenly they look a whole lot less appetising.

Generally speaking, as long as you achieve your league expectations you should be able to keep your job, even if you fail most or all of the other objectives. But if it’s a close run thing and you’re way off track for your domestic expectations and all the others, you could find yourself out of a job.

Today, I’ve put together a shortlist of the most challenging teams to manage in FIFA 18 as determined by their board expectations. These clubs expect the absolute most from you, from winning every trophy in sight to developing the next generation of superstars. They’re perfect if you want to manage a side that will test your managerial skills to the limit.

I’ve given each board expectation a rating:

  • Critical = 5 points
  • High = 4 points
  • Medium = 3 points
  • Low = 2 points
  • Very low = 1 point

So without further ado, let’s count down the most demanding teams to manage in FIFA 18.

5: Bayern (20 points)

The most demanding teams to manage in FIFA 18

Transfer budget: £82,583,200
Domestic success: Critical
Continental success: Critical
Brand exposure: Critical
Financial: Low
Youth development: Medium

With great power comes great responsibility, and with three Critical ratings, Bayern‘s board expects a huge amount from you as a manager. Anything less than total domination will simply not be enough.

Luckily for you, you’ll start with a massive budget and a squad stacked with some of the best footballing talents in the world. But fail to get the most out of them and you’ll quickly be shown the exit door.


4: Atlético Madrid (20 points)

The most demanding teams to manage in FIFA 18

Transfer budget: £52,967,376
Domestic success: Critical
Continental success: Critical
Brand exposure: Critical
Financial: Low
Youth development: Medium

As if it wasn’t enough to have to compete against two of the world’s best teams for the league title, Atlético Madrid also have an incredible demanding board.

Like Bayern, you’ll start off with three Critical expectations. But unlike the German giants, you won’t have the advantage of £80m to spend and a team far superior to your rivals. Think managing Bayern looks too easy? Try keeping Atlético’s board happy.


3: SL Benfica (21 points)

The most demanding teams to manage in FIFA 18

Transfer budget: £13,845,700
Domestic success: Critical
Continental success: High
Brand exposure: High
Financial: High
Youth development: High

SL Benfica is one of only two teams in FIFA 18 that doesn’t have a single board expectation easier than High (we’ll get to the other team shortly). With four High objectives and a Critical one thrown in for good measure, you’ll have your work cut out.

Winning the league against the likes of Sporting CP and FC Porto will be a real challenge, as will performing well in Europe. And you’ve got to do all that while maintaining a healthy financial status and developing a bunch of promising youngsters. No pressure, then.


2: Ajax (21 points)

The most demanding teams to manage in FIFA 18

Transfer budget: £15,857,571
Domestic success: Critical
Continental success: High
Brand exposure: High
Financial: Critical
Youth development: Medium

Ajax is more or less tied with Benfica in terms of the demanding nature of the team’s board. While the youth objective is toned down to Medium, the financial goal is ratcheted up to Critical. You have a decent budget and plenty of good players, but with next to know room to slip up, you’d better perform.

I suspect Ajax’s youth objective is only Medium to avoid having a frankly ridiculously demanding board. Really, the team’s youth expectation should be Critical, but imagine trying to manage a team with three Critical objectives and two High expectations. I shudder at the thought.


1: CSKA Moscow (22 points)

The most demanding teams to manage in FIFA 18

Transfer budget: £13,200,000
Domestic success: Critical
Continental success: High
Brand exposure: High
Financial: Critical
Youth development: High

Bet you didn’t expect to see CSKA Moscow as the number one team, but just take a look at those expectations. With two Critical objectives and three High ones, this board is more than unforgiving. It’s sadistic.

With similar board expectations to Benfica but with an extra Critical objective (because why not?), CSKA Moscow will have you working on multiple fronts to keep the board happy. If you want the ultimate managerial challenge in FIFA 18, this is the team to pick.


Special mention: IFK Göteborg (18 points)

The most demanding teams to manage in FIFA 18

Transfer budget: £1,897,209
Domestic success: Critical
Continental success: Very low
Brand exposure: Low
Financial: Critical
Youth development: Critical

Most of the teams in the list below start of with fairly decent budgets and play in good leagues, allowing you to attract and buy talented players to help achieve your objectives. Not IFK Göteborg.

Playing in the Swedish Allsvenskan, tempting quality players to join you will be tough. And with a budget of just under £2m, their financial situation is dwarfed by every other team listed below. Still, that doesn’t stop their board setting you three Critical objectives. Sounds easy, right?


Here are the rest of my picks for the most demanding teams to manage in FIFA 18:

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