Hidden Difficulty Increase When Ranking Up/On a Winning Streak?

I don't think you'll get a proper reply about this from a moderator or a dev, but I'll try to give one as I am a game dev myself and have been for over 12yrs.

What you're talking about has a term and it's DDA (Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment) and EA have been suspected of using this for years in their games, especially FC (Fifa). There has been a suspicion amongst this community that the EA developers implement this into their systems as a game mechanic. Basically as you've said, you're on a win streak, or about to move up a division and suddenly that game becomes unusually hard, or unusually unresponsive. Examples being silly shots being scored easily, you tackling a player a number of times but they still end up with the ball, higher rates of deflections ending up right back at the opponents players feet, ETC.

I don't think EA will ever admit to implementing such a mechanic as there'd be a massive uproar about fairness in what is actually a very competitive game. However keep in mind that if you are experiencing what you believe to be DDA, it's very likely that other players have experienced it when going up against you as well.

Again not saying this actually IS what is actually happening or not, but it's something to think about.

I've been playing FC for a number of years now (currently in Div 2) but previous Fifa's I've always made it to the Elite Division and honestly I've experienced the same thing every time I've been about to get to the next Division. It's always the rank up game that is EXTREMELY hard. It may be DDA, it might be that in rank up games they actually match you with a player that is currently in a Division higher than you, it could also be completely psychological, who knows.

But yea, doubt you'll get a Moderator or Dev response, but that's my 2 cents.

Hey Novum 14,
Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to share your insights! Your explanation about DDA (Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment) and your own experiences playing FC (and previous FIFAs) are incredibly helpful. It really resonates with what I've been feeling in the game.
Knowing that this might be a suspected mechanic that others experience too is actually quite a relief. You perfectly described those frustrating moments – when you're on a good run or about to move up a division, and suddenly the game feels like you're playing in mud. The examples you gave, like easy shots going in, tackles bouncing straight back to the opponent, and deflections landing perfectly for them, are exactly what I've been noticing.
I totally agree with you that EA would likely never admit to something like DDA, given the competitive nature of the game and how unfair it would seem. It's definitely something to keep in the back of my mind, especially when those "unusually hard" matches pop up.
Your point about it potentially happening to others when they play against me is also a good one – it helps to see it from a more balanced perspective. And your thoughts on whether it's DDA, tougher matchmaking for rank-up games, or even psychological factors are all valid points. It's hard to say for sure what's going on under the hood.
Honestly, your comment has genuinely helped me feel less frustrated. It's easy to get caught up in the moment and feel like the game is specifically targeting you! Knowing that it could be a broader system at play makes those tough losses a little easier to swallow.
On that note, I've actually found myself turning to games like Red Dead Redemption 2 lately for a more relaxed experience – definitely a good way to de-stress after some intense FC matches!
It's a shame, though, isn't it? To think that a game we pay for might have a system in place that actively tries to make things more difficult and potentially frustrating, pushing us to maybe stop playing. It's definitely something to consider.
Thanks again for sharing your "two cents" – it was worth much more than that to me!
Best,
Alejandro.