Team Progression in Clubs Needs a Rethink — A Hybrid System Is the Answer

Hello! Let me preface this post by saying that I wrote a lengthy post and then used ChatGPT to make it more accessible for this type of community forums format:

Before I start, for anyone reading:
If you agree with any part of this post, please comment or like so the devs have a better chance of seeing it. I’m not trying to rant and genuinely wanna put forward feedback that could improve the Clubs experience for all of us.

First off — credit where it’s due

Clubs has received some genuinely fun and interesting updates these past couple of years. The new levelling system is more dynamic and the slow rollout of new levels each season keeps the grind feeling purposeful. It gives players something to work toward throughout the cycle, and I appreciate that.

But despite these improvements, there are still some core issues with how team-based progression works — especially once you reach higher levels of play.

The core problem: Elite Division feels pointless after you reach it

As an Elite squad, the moment you reach Elite Div, the incentive to keep playing drops off a cliff.

• You can’t accumulate points toward anything meaningful.
• You get three chances, and eventually you’ll lose all 3 since they don't reset (until and IF you win the relegation match) — which means you’re either fighting relegation or heading straight back to Div 1.
• There’s no long-term goal, no trophy chase, no historical mark of achievement for your team.

For a mode that’s supposed to emulate the journey of a club, it ironically stops giving you a journey once you hit the top. Essentially you just wait for Playoffs and hope you're still in Elite div once the Playoffs roll around.

The old system did this MUCH better — and we need part of it back

Fans, facilities, and cosmetic progression are great additions. They bring personality to the club and reasons to log in each season.

But I think I speak for a huge portion of the Clubs community when I say:

The old progression structure — with real divisions, trophy rooms, and tournaments — added meaning, identity, and long-term goals to the mode.

Where did all that go? Why remove the good parts instead of building on them?

What the old system did right:

• Full divisional ladder with meaningful, difficult promotion requirements.
• Trophies for winning each division, displayed in your Trophy Room.
• Tournaments (Shield, EA Cup, Continental, Premier/Elite) with serious bragging rights.
• Scouting other teams — last 10–20 matches, trophy cabinet, squad list, player builds.

These weren’t small features — they made Clubs feel alive and competitive. They gave teams identity and history.

And now? None of that exists.

A hybrid system would be the perfect solution

We don’t need to go back to 10 divisions. The current 5 + Elite is totally fine.

But combine the best of the old with the best of the new:

1. Keep Fans, Facilities & Playoffs (the new system)

They’re great for seasonal progression, cosmetics, XP grinding, and club building.

BUT…

2. Bring back real Divisional Trophies + an Actual Trophy Room

Let Elite squads chase something other than avoiding relegation.

Give us:

• Division trophies
• Tournament trophies
• Seasonal Elite trophies
• Visible proof of our club’s history

Let us build a legacy the way Clubs used to.

3. Reintroduce Tournaments

Shield, EA Cup, Continental, Premier (Now Elite), etc.

These were great games and some of the most intense and memorable matches in the entire mode. They also allow your squad to focus on a temporary goal instead of the usual seasons grind.

4. Bring back scouting tools

Let us:

• View our opponents’ last 10 or 20 results
• See their trophy room
• Inspect their squad and builds
• Track the strengths of the teams we’re facing

Clubs is a social mode. Let us interact again.

Why this matters

Clubs is supposed to feel like a true club journey — not a seasonal reset machine.

Right now:

• You grind through divisions
• Hit Elite
• Get nothing for it
• Lose 3 matches
• Fall out
• Repeat

There is no long-term club identity, no sense of progressing over years, not just seasons.

A hybrid model fixes that without sacrificing what EA is trying to achieve with the newer systems.

Would love your thoughts

Does anyone else feel the same way?
What changes would you want to see in Clubs progression?

Please interact with the post so EA sees it — and let’s get a real discussion going.