I agree, the game is messed up, I even read people complaining about career mode insane AI difficulty.
I never played FC25, but I did play FC24 and I had no problems to play 67 rated squad in Squad Battles on Legendary and win with 2 to 3 goals, and 75 rated squad to play on World Class with and win with 2 to 4 goals. But now I'm playing FC26 Squad Battles and AI just raising the stats of the players to the maximum, like bronze and silver AI players have 99 for pace, dribble, defence stats. In one game on World Class I had AI players doing corner after corner (7 in total) when I was only defending and couldn't hold of a ball to switch for attack. My every cross into the box, ether from the corner or outside the box was 100% failure, and my squad is rated 87 - 88. When I decide to play 70 to 79 rated squad on World Class, 90% of all games always go to penalty shootout and I have 50/50 chance to win the game. So now I only play on Professional all 80 and higher rated squads, and 87 - 89 squads is not easy to win, I have play hard.
I don't understand, why I need high rated players anymore, if they can't compete in Squad Battles against lower rated silver and bronze teams on World Class difficulty. EA made the Squad Battles unenjoyable, and rewards I get is female players that goes to fodder. I don't use female players in my squad.