Can I play FIFA 23 Pro Clubs on PS5 with PS4 players?

No, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 players cannot play FIFA 23 Pro Clubs together. There is no cross-platform play enabled between PS4 and PS5 versions of FIFA 23 for the Pro Clubs mode.

This means if you are on PS5 and your friends have the game on PS4, you won‘t be able to join the same Pro Clubs team and play online matches together.

Breakdown of Crossplay in FIFA 23

FIFA 23 includes crossplay support across multiple modes, allowing players on different console platforms to match up online. However, this cross-progression does not extend to Pro Clubs.

Here is a breakdown of crossplay capability across the major FIFA 23 modes:

As you can see, Pro Clubs stands out as the only major online FIFA mode that does not allow PS5 players to match up with PS4 players.

Why Pro Clubs Lacks Crossplay

So why hasn‘t EA enabled crossplay specifically for Pro Clubs?

According to the official EA Answers forum, building crossplay capability presents some unique challenges with Pro Clubs compared to other game modes:

"There‘s added complexity in developing modes with multiple players playing on the same team. We continue to explore the best technical implementation for that."

The key difference with Pro Clubs is that multiple human players can join the same in-game club team, whereas other online modes generally involve 1v1 or 2v2 matchups.

This introduces technical hurdles, likely around synchronizing gameplay for all players while accounting for differences in console performance and capabilities between PS4 and PS5.

Over 2 million FIFA 23 players have participated in Pro Clubs during the launch window. So there is definitely demand for enabling cross-generation play. Hopefully the engineers at EA can resolve these technical constraints in future titles.

Comparing PS5 vs PS4 Differences

Since crossplay between PlayStation 4 and 5 is not possible in Pro Clubs, what are the key differences in playing FIFA 23 on these platforms that you should consider?

Graphics and Performance

Visually, FIFA 23 on PS5 runs at 4K resolution and 60 FPS for smooth, realistic gameplay. PS4 tops out at 1080p resolution and 60 FPS. So graphics are sharper and more detailed on next-gen consoles.

Loading times are also faster on PS5, minimizing waiting around between matches or when applying consumables on your Pro Clubs pro.

Tactile Feedback

The PS5 DualSense controller‘s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers enable you to "feel" tackles, shots, and more for immersive gameplay. This innovative tactility is missing when playing on a PS4 controller.

Playing the Transfer Market

FIFA Ultimate Team‘s Transfer Market is shared across both consoles. So PS4 and PS5 players interact in the same economy when buying/selling cards and items.

But as outlined above, this crossplay does not apply to actually playing matches with your FUT squad or Pro Club.

Workarounds for PS5 & PS4 Players

Since PS5 and PS4 gamers are barred from playing Pro Clubs matches together in FIFA 23, what are your options if you have friends spread across these platforms?

Here are a few potential workarounds:

Play the PS4 Version on PS5

PS5 consoles are backwards compatible with PS4 games. So PS5 owners can purchase and play the PS4 edition of FIFA 23 in order to join up with PS4 players. You‘ll lose out on some graphical polish and DualSense controller features, but at least you‘ll be in the same matchmaking pool.

Wait for PS4 Friends to Upgrade

Encourage your PlayStation 4 comrades to upgrade their hardware and join you on the PS5 version! They‘ll enjoy faster load times, tactical haptic feedback, and refined visuals…once they manage to secure the often out-of-stock console.

Hope for Crossplay in FIFA 24

Until EA manages to solve the apparent technical challenges around synchronizing Pro Clubs gameplay across platforms, PS5 and PS4 players will remain segregated.

Let‘s hope these limitations are addressed in the upcoming FIFA 24, which is set to launch by late 2023, marking the first edition under the rebranded "EA Sports FC" title.

The Bottom Line

Can you play FIFA 23 Pro Clubs while on PlayStation 5 together with your friends who own PlayStation 4? No.

Pro Clubs is the only major online mode in FIFA 23 that does not support crossplay between PS5 and PS4 platforms due to added complexity with player synchronization and console differences according EA‘s developers.

For now, playing the PS4 version on your PS5 or hoping your PS4 friends upgrade to next-gen hardware are the only ways to coordinate Pro Clubs action. But fingers crossed for a friendlier crossplay policy in the future EA Sports FC games!