FIFA 99 is a late-1998 soccer sim developed by EA Canada / Electronic Arts Canada and published by Electronic Arts / EA Sports. This guide covers the Windows PC, PlayStation, and Nintendo 64 versions only.
Use this as a fundamentals guide for FIFA 99 itself, not FIFA: Road to World Cup 98, World Cup 98, FIFA 2000, later FIFA games, or EA Sports FC. Platform-specific prompts differ, so learn action names first and button labels second.
Essential Tips
1. Check Your Platform Before Learning Buttons
FIFA 99 has shared soccer actions, not universal prompts.
The main versions revolve around passing, shooting, lobbing, sprinting, switching player, tackling, sliding, through passing, skill moves, goalkeeper actions, and dead-ball targeting. The actual buttons differ across Windows keyboard/gamepad, PlayStation, and Nintendo 64, so learn action names first and button labels second.
2. Start in Friendly Match or Training
Learn timing before committing to a season.
Friendly Match is the cleanest place to learn normal match flow, while Training is the safer place to repeat penalties, free kicks, corners, and match situations. Use those before taking a team into European Dream League, Season Mode, a Cup, or a custom competition.
3. Pass Before You Dribble Into Trouble
The old FAQs warn that solo dribbling is easy to tackle.
Move the ball through teammates instead of carrying it straight into defenders. Watch the highlighted receiver or target, aim passes deliberately, and use practice if your passes keep going to the wrong player.
4. Use Speed Burst in Short Bursts
Sprint helps, but it tires players.
The N64 manual notes that speed burst tires players. Save it for getting clear, closing space, or reaching a loose ball rather than holding it through every touch.
5. Time Through Passes Around the Offside Line
Runs are useful only when the pass is on.
Through passes and runner tactics can create breakaways, but the PlayStation FAQ specifically warns about offside traps. Wait until the runner has space and a legal lane before forcing the ball.
6. Defend on Your Feet First
Normal tackles are safer than desperate slides.
Switch to the closest useful defender, close the angle, and try a regular tackle before sliding. Slide tackles can work, but they are riskier, especially for bookings.
7. Practice Corners, Free Kicks, and Penalties Separately
Set pieces have their own targeting rhythm.
FIFA 99 supports dead-ball targeting, receiver selection, shot direction, and ball spin. Spend time in Training so you know how your platform handles corners, free kicks, and penalties before a tight match decides them for you.
8. Use the Goalkeeper Charge Deliberately
Semi-automatic goalkeeping still asks for judgment.
Keeper charge and goalkeeper distribution actions are useful tools. Charge to cut down a clear chance, but do not pull the keeper out every time the opponent enters the box.
9. Treat IGM as Match-State Control
Use presets for momentum shifts, not magic formations.
In-Game Management lets you switch prepared formation, strategy, and positioning settings during play. Use it when you need a more defensive or attacking posture, but avoid assuming one formation or tactic is best for every team.
10. Set Rules and Match Options Before Competition Play
Options change how each match feels.
Before a league, cup, or season, review match length, weather, difficulty, offsides, injuries, referee strictness, substitutions, fatigue, and audio/visual settings where your version exposes them. Do this before you are halfway through a tournament.
11. Assign Kick Takers and Manage the Squad Early
Set-piece roles matter more when the match is close.
Use Team Management for lineups, substitutions, positioning, strategies, transfers where available, and kick takers. Do this before starting serious cup or season play so you are not solving squad problems mid-match.
12. Keep Edits Separate From Advice
Player editing exists, but it is not a strategy shortcut.
FIFA 99 supports player/team editing and skill-value changes, but this guide leaves exact ratings, roster corrections, alternate player-name claims, and team-stat advice to dedicated references. Use editing only when you deliberately want a custom save or tournament setup.
Platform Scope
| Platform | Control Scope | Caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Keyboard/gamepad controls, modes, options, IGM, practice, and PC replay camera notes | Do not apply PC free-camera, install, online, or controller notes to console versions |
| PlayStation | PS button prompts, in-game menu, team management, tactics, IGM, and analog/DualShock notes | Controller prompts and regional behavior can differ |
| Nintendo 64 | Control Stick play, Controller Pak/save notes, match select, modes, options, Training, IGT/IGM, and set pieces | Confirm exact N64 button labels on your own setup |
Mode Priorities
| Situation | Start Here | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First match | Friendly Match or Quick Start | Learn match flow without tournament consequences |
| Bad passing | Training | Repeat passing direction and receiver selection |
| Poor set pieces | Training corners/free kicks/penalties | Dead-ball timing differs from open play |
| Learning teams | Friendly Match | Test players and squad shape without long-term stakes |
| Longer save | Season, Cup, Custom League, or Custom Cup | Use after controls and options are stable |
| Elite-club competition | European Dream League | Treat it as a structured season-style challenge, not a beginner tutorial |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Do not hold sprint through every touch - Speed burst can tire players and make attacks less controlled.
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Do not dribble straight through defenders - Pass through teammates when space closes.
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Do not spam through balls into offside traps - Wait for a legal run and a clear lane.
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Do not slide tackle as the default defense - Use player switching, positioning, and standing tackles first.
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Do not skip Training for set pieces - Corners, free kicks, and penalties need separate timing.
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Do not charge the goalkeeper automatically - A bad charge opens the goal.
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Do not enter a cup or season with default roles unreviewed - Check substitutions, kick takers, and match options first.
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Do not leave kick takers untouched before important matches - Assign set-piece roles before a close free kick or penalty decides the result.
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Do not change IGM blindly while defending a lead - Switch tactics with a match-state goal, not because the menu exists.
Summary
| Category | Top Tip |
|---|---|
| Scope | Keep advice specific to FIFA 99 on Windows PC, PlayStation, and Nintendo 64 |
| First steps | Use Friendly Match and Training before long competitions |
| Attacking | Pass early, sprint selectively, and time through balls |
| Defending | Switch players and tackle normally before sliding |
| Set pieces | Practice dead-ball targeting and keeper/set-piece controls |
| Management | Review options, squad roles, kick takers, and IGM presets before tournaments |
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6 checked for this guideEvery factual claim in this guide was checked against at least two independent sources before publication. These are the references used for FIFA 99.
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