If you’re a football fan (or a soccer fan for you yanks in the chat), then you know that there has always been one video game that has dominated the virtual soccer scene. Sure, others have had their moments, but by and large, the genre has always belonged toFIFA, orEA Sports FCas of very recently. It’s a series that has its die-hard fans and, equally, has its critics, and if you want to know where I stand, I’m very much in the camp with those who are burned out by the annualFIFAreleases that effectively update the rosters and very little else.
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Many have tried and failed to come atFIFAin an attempt to provide a more authentic and realistic football simulator with mixed results. But the key to creating an engaging football game is not trying to replicateFIFAbut instead, creating something that feels entirely different. So, if you, too, are fed up with the same oldFIFAexperience year after year, we’re going to play a lovely through ball and assist you by listing some awesome FIFA alternatives.
In this list, “soccer” and “football” are terms used interchangeably. You have been warned.
1Super Mario Strikers: Battle League
Release Date
17 June 2025
Metacritic Score
Let’s kick things off, quite literally, with Nintendo’s foray into the world of soccer.Super Mario Strikersis a Mario spin-off that’s been around since the Gamecube days, and also popped up on the Nintendo Wii as well in the form ofSuper Mario Strikers: Charged. However, if you’re looking for the most modern outing, then you’ll want to play Battle League, the latest arcade-style take on the beautiful game starring Mario and pals.
This game is essentially a 5v5 football format that manages to blend seamlessly with Mario’s quintessentially arcade-fuelled gameplay. This translates to football matches where you’ll need to use items, power-ups, and underhanded tricks to get one over on your opponent, much likeMario KartorMario Party.Oh, and if you manage to connect with a Hyper-strike, you’ll be able to score two goals at once. It’s not exactly realistic, but it’s accessible and fun for all the family, and it’s every bit as fun asFIFA, if not more so.
2Rocket League
7th July 2015
Have you ever wondered what it would look like ifthat episode of Top Gearwhere they used Volkswagen Golfs to play football was turned into a video game? Well, if you add some turbo boosters, an endless stream of customizable cosmetics for your car, and more explosions, it would look something likeRocket League. This game is essentially football with cars, which tasks you with zooming around the field and using your chassis to whack the ball into the net.
It’s a game that’s very easy to pick up and play, but as you begin jumping into ranked matches, much likeFIFA, you’ll realize that there are some absolute veterans of the game knocking around, and you’ll need to become a master of rotating, doing aerials, and playing all positions on the field if you want to stand a chance of becoming a Grand Champion. It’s one of the best modern multiplayer games ever made and completely free to play, so there’s no excuse why you shouldn’t try this one!
3Football Manager 2024
6th November 2023
EA Sports FCis a very realistic football sim, at least in terms of the visuals and the licenses present. However, in terms of tactics and the daily grind of a footballer’s life,FIFAis pretty light on the details off the pitch. Well, if you’ve always wanted to prove that your unique take on the Gengenpress would easily see Bristol City win the Champion’s League at a canter, then you need to giveFootball Managera try.
4FIFA Street
22 June 2025
Okay, so I know I said noFIFAon this list, but I want to make an exception forFIFA Streetbecause it’s such a departure from the mainline games. This is essentially the precursor to what would become Volta Football in later iterations of the game.FIFA Streetis a series that takes theFIFAmodel and then boils it down to a five-a-side format where the focus of the game shifts, and those with the sharpest footwork and coolest skills tend to rule the roost.
Despite more modern entries coming later, my personal favorite title in the series is still the first everFIFA Street.This is mainly due to the cast of players on offer and the campaign that would allow you to start with a team with the likes of Paddy Kenny in goal, and rise through the ranks by winning competitions until you had the likes of Iker Casillas between the sticks. It’sFIFAbut with a much more arcade feel to proceedings, and I assure you, the moment you set yourself up for your first Gamebreaker, you’ll be hooked!
5Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road
This may be cheating a little bit, as this game is yet to be released with plans for release in the back end of 2024, but if you’re impatient,there is a beta test available for this one in the coming days, and three previous games in the series to dig out from the archives.Inazuma Eleven: Victory Roadis an upcoming soccer-themed RPG that inspired the anime of the same name, which will have you enjoy a rich new story that takes place twenty-five years after the events of the lastInazuma Elevenstory, and also build a team from over 4,500 different characters from the series to create your Inazuma dream team.
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The title blends traditional JRPG combat and storytelling with high-octane football gameplay. This combination will feel familiar to RPG fans while offering something fresh and new to football game fanatics. The ebb and flow of RPG exploration and on-pitch action are a joy to experience and, while the game is still in the works, we know already that this game is going to be a blast. So add this to your wishlist and hop into the beta test when you get the chance.
25th May 2023
80% (Based on Available Reviews)
Here’s one for all you VR fanatics out there. When it comes to VR football games, aside from a few rather lackluster goalkeeping games, there isn’t anything that really makes football the focus on the market, but the exception isNock, a game that combines archery and football to offer an experience that is a little likeRocket League, only you use a bow and arrow to guide the ball into the net instead of a jet-propelled vehicle.
This game is all about using your archery skills to navigate a field full of obstacles to help the ball into your opponent’s net. But you’ll also have to contend with their arrows, obstacles that they may form to block your shot, and if you get whacked by the ball, you might get knocked out for a bit, giving your opponent an open goal to aim at. It’s a unique take on the football format that is super-immersive in VR, so if you have a headset and a steady hand, this is the game for you.
7Soccer Story
29th November 2022
Nintendo Switch owners may be aware ofGolf Story, a rare non-Nintendo-owned exclusive to this console that tells a touching RPG tale through traditional golf game mechanics. Well, if you liked that but wish there was a soccer version, I’m happy to inform you there is! This RPG story sees you take control of a character chosen by a magic soccer ball, and in a world where soccer has been banned by Soccer Inc., you’re given the opportunity to save football and restore the beautiful game.
You explore this physics-based world where your football is the only tool you’ll need to solve puzzles, unlock new areas, play a laundry list of mini-games, and, of course, there will be the opportunity to play an actual football match now and again. It’s a wonderfully creative adventure RPG tailor-made for football fans, so if this seems like your kind of thing, lace up your boots and get dribbling!
8Footgun Underground
30th April 2024
70% (Average Based On User Scores)
Football games don’t always have to involve stepping onto a football pitch and playing the game as the various footballing federations would intend you to, and this is something thatFootgun Undergroundproves in spades.Footgunis a rogue-like title, and your weapon to beat the many nasties that occupy the Underground is a football, which may not seem like it would have the stopping power to take down alien monsters, but when you consider your character has a cybernetic leg to generate insane power, then you realize that those aliens are in a world of trouble.
This game is all about mastering close control of your football, using killer power-ups to enhance each kick, and working your angles well to beat the variety of gruesome bosses that await you in each bespoke section of the Underground. Sure, you might die if your first touch is lacking, but it’s a roguelike, so you’ll get another try, which is less than can be said for real footballers who miss a chance late in a game. It’s a wonderful soccer-based roguelike and one for those who love both sports games and 2D platformers.
9Bang Average Football
10th May 2024
86% (Based on Available Reviews)
If you’re someone who has grown up with football games and watched as they grew in quality from pixelated arcade titles to the hyperrealistic sims that they are today, you’ll likely remember the football games of the 1990s where the camera faced longways up the pitch and your only options were to run, pass, tackle, or shoot. Well, if you long for those halcyon days of football gaming, then you might get a kick out ofBang Average Football, a game that brings things back to basics.
So, if you want retro football game action with a modern edge, this is the game for you.
10Score! Hero
5th August 2015
Then, lastly, we have a rogue one, as I’m not usually someone who dives into theworld of mobile games. But I feel that in this case,Score! Herowarrants a mention as it’s a wonderful format and one that you can play on the go, which is always a bonus when commuting. This game gives you a series of levels where you need to earn stars to unlock more, and to earn stars, you need to recreate famous goals from the world of international football perfectly.
This essentially means that you will be given several freeze-frame scenarios, and using your finger to play a pass or aim a shot, you’ll attempt to recreate iconic goals, such as Bergkamp’s famous goal against Argentina or Roberto Carlos' bending free-kick against France. The ability to be an interactive part of each of these goals is amazing fan service, and it’s a super addicting format. So, if you want a new game to add to your phone in a bid to always have a football game to hand, this would be my personal recommendation.
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