Always
Draw one card
Take the top card from the Draw pile.
The tactical football card battler
Shape your team.
Draw and score.
Win the game.
Set up five players, combine action cards and out-think your opponent across two quick-fire halves.
- 10+Age
- 2-4Players
- 20′Match
- 93Cards
90-second overview
The whole match in four moves
- 01
Shape your team
Place five Player cards across Defense, Midfield and Attack. Your formation limits which Action cards you can play.
- 02
Draw
Start each turn by taking the top card from the Draw pile.
- 03
Play or pass
Play one or more cards, or play nothing and draw a second card.
- 04
Score more
Launch attacks, match them with defense and finish regular time with more goals than your opponent.
Before kick-off
Set the table
One central Draw pile, one Goal pile and a five-player formation for each side.
- 1
Deal the action cards
Shuffle all 60 orange, green and blue Action cards. Deal 5 face down to each player, then place the rest face down as the Draw pile.
- 2
Mark half-time
Insert the Half-Time card in the middle of the Draw pile.
- 3
Give each player a bench
Give each player 2 Substitutions, 1 Formation Switch, 1 VAR Goal Check and 1 Out of Position card. Keep these Management cards beside the hand.
- 4
Build both teams
Give 5 Home Player cards to one player and 5 Away Player cards to the other. Turn the remaining Player cards over to form the Goal pile.
- 5
Kick off
The Home Team starts. You can also decide the first player with a coin toss.
Your tactical shape
Formation controls your options
Each Player card occupies Defense, Midfield or Attack. The number in a line is the maximum number of matching Action cards you can play at once.
Your starting formation must place at least one Player in every position. Once the match begins, Management cards can break that restriction.
Try a formation
2-1-2: up to 2 Defense, 1 Midfield and 2 Attack Action cards.
Attack
Midfield
Defense
Every turn
Draw. Decide. Commit.
A turn is simple. The choices inside it are not.
Option A
Play cards
Play one or more cards allowed by your formation.
Option B
Pass & draw
Play nothing and take a second card instead.
Full-time whistle
Discard played cards
Move all cards used this turn face up to the Discard pile.
Seven-card limit. If your hand is over 7 cards at the end of your turn, discard the excess.
The match engine
The attack-defense phase
Only the active player can start an attack. Once it begins, both players are part of the same turn until the duel is resolved.
Set the attack value
Start by playing one or more +Attack cards together. Once the attack is initiated, you cannot add more +Attack cards or trigger a second attack.
Match the attack
Play enough +Defense to match the Attack value, use an effect that reduces it, or deliberately concede without spending cards.
01Goal
The defense falls short. The scorer records a goal.
02Stalemate
The defense succeeds and neither side plays another card.
03Counter
A successful defense becomes an attack. The exchange can continue back and forth.
GOAL!
The player who concedes starts the next turn and draws two cards instead of one.
Regular time
Two halves. One winner.
First half
Play until the Half-Time card is revealed on top of the Draw pile. Stop drawing, complete the current turn, then play one final turn.
Half-time break
Rebuild your entire formation for free with no restrictions. If you hold fewer than 5 Action cards, draw back up to 5.
Second half
The player who did not start the first half kicks off. When the Draw pile is depleted, finish that turn and play one final turn.
Most goals after regular time wins.
Know your squad
Card reference
Filter the deck by position. Management cards sit outside your hand and are discarded once used.
Attack · 8 cards
Goal Chance
Shoot at the goal with +2 Attack.
Attack · 4 cards
What a Screamer!
Shoot at the goal with +4 Attack.
Attack · 2 cards
Overlap
Double an Attack or Defense value. Not retroactive.
Attack · 1 card · Instant
Penalty!
Score unless miraculously saved. Use after a successful defense or Tactical Foul, before another card.
Attack · 6 cards
Counter-Attack
After a successful Defense, attack back using the opponent’s Attack value.
Midfield · 8 cards
Box-to-Box
+1 Attack or +1 Defense.
Midfield · 5 cards
Maestro
+2 Attack or +2 Defense.
Midfield · 5 cards
Nutmeg
Pick one card from your opponent’s hand.
Midfield · 2 cards
Tiki-Taka
Take the top card, then discard one card from your opponent’s hand.
Defense · 8 cards
Slide Tackle
Defend with +2 Defense.
Defense · 4 cards
Catenaccio
Defend with +4 Defense.
Defense · 5 cards · Instant
Tactical Foul
Negate one opponent card. Cannot be negated or lead to a Counter-Attack.
Defense · 2 cards
Miraculous Save
Defend regardless of the Attack. Cannot be negated.
Management · 2 cards
VAR Goal Check
While defending, look at the top 3 cards and keep 1.
Management · 2 cards
Out of Position
Convert +Defense into +Attack, or vice versa. Not retroactive.
Management · 2 cards
Formation Switch
Change your formation for the duration of the turn.
Management · 4 cards
Substitution
Move one Player to another position indefinitely.
Midfield cards choose a role. Play them while attacking or defending, but not both during the same exchange.
If the score is level
Extra time
- Reshuffle the Action cards and set up as usual.
- Split the Draw pile in half. Put the Half-Time card into one half and discard the other.
- Keep any unused Management cards; do not redistribute them.
- The player who started regular time starts extra time.
Settle it from the spot
Penalty shoot-out
- Give each player 2 Goal Chance cards and 1 Miraculous Save. Line them up face down.
- The opponent chooses one card to reveal. A Save stops the penalty; either Goal Chance scores.
- Take 5 penalties each. If level, continue in sudden death until one player wins.
2 vs 2
Four-player variant
Play in teams of two with shared tactics and private hands.
- 3 cards eachStarting hand
- 5 cards eachMaximum hand
- SharedManagement cards
- 2 cards eachAfter conceding
Communicate intentions, not cards. You can say “I can defend”, but not “I have a Miraculous Save”. Both teammates draw, play and defend as one side.
Referee’s decision
FAQ & timing
When can Instant cards be played?
Whenever an opponent plays a card, unless the card says otherwise. Penalty! is played immediately after a successful defense or Tactical Foul and before any additional card. Tactical Foul can stop a Counter-Attack if it is played just before the Counter and the opponent defended with +Defense cards.
Can I add Attack cards after an attack begins?
No. Choose the complete initial Attack value when you launch the attack. Once initiated, you cannot add more +Attack cards or trigger a second attack.
How do Counter-Attacks interact with other cards?
A Counter-Attack can be boosted by Overlap, but not by adding +Attack cards. Once the Counter-Attack is played, the Defense cards used before it can no longer be negated. An Instant card can still stop the counter if played immediately before it.
Do Overlap and Out of Position work retroactively?
No. Their effects only apply to cards played together with them, never to cards already used earlier in the turn.
What exactly can Tactical Foul negate?
If it negates an Attack card, the opponent cannot add more Attack cards. If it negates a Defense card, the opponent may continue defending. It cannot negate a card effect that has already resolved during the turn.
What happens when regular time ends level?
Players can agree to a draw, play Extra Time and then a shoot-out if needed, or go directly to the Penalty Shoot-Out.
Keep it pitch-side