About Gaffer XI

Gaffer XI is a free football draft game you play in your browser. You build a dream team one player at a time from the greatest names in football history, then play a league, cup or World Cup for the trophies — no download and no sign-up required.

What the game is

Every run starts with an empty team sheet. You choose a formation, then draft your eleven players pick by pick from a deck drawn from historic squads — clubs, countries and eras all mixed together. Once your XI is complete, you take it into a season or a knockout and the matches are simulated based on your line-up, your formation and a touch of luck. Win the title and your run can be placed on a live, public Hall of Fame.

The appeal is the decisions. Do you spend your first pick on a world-class striker and hope a defender drops to you later, or build from the back? Do you chase the highest-rated names, or assemble a balanced side that actually fits your shape? Each draft is different, so no two teams — and no two seasons — play out the same way.

The game modes

LeagueDraft a squad and play a full season for the title against a table of rivals. CupOne-and-done knockout football — lose once and you are out of the bracket. World CupEvery tournament from 1998 to 2026, plus an all-time mixed mode, with national squads. Money ModeA budget squad-builder: spend a transfer budget on an XI from a priced market and beat rival managers.

How it started

Gaffer XI grew out of a love for the "how good a team can you build" browser games — the kind where the fun is in the draft, not in grinding. The goal was a version that looked and felt like a proper football product: clean kits, readable cards, a season that means something, and a Hall of Fame that turns a good run into bragging rights. It is built and maintained by a tiny team as a hobby project, and it stays free to play.

A note on names and licensing

Gaffer XI is an unofficial fan project and has no affiliation with — or endorsement from — any football club, league, federation or player. No official logos, club crests or player photos are used; clubs are shown with their own original monogram and colours. Player names and years are historical references used purely for identification, and every rating in the game is fictional and exists only for gameplay. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. You can read the full terms of use and our privacy policy for more detail.

Ready to build your own side? Read the how-to-play guide or just jump straight into a draft.