Which mode should you play?

Gaffer XI has several ways to play, all built on the same draft-then-play loop but with different rhythms and challenges. Here's what each is like, so you can pick the one that fits your mood.

League — the marathon

Draft a squad and play a full season against a table of rivals, chasing the title over many matches. League rewards consistency and a balanced side: one bad week won't sink you, but a weak link will cost points over time. It's the mode to play when you want the satisfaction of a long campaign and a table that doesn't lie.

Cup — the knockout

One-and-done football: win every round to lift the trophy, lose once and you're out. The Cup is tense and fast, and it gives underdogs a real shot — in a single match, anything can happen. Choose it when you want high stakes and a quick route to glory (or heartbreak).

World Cup — nations and history

Play through groups and knockouts with national squads, across every tournament from 1998 to 2026 — plus an all-time mixed mode that throws the eras together. It blends the league's group stage with the cup's knockout drama, and it's the mode for fans who love international football and building a golden-generation national side.

Money Mode — the budget builder

Instead of a blind draft, you get a transfer budget and buy your XI from a priced market, then face rival managers over a mini-season. Money Mode is the most strategic mode: every signing is a value decision, and the "cheapest title" leaderboard rewards winning for less. If you enjoy the squad-building puzzle more than the luck of the draw, start here. See our Money Mode strategy guide.

The Climb — the roguelike

The newest way to play: start at the bottom of football's pyramid with a ragtag XI and climb division by division, drafting reinforcements and collecting relics between matches, with chemistry from real club/era cores as the hero mechanic. Lose your three lives and the run ends. It's the mode for "just one more run" — short, varied and different every time.

And the Hall of Fame ties it together

Whatever you play, a finished run can go onto the live Hall of Fame — including underdog boards that reward winning with the lowest-rated or cheapest team. That gives every mode a competitive afterlife.

Not sure? Read the how-to-play guide or just pick a mode and play.