By almost any metric, football – by which I mean soccer – is the world’s most popular sport. Unsurprisingly, it’s inspired a slew of video games. I’ve been playing them for decades, from International Soccer on the Commodore 64 and Sensible Soccer (my favorite) in the 16-bit era to more modern efforts like Pro Evolution Soccer and FIFA.
With the World Cup this summer and domestic leagues across the world gearing up for another season, there’s no better time to revisit the beautiful game on iPhone. So whether you fancy firing in spectacular goals, guiding a club to silverware, or proving yourself a managerial mastermind, these are the football games that work best on Apple’s smartphone.
Flick Soccer 25 (free or $6/£6)
If you want to get straight to goalscoring, there are plenty of flick-based football games on the App Store. Flick Soccer 25 (oddly not renamed 26 at the time of writing) is my favorite of the bunch. It offers several variations on the theme of taking free kicks and belting the ball beyond a goalie, although in all cases that ultimately amounts to precision flicking and the odd swipe. Still, it’s immediate and enjoyable – at least if you pay to remove the ads, which show up more than commercial breaks during a televised match.
Score! Hero (free + IAP)
This one’s also gesture-based, making it perfect when you can’t grip your iPhone like a gamepad or simply prefer planning over reflexes. However, unlike Flick Soccer, Score! Hero wraps its action in a story, having you solve a series of set-piece challenges to advance your player’s career. It can get a bit Groundhog Day when repeated failures force you to replay the same scenario, and the limited kicks system nudges you towards IAP. Even so, in short bursts it’s great. Sequel Score! Match adds multiplayer and management, but I’ve never found it nearly as compelling.
Football Chairman Pro 2 ($4/£4)
The most famous football management series – the suitably named Football Manager – is available on Apple Arcade. It’s a bit much, though – its busywork nature and detailed stats don’t really suit iPhone. By contrast, Football Chairman Pro radically streamlines running a club, letting you race through seasons in a flurry of big-decision-making taps. It can be repetitive, and (arguably realistically) your influence as owner over events on the pitch is limited. But it scratches the football management itch when you’re on the move. If you’re unsure, check out the free version first.
Retro Goal (free or $2/£2)
The creator behind Retro Goal first found fame with New Star Soccer and New Star Manager. I initially enjoyed the former’s mix of interactive highlights and streamlined management, but it became bogged down by monetization. Retro Goal, though, is in another league entirely. Its highlights are more flexible, exciting, and tense. The premium unlock removes the ads. And although you can pay to get ahead, I found that you don’t need to if you’re canny with your spending. (Hint: focus on fast strikers.) Sure, winning still isn’t easy, but then that’s the case in the real world too.
Also available as Retro Goal+ on Apple Arcade.
Super Arcade Football (free or $3/£3)
Sensible Soccer is my all-time favorite football game, and so it should come as no surprise that its closest iPhone equivalent is my top mobile pick. Super Arcade Football adopts a speedy overhead perspective that captures how football feels in your head when you play rather than how it looks on television. Players zip around the pitch, passes ping between teammates, and shots rocket goalward in unlikely fashion. The result sometimes resembles pinball as much as football. But combined with the simple, effective touch controls and plenty of options, it’s a must-buy for any footie fan who also loves arcade thrills.
Pixel Cup Soccer – Ultimate ($5/£5)
Many modern “realistic” football games aim to replicate televised matches. On iPhone, that too often means fiddly controls, aggressive monetization, and unnecessary complexity. Pixel Cup Soccer uses a side-on viewpoint, but feels like a cousin to Super Arcade Football. Its grin-inducing gameplay is packed with frantic moments. And there’s a wealth of options, from quick friendlies to full tournaments. The main downside is the visuals can become overly busy. Still, you can give the game a trial with the free lite version, or call on Apple Arcade super-sub Charrua Soccer, which is essentially Pixel Cup Soccer with an anodyne cartoonish visual refresh and slightly simplified gameplay.
Get Pixel Cup Soccer – Ultimate