Depending on where you're from, soccer may be the most important thing in your life, or it may be that silly game where people try to kick a ball into a net. We happen to be from an area of the world where football is religion, and the beautiful game rules most of our waking moments. It makes sense, then, that soccer games dominate the playtime in many of our Steam accounts.
As you will see, soccer can be experienced in many forms. Some players thrive off scoring goals, while some relish the opportunity to outwit their opponents from the sidelines. Thankfully, soccer games cover all the bases, and you can extract whatever joy you want from these brilliant games.
Here are the best football games in 2026:
1. Rematch
A soccer game isn't exactly what fans expected Sloclap to make after the success of Sifu, but if you consider both to be a celebration of movement, it actually kind of makes sense. Rematch boils soccer down to its fundamentals of teamwork and beautiful goals. It works incredibly well.
It's arena-based action, where teams of three, four, or five face off in six-minute matches. Each player controls a player in third-person, with the goalkeeper player rotating after each goal is scored. Anyone who has taken a passing interest in five-a-side football will know this ruleset very well.
Things feel very loose at first, but this adds to a much higher skill ceiling overall. You have a lot of creative freedom in both attack and defence, and once it all clicks, Rematch is perhaps the purest soccer game you can play right now. If you want to get started, we have a Rematch tips and tricks guide that should see you get to grips with the game pretty quickly.
2. EA FC 26
The go-to soccer game for anyone with any level of interest in the sport, FC 26 is the super-polished, comprehensive, most mainstream version of the beautiful game. That isn't a bad thing, mind you - FC 26 delivers the most authentic soccer experience you can imagine, from a pixel-perfect matchday presentation to uncanny player likenesses and licenses from all of the major leagues.
Whether you want to take control of your favorite team and build them toward glory in Manager mode, or attempt to craft the perfect setup in the popular Ultimate Team game mode, FC 26 has a bit of everything for everyone. There are also a host of multiplayer modes if you want to get your mates involved.
If you want immersion, if you want visual authenticity, if you want something to scratch that soccer itch, you can't go far wrong with FC 26. Check out our FC 26 tactics codes guide if you want the best strategies from the best managers, to give you an advantage on the pitch.
3. Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road
Inazuma Eleven is the long-running and wildly successful soccer RPG franchise from developer Level-5. It tells the story of Destin Billows, a football fan who, initially at least, doesn't like soccer that much, but after moving to a new school, decides to form a team, building both skills and friends.
It plays out like a more traditional JRPG when not in a match, with dialogue front and center, but there is also the act of bringing together your team from a group of over 5,000 players. The key is finding a diamond in the rough, a player who you can train to become the best. It's when in a match, though, that Inazuma Eleven really shines.
Outrageous skills, explosive shots on goal, even stadiums with gimmicks like waterfall barriers… This isn't traditional soccer, but when you nail a special move to win in the 90th minute, it barely matters. Inazuma Eleven is a perfect balance of story and gameplay, and the series has shown legs for a reason. If you're after something different from the usual soccer fare, we suggest giving Victory Road a go.
4. Rocket League
Rocket League asks the question, 'What if soccer… but cars?' And it works so much better than anyone would have imagined. What feels clumsy at first slowly becomes intuitive, and it isn't long before a group of motorized vehicles fighting over a giant ball turns balletic.
Rocket League's fluid, physics-driven mechanics are a joy, giving rise to different, awesome, and sometimes hilariously bad moments. Its 3-on-3 matches are always intense, with last-second goals and heroic goal-line clearances delivering a shot of adrenaline like few other things on this list. Fraser Brown's Rocket League review praises the game's 'purity', and we would tend to agree.
The customization options allow you to build a vehicle that is distinctly you, and there are various game modes for you to try out until you find your perfect fit. Online casual and competitive matches, an offline Season Mode, basketball and hockey-esque extra modes, and Mutator options are just a few game types available to you, which helps if you want to mix things up and try something new.
5. Football Manager 26
Talk to anyone who ever spent significant time playingFootball Manager, and you'll truly be looking into the face of addiction. On the face of it, Football Manager 2026 is a fairly text-heavy simulation of, well, being a football manager. Clubs and players are recreated down to the finest detail, and it's down to you to organize, strategize, and with any luck, monopolize every single trophy you can.
The most difficult part of Football Manager 2026 is getting your foot in the door - learning the basics is similar to training day at a new job. A lot of information is thrown at you at once, and it can be daunting, but trust us when we say that when it clicks, there really is nothing like it.
Everything is earned, and outwitting an opponent, watching your team fulfil your tactical plan to perfection, provides a thrill like nothing else. If you want to suit up and get involved, take a look at our Football Manager 26 system requirements guide to see if your rig is up to the task.
Upcoming football and soccer games
Being a fairly niche market, there aren't usually too many new IPs coming to the football sphere, although you can expect a new FC game from EA and a new Football Manager each year. Check out our upcoming games guide, which offers a comprehensive breakdown of everything coming in 2026 and beyond.
If you aren't fond of soccer - and if so, we aren't sure why you're now at the bottom of this list - then rejoice, because there are a heap of other things you could be doing right now. Our best PC games list is a really good place to start, with quality dripping from it out of every pore.