So you are looking to delve into the world of Fantasy Football? More fool you, I would say! But if you are looking for the most comprehensive list of all the many, many, many, fantasy football games out there, then you have come to the right place:
11Kicks Fantasy Football– http://11kicks.com/.
11kicks is a new game focused on making fantasy football accessible to both casual players and those looking to make a little extra cash from all the time spent in fantasy land. Its premise is simple; pick yourself eleven players, enter into an eleven-team public league (or alternatively create a private one yourself), and see how many points you can pick up. Hopefully it will be more than 11.
Also see: 11Kicks Fantasy Football Review.
Fantasy Premier League– http://fantasy.premierleague.com/
The daddy of all Fantasy Football games. The Premier League has done us proud (for a change) with a slick, easy to use offering that has enough stats and complexity to satisfy the number-crunchers amongst us. Not many games come close to this. 1.8m players can’t be wrong.
Also see: Premier League Fantasy Football Review
UEFA Champions League Fantasy Football- http://en.uclfantasy.uefa.com/
Because that is where the money is really at, isn’t it Mr Blatter? No more dull midweek fixtures here, pick yourself a Champions League team, forget about it, and then act all surprised at the end of the season when you get an email telling you your side finished 13,566th out of 13,567.
Guardian Fantasy Football– http://www.guardian.co.uk/fantasyfootball
Ah, the connoisseurs’ choice. Fed up of the over-simplified way footballers are judged in Fantasy Football? Then the Guardian’s offering is the only one for you. The ever-so-clever points system rewards tackles won, accurate crosses, shots on target, interceptions, blocks, clearances, new hairstyles- ok the last one was a joke but you get the picture.
Also see: Guardian Fantasy Football Review
The Daily Mail- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fantasyfootball/index.html
Pretty standard newspaper fare this, £50,000 prize pot makes it pretty interesting. Which is unusual for anything involving the words “Daily” and “Mail”.
Sky Sports- http://www.skysports.com/fantasyfootball/
Bet you were wondering when grubby Mr Murdoch would rear his head? Well here he is, with another bog-standard effort. The annoying SKY Sports website makes this a very tiresome game to set up. Steer clear if you ask me.
Free Fantasy Football- http://www.freefantasyfootball.tv/
Placing a rather large emphasis on the fact that this game is….wait for it…..free, this cheeky little number appears quite high up on the Fantasy Football radar. There’s a Nintendo Wii on offer for the winner, and the game neatly combines the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga & Ligue Un. Ideal for all the so-called European experts out there.
Can You Kick It?- http://www.cyki.com/
Amateurish? Probably. Free to play? Definitely. With five grand at stake, you could do a lot worse than take a punt on this crayola-style effort.
Channel 4- http://channel4.fantasyleague.com/
Remember when Channel 4 took on a Gazza-fuelled Italian Football back in 1992? Well they are still clinging to their foothold in the market, only the Serie A train has been abandoned for the more fashionable Premier League. There are plenty of prizes on offer, but for some, Channel 4 should be about Brookside and children with six ears, not football.
Metro- http://fantasyfootball.metro.co.uk/fantasy-games/
Stop it now, seriously. A paper that is given out for nothing on public transport, offering prizes of up to £5,000? The world has gone mad. This Metrosexual offering gives players the chance to combine their Premier League knowledge with their European knowledge, and even delve into other sports as well, with Formula 1, Six Nations Rugby, Ashes Cricket & Horse Racing also available.
Daily Mirror- http://www.youthemanager.co.uk/CleverTV/en/tmg/dm990/15733/clienthome.do
Advertising heaven, of course. The Mirror has no shame in bragging about its £275,000 prize fund. Unfortunately I also have no shame in announcing that there are far better games to waste your time on than this self-trumpeting nonsense.
Times Online– http://fantasyfootball.timesonline.co.uk/
Pretty good stuff this one. The Times may lose points for turning to Tony “Yes I’m Irish” Cascarino for it’s “expert advice”, but it gains plenty back by being an innovative, intelligent game which rewards genuine football insight rather than blind faith.
Also see: Times Online Fantasy Football Review
The Sun- http://www.dreamteamfc.com/fantasyfootball/0809/
Sorry, I had to do this. As expected with the gutter rag, pretty standard stuff, nothing to write home about. Although if you believed everything they told you……
Fantasy League- http://www.fantasyleague.com/
The original, but by no means best. Started out in 1991, still going strong today with over 650,000 players, but there are better games out there, trust me.
Texaco Fantasy Football- http://fantasy.football-league.co.uk/
Football? Outside the Premier League? Behave! If you are more a Wayne Hennessey than a Wayne Rooney, then this is your best bet. Same basics as all the main games, just with Championship players instead. Pretty good.
Starting Eleven- http://www.starting11.com/
Looks like a (particularly poor) school project. Don’t you worry your pretty little head about this one.
Virgin- http://fantasyfootball.virginmedia.com/
You’ve had Murdoch, now Branson fancies a go. Pretty decent actually, five major leagues involved (the big five, if you like), top notch prize for the winner, decent layout. Not bad Rich.
Yahoo/Eurosport- http://uk.premiership.fantasysports.yahoo.com/
Pretty comprehensive, even if Eurosport is the proud owner of the “Worst commentary on football ever” award. From the Premier League, through the Coca Cola Leagues, the Champions League and even some runtish competition called the UEFA Cup (no, me neither), all the bases are covered here.
Telegraph– http://fantasyfootball.telegraph.co.uk/
Another good un, simple as anything. Even my mother can pick herself a team on this game. You can test yourself in the lower leagues as well, plus there are even Formula 1, Cricket & Horse Racing efforts to branch out into. Even Mourinho is playing this one…..pretty badly as it happens.
Also see: Telegraph Fantasy Football Review
ESPN- http://games.espn.go.com/frontpage/soccer
As in-depth as expected, ESPN offers you the chance to pick a team in the Premier League, La Liga, Mexican League, Serie A, Argentinian Apertura, MLS or Champions League. If you don’t mind your selected players looking like LEGO figures, then away you go.
OleOle- http://www.oleole.com/fantasyfootball
“Where fans kick off” is the tagline for this game. Not surprising really considering the time it takes to load. But when it has, it’s a belter. All the best leagues are covered, plus a European Super League. Can’t argue with it.
Know any fantasy football games not on this list? Have an opinion on the games listed here? Let us know in the comments.
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