Retro Goal (Switch eShop)

Retro Goal is a distinctively light and fun take on football, coming at a budget price and having enough depth and charm to get players hooked. It has a stylish look and will raise a smile among enthusiasts; in fact, the only way it fails to match its brilliant predecessor — Retro Bowl — is in the gameplay department. The team-based complexity of football makes it hard to recreate that backyard sport feel, but it is still excellent and irreverent fun that feels at home on Switch.

Soccer, Tactics & Glory (Switch)

Also correctly known as Football, Tactics & Glory in various parts of the world, this is another intriguing and relatively unique take on the tactical angle of the beautiful game. Sure, you assign scouts to find players, complete transfers and set a formation, but this has a nice twist of its own.

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Actual games play out a bit more like turn-based strategy, in which you carefully choose moves on a grid-like pitch. When players clash there's a bit of old-fashioned dice rolling, though if your team is better you will have better (but not perfect) odds. It's a title - like many of this ilk - that has its share of flaws, but is also unique enough to merit consideration. [See also Ganbare! Super Strikers, which has some similar ideas but without the management side of the game]

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Soccer, Tactics & Glory
Soccer, Tactics & Glory

Golazo! (Switch eShop)

Golazo! is definitely one for those with nostalgia for the classics of the '90s; this game is literally set in 1992. You choose from international teams and compete across a few modes, with the options keeping things relatively simple.

It's bonkers in its way, though, with unlockables including bizarre customisation options for players. It's very coin-op and arcade-style in terms of gameplay, is particularly fun in multiplayer and has a 'VHS' filter for that authentic '90s look. Not perfect but a good time, albeit the bizarre absence of Scotland among the playable teams irritated our reviewer, for obvious reasons...

Soccer Slammers (Switch eShop)

This one was developed by Atooi, which is better known for Mutant Mudds Collection and various other titles. It's pretty simple in its goals — 2v2 fast-paced footie.

Soccer Slammers is the definition of chaos football, with play never stopping regardless of the absurdity of the fouls committed. Single player may feel a little limited due to the lack of fluidity you'll find with your AI companion, but if you can find three buddies and a couple of extra Joy-Con controllers, that's where this snappy title can be a rather fun way to pass some time.

Super Sidekicks (Neo Geo)

We're not sure that this original is considered the best in the series (Super Sidekicks 3 has its fans) but it's the only option at this time on the eShop; its two immediate sequels were actually released on Nintendo's store but are no longer available to purchase.

If Soccer Brawl was a Neo Geo title trying to introduce Soccer to NFL-obsessed gamers in the US, Super Sidekicks is just the classic game without all of those tweaks. It's a glorious throwback to the arcade era, even if the camera is arguably a bit too close for any strategy beyond 'hoof it up the pitch'. The presentation and audio are downright irresistible, though.

Soccer Story (Switch eShop)

Soccer Story delivers a colourful, charming take on the 'sports adventure', bursting at the seams with earnest effort and care from the development team. It's a fun experience, though it doesn't reach the heights of the genre's most famous release (the unrelated Golf Story). Bugs and hitches pop up occasionally too, and the actual soccer part is disappointingly lightweight, but if you're seeking some light entertainment with a football flavour, its cute visuals and charming world make it worth consideration.

EA Sports FC 24 (Switch)

Long-time readers will be aware of the love-hate (mainly hate) relationship we’ve had with the FIFA series over the course of the Switch’s life. And for a long time, FIFA 19 has occupied a spot on this list, even if it (and future games) were missing key modes from their counterparts PS4 / PS5 and Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S. You can't even get them on digital storefronts, now.

However, after years of lazy, half-hearted Legacy Editions, EA Sports has finally delivered a football game on the Switch that offers full feature parity with other consoles. A much-needed engine upgrade trades frame rate for fidelity, but with EA Sports FC 24 Switch owners finally have a port they can be proud of, rather than feeling like an afterthought. Every single feature is here, and even though there's an fps drop from 60 to 30, we at last have a triple-A football game to kick off with on Switch.

EA SPORTS FC 24
EA SPORTS FC 24

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best FIFA game on Nintendo Switch?

This is a tricky one to answer, as FIFA on Switch has been labelled the "Legacy" version for a number of years. That means with each new FIFA game on Switch, we got a retread of the previous year's version with updates to players and kits only, and fewer modes and features than the full, non-Legacy versions available elsewhere.

To complicate matters, Electronic Arts, who made the FIFA games for decades, now no longer produces football games using the FIFA licence, having rebranded the series to 'EA Sports FC'. The latest edition of this new not-FIFA series is by far the most impressive on Switch, featuring near-total feature parity with other platforms for the first time.

TL;DR: If you're looking for the best FIFA game on Switch named 'FIFA', then FIFA 19 is our pick. However, in terms of the best FIFA-style game? Then we have to go with EA Sports FC 24.

What happened to EA and FIFA?

In 2022, EA and FIFA announced that the two companies would not be continuing their partnership after months of negotiations. That means that the FIFA branding can no longer be used in any EA Sports football games. EA also can't use any FIFA-controlled events in its titles anymore, so no more World Cup mode.

What's replaced it, then? As we mentioned above, it's EA Sports FC. This is essentially FIFA in all but name and some different modes.

Is Football Manager on Nintendo Switch?

Yes, the Football Manager series has been available on Switch for a few years now under the name Football Manager Touch, but these games are stripped-back versions of the same titles that are on PC.

However, they're definitely worth a look, with the most recent title — Football Manager 2024 Touch — being a pretty solid port of an excellent series.

Does Nintendo Switch have American Football games?

Yes, it does! In fact, we have an entirely separate list for those, since American Football is pretty different to soccer.

And that's the final whistle. There you have it! We did our best to pick out a variety of football games on Switch to suit any taste. Let us know your favourites down in the comments!

This article is one of our Switch Essentials guides which cover a wide variety of genres, including the Best Switch FPS Games, the Best Switch RPGs, the Best Switch Games For Kids, the Best Switch Couch Co-Op Games and the Best Switch Fitness and Exercise Games. We can also help out hunting down the Best Switch Horror Games, the Best Switch Racing Games, the Best Switch Action-RPGs, the Best Nintendo Switch Roguelikes, Roguelites and Run-Based Games, the Best Free Switch Games, the Best Remakes And Remasters, the Best Switch Music And Rhythm Games, Best Feel-Good Switch Games, Best Switch Open-World Games, Best Switch Soulslike Games, Best LGBTQ+ Switch Games, and even Games to Play After You've Finished Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Whatever your favourite genre, we've got you covered: Strategy Games, Metroidvanias, Puzzle Games, Party Games, Online Multiplayer Games, Local Wireless Multiplayer Games, Shmups, Twin-Stick Shooters, Visual Novels, Kart Racers, Fighting Games, Football Games, Funny Games, Golf Games, 'Walking Sims' And Narrative Games, Switch Games For Lovers And Lonely Hearts, Detective Games, Hidden Gems, 2D Platformers, 3D Platformers, Puzzle Platformers, Tabletop Mode Games, Run and Gun Games, LEGO Games, Sports Games, Survival Games, Beat 'Em Ups, Camera Games, Chill Games, Family Games, Retro-Inspired Games, Short Games, Card Games and Deck-Builders, and Life Sims And Farming Games.

Still hungry for more? Elsewhere we look at Wholesome Games, TATE Mode Games, Flight Sim and Space Combat, Point and Click Adventure Games, and the Best Switch Exclusives, as well as Every Arcade Archives Game, Every ACA Neo Geo Game, Every SEGA AGES Game On Switch, plus the Best Switch Ports, Best Wii U-To-Switch Ports, Best Switch Collections And Compilations, Best Cheap Switch Games, Best Switch Demos, Games That Are Better On Switch OLED, Switch Games Under $10, $20, $50, and Switch games with the Best Soundtracks and the Best Graphics. Phew!

If you're looking for the best Switch games regardless of genre, our reader-voted selection of the Best Nintendo Switch Games To Play In 2023 should help you out, and you can also find the Best Nintendo Switch Games of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. And finally, if you're interested in other Nintendo consoles and retro games, check out the Best Game Boy Games, Best GBC Games, Best GBA Games, Best Nintendo DS Games, Best Nintendo 3DS Games, Best NES Games, Best SNES Games, Best N64 Games, Best GameCube Games, and Best Wii Games, and Best Wii U Games, as well as Every Available Nintendo Switch Online Retro Game, and ranked lists of Every Nintendo Switch Online NES, SNES, N64 and Sega Genesis / Mega Drive Game.