How to play Footbillion
Footbillion is a five-minute game for people who remember the squad list, not just the scoreline. Here is everything you need to know before kick-off.
The Footbillion daily set
Every day at 00:00 UTC a new numbered set of seven prompts unlocks. It is the same for every player worldwide. A set usually mixes two World Cup squads, one other player prompt (goalscorers, goalkeepers, finalists, award winners), two club prompts from league seasons or the Champions League, one prompt about countries, coaches or host cities, and one wildcard.
Taking a shot
Read the prompt and its small print, for example "Name a player in the Brazil squad, 2002 Men's World Cup". Start typing and choose a name from the suggestions, or press Enter to take the top suggestion. You only need one valid answer per prompt.
- Three tries. A name that is not on the list costs one try. Repeating a name you already tried costs nothing.
- Shot clock. Each prompt has 45 seconds. Reloading does not reset it. You can switch it off in the in-game how-to-play box.
- Pass. Stuck? Pass and move on for £0m.
- Lock in. Your first valid answer ends the shot and shows its value.
Footbillion scoring and answer values
| Square | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 🟨 | £10m–£45m | An obvious pick most fans would name first |
| 🟩 | £50m–£95m | A solid, less common answer |
| 💎 | £100m–£150m | A deep cut from the bottom of the list |
| 🟥 | £0m | Missed, passed or ran out of time |
Each answer's value comes from its fame rank inside that prompt. A full explanation of the method is on the credits and sources page. Seven top-value answers add up to £1.05bn; any total of £1bn or more is a Footbillion.
Matching names
Spelling help is built in. Accents and letter case are ignored (Muller matches Müller, Sao Paulo matches São Paulo), and many common names work: Man Utd, Spurs, Gladbach, PSG, USA, Holland, R9 or CR7. For players known by one name, like Pelé, Kaká or Marta, type that name. If a surname alone matches exactly one valid answer, it counts too.
Streaks, stats and sharing
Finish the daily set to extend your streak. Stats show games played, current and best streak, average and best totals, how many times you hit a Footbillion and a score distribution. Everything is saved in your browser only. At full time you can share an emoji grid, copy it or post it to X; on phones the share button opens your phone's own share sheet.
Unlimited mode and the archive
Unlimited mode draws seven random prompts from the whole bank whenever you want, with optional topics. The archive lists every past daily set; you can replay any of them or read their top answers.
Tips for finding deep cuts
- Think about squad roles: back-up goalkeepers and unused defenders are almost always worth £100m or more.
- For league prompts, newly promoted and relegated clubs tend to be the rare ones.
- Older tournaments and smaller nations are full of high-value names.
- Take a safe pick when you are down to your last try.