Elifoot 26 Manual

1.1 Starting a new game

On the main menu tap Play. If you already have saved games, the game asks whether you want to continue a previous game: answer no to start a new one.

Then choose:

• the countries you want to play in (or Select all);
• the Teams per division (8, 10, 12, 16, 18 or 20) and the maximum number of divisions;
• whether you want to play the regional / estadual leagues, the international leagues and the Superleague.

If a country doesn't have enough teams to form a division, it only plays the national cup and you won't be able to coach that country's teams. The game shows these warnings before you start.

Finally, in Coach Management, add your coach: create one (New coach) or pick a profile you already have on this device. If you have an account, you can also use your coach with your e-mail and password.

In every game there is always at least one human coach: you. With Premium up to 8 human coaches can play on the same device. All the other teams are managed by AI coaches (run by the computer), who follow the same rules as you.

1.2 Choosing your initial team

When you add the first coach, the game asks whether you want to choose your initial team. If you answer no, a roulette draws a team from among those you can coach (the free teams and the ones you have already unlocked). Your answer is stored in the Choose initial team option.

Some teams are locked and can be unlocked with coins. With VIP the price is 60% off and with Premium 80% off; with VIP or Premium, if the discounted price is 100 coins or less, the team is free.

In the free version, at least one of the chosen countries must have teams for two divisions. With VIP or Premium, teams for one division are enough. If that isn't possible, the game warns you: It is not possible to play a game with these options (number of teams and divisions).

1.3 Coach profile and account

Each human coach has his own profile: the name and a unique identifier. The profile adds up your world ranking points across all the games you play with it.

Creating an account isn't mandatory: a coach name is enough. In Sign up, if you turn on Associate an e-mail and choose a password, the profile is registered and you can:

• use it on another device, in Login;
• recover your password with a code sent by e-mail (Recover password);
• From version 30.4 delete it permanently (see Deleting or removing a profile).

The profiles you use are kept on this device and appear in Choose your coach when you start a new game. With Save credentials turned on (it is on by default), your e-mail and password are also kept and you don't need to log in again. Don't do this on a public computer.

A profile without an e-mail only exists on this device and in the games saved with it. During the game, Elifoot may suggest registering the account of a coach that has no e-mail linked to it. If you decline, it won't ask again for a long time.

From version 30.4 On the main menu, Profiles shows the profiles kept on this device.

1.4 Deleting or removing a profileFrom version 30.4

On the main menu, go to Profiles and tap a profile. You have two options:

• Remove from this device: the profile no longer appears on this device. It doesn't delete anything on the server or your saved games, and the profile appears again if you open a game saved with it;
• Delete profile: permanently deletes the profile and its data. This cannot be undone.

To delete it, Elifoot sends a code to the profile's e-mail. Enter the code, confirm I understand this action cannot be undone and the profile is deleted. The code is valid for 10 minutes.

Once it is deleted:

• the games saved with that coach can still be played, but they no longer count towards the world ranking;
• the profile can no longer log in on this device;
• your coins, unlocked teams and purchases aren't affected, because they belong to the device.

A profile without an e-mail can't be deleted on the server: the game first offers to link an e-mail to it. If you don't want to, use Remove from this device.

1.5 Continuing a previous game

On the main menu tap Play. If you have saved games, the game asks Continue a previous game?: confirm and choose the game in the Load list. The details are in Continuing a saved game.

1.6 Team screen

The team screen is the heart of the game. It's where you:

• see your squad, your money and the next match;
• choose the tactics and the players and play the next match;
• check the standings, the fixtures and the rankings;
• buy and sell players and manage the club's finances;
• save the game and change the options.

Each button and each menu is explained in the chapter The team screen.

1.7 Changing the language

On the main menu, tap Options > Select language > Language. The language can only be changed on the main menu, not during a game.

Changing the language doesn't change any option or any game: it only changes the texts and the names of countries and competitions. You can continue any saved game, even if you saved it in another language.

2.1 Top of the screen and club information

At the top you see the season (Season 1, Season 2...) and the next match: the league round or the cup tie (with 1st leg or 2nd leg).

On the top bar you have:

• your coins (on Android and iOS, tapping them opens the store);
• the next achievement you're working towards, with a progress bar. It changes every 10 seconds; tap it to see the list;
• the icons of the extras you have bought: VIP, Premium, Coaches labor union and Sponsorship.

Below that, your club's information:

• coach name and stadium capacity (seats);
• MONEY: the cash you have;
• Bank loan: only appears if you have a loan. The amount shown is the interest you pay in each match;
• SALARIES: the squad's total salaries, paid in each match;
• TICKETS: the ticket price, when you play at home or in a single match.

2.2 The next match

Your team always appears on the left and the opponent on the right, each with:

• the kit and the name;
• the country and the flag, in international competitions;
• the points and the league position, when there are standings;
• the coloured morale ball;
• HOME or AWAY.

In the 2nd leg of a knockout tie you also see the result of the 1st leg.

Tap the opponent to see their squad. You can buy players from them from there.

2.3 Player list

The list shows the squad sorted by position (from goalkeepers to forwards) and, within each position, by name. On each row:

• the position, in the colour of its area;
• the name, with an asterisk (*) if he is a star player;
• the nationality flag;
• the Skill and the behaviour;
• the salary;
• the best purchase offer (only on tablets in landscape);
• a ball with the goals scored in the next match's competition (not shown if he has no goals);
• an injury icon with the days left, or a red card with the suspension matches left;
• a padlock or another icon when you can't sell him.

Tap a player to open the player details.

2.4 Padlocks: players you can't sell

The icons on the right of each player tell you whether you can sell him. Tap one of them to see the Legend:

• yellow padlock: the player is in contract. You can't sell him or change his salary;
• green padlock: last day of the contract. You can already change the salary, but you can't sell him yet. It also appears after an auction with no bids, until the next match;
• red padlock: selling this player would leave the team below the minimum squad limits (14 players, 10 outfield players and 1 goalkeeper);
• sold icon: the player has already been sold and leaves after the next match;
• no icon: you can sell him.

2.5 Player details

In Player Details you see:

• Player: name, position, skill, nationality and behaviour;
• Financial data: the best purchase offer and the salary. If the player has an offer and can be sold, there's a button to sell him; if his salary can be changed, a button to change the salary. If not, the padlock appears;
• Condition: whether he is injured (days) or suspended (matches). On Android and iOS, a video button lets you ask for a reassessment;
• Season: this season's goals;
• Player History: matches, goals, yellow cards, red cards and injuries.

The arrows move to the previous or next player.

2.6 Buttons

The bottom buttons are icons:

• Play: opens Select Players, where you choose the tactics and the starters and substitutes before playing;
• Season: opens the Season menu;
• Finance: opens the Finance menu;
• ELIFOOT: opens the ELIFOOT menu;
• Store (Android and iOS): opens the store;
• Bonus video (Android and iOS): only appears when a video is available (see Bonus video).

Each menu closes with Cancel.

2.7 Season menu

• Standings: the competitions' standings. Tap a team to see its squad and buy players;
• Cup Draw: the matches of each round of the cups;
• Coach History: your history (greyed out while there is nothing in it);
• Fixtures for your team and Fixtures for the opponent;
• Best season scorers and Best scorers ever;
• Player Market: the completed transfers;
• Winners and Winners by year (greyed out until there are winners);
• Coach ranking: this game's ranking;
• Coach World Ranking: the world ranking;
• Resign: resign (only after 10 matches at the club).

2.8 Finance menu

• Achievements: your achievements;
• Buy Players: search for and buy players;
• Bank: the account transactions, one by one;
• Stadium: expand the stadium;
• Ticket Income: the attendance and income of home matches (see Ticket prices);
• Balance: the season balance sheet;
• Sell players: sell players;
• Bank loan: take out or pay back the loan.

2.9 ELIFOOT menu

• Facebook: Elifoot's Facebook pages;
• Options: the game options;
• Save: save the game;
• Coaches (Premium): add, remove or send on vacation human coaches;
• Help: opens this manual;
• Credits;
• Exit: the game asks whether you want to save before exiting (see Exiting without saving).

2.10 Messages when the team screen opens

Before each match, when the team screen opens, you may see:

• bankruptcy, if your money is negative;
• a player's pay rise request;
• the season's sponsorship, if you have bought it;
• a suggestion to save, when some time has passed since you last saved;
• on Android and iOS, an ad now and then, if you haven't made any purchase.

These messages don't appear right after you open a saved game.

3.1 Player attributes

• Skill (1 to 99): the higher, the better the player;
• Position: where the player performs best (see Positions);
• Nationality: a player with the nationality of the club's country plays with a skill bonus;
• Behaviour: shows whether the player is clean or rough (and therefore how many cards he gets);
• Salary;
• best purchase offer;
• condition: injured or suspended.

Where to see all this is explained in Player details.

3.2 Star players

Star players have an asterisk (*) after their name. They play with a skill bonus, score more goals and progress to a higher level, but they are also more expensive.

3.3 Positions

Positions are split into four areas, each with its own colour in the game:

• Goal:
  • GK Goalkeeper
• Defence:
  • RB Right Back
  • CB Center Back
  • LB Left Back
• Midfield:
  • SW Sweeper (defensive midfielder, in front of the defenders)
  • RM Right Midfield
  • MF Midfield
  • LM Left Midfield
• Attack:
  • RW Right Wing
  • LW Left Wing
  • ST Striker

In Select Players, the information button shows this legend.

3.4 Tactics

There are 9 tactics, which you change with the arrows in Select Players:

• 3-3-4 Offensive
• 3-4-3 Offensive
• 3-5-2 Defensive
• 4-2-4 Offensive
• 4-3-3 Defensive
• 4-3-3 Offensive
• 4-4-2 Diamond
• 5-3-2 Defensive
• 5-4-1 Defensive

In your first match, Elifoot picks the best tactics and the best starting eleven. In the following matches it keeps the tactics you started the previous match with and picks the best players for it again. A change of tactics during a match doesn't carry over to the next match.

When you change tactics before the match, the Change players when changing formation option decides what happens to the players:

• on (the default): the game picks the best starters, substitutes and unused players for the new tactics again. Any swaps you had made are lost;
• off: the same 11 starters are spread over the positions of the new tactics, each one as close as possible to his own position. The substitutes stay the same.

If you go back to the team screen and open Select Players again before the match, your choices are kept. With the option on, the starters may be rearranged across the positions.

During the match you can change tactics without using up substitutions: the players on the pitch are just spread over the new positions.

3.5 Choosing starters and substitutes

In Select Players you have three lists: Playing (on the pitch), Substitutes (up to 10) and Unused. Injured or suspended players don't appear.

Before the match you can swap any two players by tapping one and then the other: two starters (they swap positions), a starter and a substitute, a substitute and an unused player, and so on.

The goalkeeper position must always be filled. If it is empty, the game warns you and the Play button doesn't appear.

3.6 Playing skill

In Select Players and in Substitutions, the number next to each player is his playing skill: the player's skill plus the bonuses:

• +4 if the player has the nationality of the club's country;
• +9 if he is a star player.

For example, a star player with skill 70 and the club's nationality plays with skill 83.

The Attack and Defense stars show the team's strength in the match. They combine the starters' playing skill, players out of position, morale, home advantage and any players missing through sendings off or injuries.

3.7 Players out of position

A player out of his position performs worse:

• in another position in the same area (for example, a CB playing at RB) he loses a little;
• in another area he loses much more;
• the further the position he plays in is from his own, the bigger the loss. A defender playing as a striker, an outfield player in goal or a goalkeeper playing outfield lose most of their skill.

A warning icon shows this: yellow if the position is in the same area, red if it is in a different area.

3.8 Team morale

Each team's morale appears as a coloured ball on the team screen:

• green: high morale;
• yellow-green: good;
• yellow: normal. This is a team's morale when a new coach arrives;
• orange: low;
• red: very low.

Morale changes after every match, in any competition: wins make it go up and defeats make it go down. An away win raises it more than a home win, and a home defeat lowers it more than an away defeat. A home draw lowers it a little and an away draw raises it a little. When the club changes coach, morale goes back to normal (yellow).

High morale improves the team's performance and increases match attendance. It also counts for your career: with orange or red morale you can be sacked, and with green morale other clubs may invite you.

3.9 Skill progression

The players' skill changes over the season, little by little:

• players who rest (substitutes, unused, injured or suspended) tend to improve;
• players who play tend to decline;
• a player who plays only part of a match improves or declines according to the time he spent on the pitch.

Each player's skill hovers around the team's level, which depends on the division and the league position: a team high up the table in a top division has a higher level. Star players progress to a higher level than the others. In human coaches' teams, players can slowly go a little beyond that level.

3.10 Home advantage

The home team has a performance advantage, also in the cup final, which is a single match.

The ticket income goes to the home team. In single matches (the cup final) it is split half and half between the two teams.

4.1 Match day

When you are ready tap Play. All the day's matches are played at the same time and you see the goals, cards and injuries live. There is a short break at half-time and at the end.

The Pause button stops the match and gives you access to Options and the Store. You change the match speed in Options > Match Speed.

4.2 Substitutions

You can make up to 5 substitutions per match, extra time included (fewer if you have fewer substitutes).

During the match tap your team to open Substitutions:

• swapping two players on the pitch changes their positions and doesn't use up a substitution;
• swapping a player on the pitch for a substitute is a substitution: the game asks you to confirm.

With the Substitutions at halftime option turned on (it is on when you install the app), the game opens the substitutions by itself at half-time, before extra time and at half-time of extra time. Before a penalty shootout it always opens them, if you still have substitutions left.

4.3 Injuries and sendings off during a match

When one of your players gets injured or sent off, the substitutions open, even with the Substitutions at halftime option turned off:

• sent off (red card or second yellow): tap the player with the red card to take him off. He can't be replaced and the team plays with one man less;
• injured: tap the injured player and then a substitute to replace him. If you have no substitutions left, just tap the injured player and he leaves the match.

Then you can swap the positions of the players on the pitch and make other substitutions, if you still have any.

The goalkeeper position must always be filled. If the goalkeeper goes off, put an outfield player there. Then, if you like, replace that player with the substitute goalkeeper.

A team with fewer players attacks and defends worse.

4.4 Penalties

When your team is awarded a penalty, the PENALTY screen appears and you choose who takes it from the players on the pitch. The shot can be a goal, be saved, go wide, over the bar or hit the post.

Who to choose:

• forwards and wingers score much more than midfielders, and midfielders more than defenders;
• the higher the skill, the more likely he is to score, and star players score more;
• never choose the goalkeeper: he almost never scores.

When the penalty is against your team, there's nothing you can do during the match: whoever is in goal tries to save it. Having a proper goalkeeper with good skill in goal increases the chance of a save. An outfield player in goal hardly ever saves.

4.5 Penalty shootout

Before the shootout you can make substitutions, if you still have any. Then you choose the order of the penalty takers in Choose player to shoot the penalty kick (only players on the pitch): tap two players to swap them or drag them, and confirm.

The list already comes sorted from the best to the worst penalty taker. Tips for the order:

• put the forwards, wingers and star players first;
• leave the defenders for the end and the goalkeeper last.

Each team takes 5 penalties, or fewer if the shootout is decided earlier. If it is still level, it goes to sudden death. If everyone has already taken one, the order starts again.

4.6 Knockout ties

Cup knockout ties are played over two legs, except the final, which is a single match. The aggregate score of the two legs counts; if it is level, away goals count. If it is still level there is extra time and then penalties.

4.7 Match summary

At the end of the match day the Match Resume of each match with a human coach appears: the goals, cards, injuries and substitutions, the 1st leg result and the penalty shootout, and the attendance and ticket income. Each summary moves on by itself after 10 seconds. You can turn it off in Options > Matches > Summary at end of match.

On Android and iOS you can share it, and it's also where you can ask for a reassessment of suspensions and injuries by watching a video.

5.1 Injury duration

An injury usually lasts a few days. Sometimes, though rarely, an injury lasts a long time.

The injury is counted in calendar days, not in matches: a day when your team doesn't play also counts towards recovery.

On the team screen, an injury icon shows the days left. You can also ask for a medical reassessment, but the injury may get longer.

5.2 Suspensions

A suspended player is out for:

• straight red card: 1 or 2 matches;
• second yellow in the same match: 1 match.

Yellow cards don't accumulate from match to match: they only stay in the player's history. The suspension counts in all your team's matches, in any competition, and carries over to the next season if needed.

On the team screen, a red card shows the suspension matches left. You can contest the suspension, but it may also be increased.

5.3 Behaviour and cards

The player's behaviour affects the cards he gets. From the cleanest to the roughest: Fair play, Gentleman, Standard, Aggressive, Fighter and Rascal. A Rascal gets many more cards than a Fair play player.

5.4 Contesting suspensions and injuries

On Android and iOS you can ask for a reassessment of a suspension or an injury by watching a video:

• in the match summary, right after the match (suspensions first, then injuries; one reassessment of each);
• on the team screen, in the player details, with the video button next to Injured or Suspended.

Each reassessment uses up one video, and there is a maximum of 5 videos in 24 hours.

Contest the decision (suspension):

• the suspension may be cancelled;
• reduced by one match;
• rejected (it stays the same);
• or increased: the appeal annoys the committee and the suspension goes up, to a maximum of 3 matches.

Medical reassessment (injury): a specialist reassesses the injury, which may end up healed, shorter, the same or longer.

So the outcome of a reassessment may keep the player out for longer.

6.1 Club income

The club's money comes from:

• tickets for home matches (in single-match cup games the income is split half and half);
• competition prizes;
• player sales;
• sponsorship, if you have bought Sponsorship in the store;
• extra money bought with coins.

6.2 Expenses

The expenses are:

• salaries, paid in every match your team plays (home or away);
• the loan interest;
• building stands;
• buying players.

6.3 Ticket prices

The ticket price is adjusted automatically after each match; you can't change it. You see the price for the next match in TICKETS on the team screen.

Attendance depends on the quality and morale of both teams and on the competition, and never exceeds the stadium's capacity. In Finance > Ticket Income you can see the attendance and income of the last home matches.

6.4 Expanding the stadium

In Finance > Stadium you build a new stand of 5,000 seats at a time, up to a maximum of 100,000 seats. The stand is ready straight away. The price depends on the current capacity:

Prices don't change over the seasons. You can only build if you have the money in cash.

6.5 Bank loan

In Finance > Bank loan you increase or reduce the loan once before each of your team's matches (league or cup), always in multiples of 1 million. You can only pay back up to the cash you have.

You pay interest of 1% of the loan after each match. For example:

• loan of 10 million: 100,000 interest per match;
• loan of 25 million: 250,000 per match;
• loan of 40 million: 400,000 per match.

The maximum the bank will lend depends on the squad's average skill and on your version:

As the average skill changes over the season, so does the maximum. If your loan is above the new maximum, you don't have to pay it back. But if you do, the bank may not lend you the amount you had again.

6.6 Bankruptcy

If your cash goes negative, before the next match the team goes bankrupt and you have to sell a player. If you are still negative, it happens again at the next match. If no player can be sold (see Padlocks), the game carries on with negative money.

Avoid bankruptcy by keeping salaries and the bank loan under control. You can also sell players before you run out of money (see Club income).

6.7 Season balance sheet and transactions

In Finance > Balance you see the season's balance sheet (the totals since the start of the season):

• Income: tickets, players sold, prizes, sponsorship, loan taken out and other;
• Outcome: salaries, players bought, stand construction, loan repaid, loan interest and other;
• Resume: income, outcome and the balance.

In Finance > Bank (Bank Account) you see the money coming into and going out of the team, one transaction at a time (the last 50), with the balance after each one.

6.8 Competition prizes

At the end of the season, human coaches receive the competition prizes: money for the club and coins for you. The prizes for cups decided during the season are also paid at this point. A coach on vacation doesn't receive coins.

In leagues, only the 1st division has prizes for the top three. In cups there are prizes for the winner and the runner-up.

The top scorer's team also receives a prize. In leagues there is a top scorer in each division, and in cups one for the whole competition:

If top scorers are tied, they all receive the prize. Promotion doesn't earn money, but it does earn ranking points.

7.1 Changing a salary

In the player details, tap the salary button. If your offer is too low, the player refuses: you can accept what he asks for or he is sold to the team with the best offer. If there are no offers, you have to accept.

7.2 Players in contract

Whenever a player's salary changes (including when he is signed), he is in contract for 10 of your team's matches, in any competition: you can't sell him or change his salary. On the team screen he has a yellow padlock.

On the last day of the contract the padlock turns green: you can already change the salary, but you can't sell him yet.

Contracts end at the end of the season, even if the 10 matches haven't gone by yet. The players you start a game with aren't in contract.

7.3 Pay rise requests

Before a match, a player may demand a pay rise (at most one request at a time). This only happens when:

• the club has a lot of cash (several times the total salaries), even after the rise;
• the player isn't in contract;
• the player earns little for his current skill, for example because his skill has gone up since his last contract;
• you have already managed at least one match at the club.

If you refuse, you can sell him to the team with the best offer or put him up for auction. If there are no offers, he goes to auction; if nobody bids, you have to accept the rise. If the player can't be sold (see Padlocks), you have to accept.

8.1 Buying players

In Finance > Buy Players use the filters: name, position, behaviour, Price, minimum and maximum skill, Only star players and Only from team's country. The list shows up to 50 players for sale from teams with an AI coach.

You can also buy by looking at a team directly:

• the opponent, by tapping it on the team screen;
• a team in Season > Standings;
• a player's team in Season > Best scorers ever.

Tap a player for sale and confirm Buy ... for ...?. You can only buy if you have the money in cash and room in the squad.

8.2 Players arriving and leaving

A player you buy or sell changes clubs after that day's match (it can be a league or a cup match). A player you bought only joins your squad, and can only play, from the next match onwards.

When he arrives, he is in contract for 10 matches.

8.3 Selling players

In Finance > Sell players choose the player and you have two options:

• if you have an offer for that player, sell him to the team that made the best offer, for the amount offered;
• sell him at auction: you set the starting price and every team that can afford him bids, including those of other human coaches. The best bid wins.

If the player has no offers, he goes to auction. If nobody bids, he gets the green padlock and you can only try to sell him again after the next match.

8.4 Squad limits

The squad has at most 50 players, counting those you've bought who haven't arrived yet.

To sell you must keep at least 14 players, of whom 10 outfield players and 1 goalkeeper. Players you can't sell because of these limits have the red padlock.

8.5 Auctions before matches

Before matches, players that teams with an AI coach have put up for auction may appear, usually because those teams are short of money. The auction only appears to you if you can afford the starting price and have room in the squad. You can bid or let them go.

When there are several human coaches, each one is called in turn. There are no options for auctions. A coach on vacation doesn't receive auctions.

8.6 Completed transfers

In Season > Player Market you see the last 30 transfers made in the game, by all teams, with:

• the player's position and name (with * if he is a star);
• the player's skill at the time of the transfer and his nationality;
• the club he left and the club he joined;
• the price.

9.1 National leagues

Each division is played over two rounds (everyone plays everyone, home and away). On each match day every team in the division plays one match. At the end of the season the best teams of each division are promoted and the worst are relegated:

• 8 or 10 teams per division: 2 go up and 2 go down;
• 12 or 16 teams: 3 go up and 3 go down;
• 18 or 20 teams: 4 go up and 4 go down.

If a country has more teams than fit in the divisions, the teams left out don't play the national league, but they do play the national cup. At the end of the season, the bottom teams of the lowest division swap places with teams that were left out: teams with a human coach come in first, then the strongest ones.

9.2 Cups

There is the national cup, with all the teams in the country (even those that don't play in the league), the regional leagues and the international competitions. They are all knockout competitions: two matches per round, except the final.

The draw is made for each round. Because of the number of teams, it's normal for some teams not to play in the first round. You can see the matches in Season > Cup Draw.

9.3 Regional leagues and Superleague

The regional leagues and the Superleague are new game options:

• regional / estadual leagues: each region or state of a country has its own knockout competition with the teams from that region. In Elifoot 26 they exist for Brazil (the estaduais, or state championships);
• Superleague: a worldwide league with the strongest teams, with divisions, promotion and relegation. It is played in addition to the national league and needs at least 2 countries.

Superleague prizes are worth triple those of the national league, and those of the regional leagues 30%.

9.4 International competitions

There are international competitions in two confederations, when the international leagues are turned on and you play with at least 2 countries from that confederation:

• Europe (UEFA): Champions and Europa League;
• South America (CONMEBOL): Libertadores and Sudamericana.

The other confederations have no international competitions.

Qualification is through the final position in the 1st division of the national league. How many teams go to each competition depends on the number of teams in the 1st division:

In the first season the strongest teams of each country qualify. Winning an international competition or the national cup doesn't guarantee qualification for the next season: only the league counts.

9.5 End of the season

At the end of the season you see:

• the winners and the podium of each competition you played in, with the trophies and the prizes;
• the Best season scorers;
• promotions, relegations and exclusions.

Your season score is sent to the world ranking. Then the next season starts, with the new fixtures and the cup draws.

10.1 Getting sacked

After each league (or Superleague) round, each club decides whether to sack its coach. You can be sacked when:

• you already have at least 10 matches at the club (cup matches also count);
• the team's morale is orange or red.

When you are sacked you always become unemployed. But you can be invited straight afterwards, even on the same day, if another club sacks its coach: clubs invite unemployed human coaches first. The longer you are unemployed, the less attractive you become to the stronger clubs.

With the Coaches labor union (store) you aren't sacked for bad results. But if your team ends up outside the national league the following season (see National leagues), you are always sacked.

10.2 Offers from other clubs

When a club sacks its coach, it looks for another one. It may invite:

• an unemployed coach (human coaches are the first to be invited);
• a coach from another club, with at least 10 matches at that club and the team's morale green.

The club chooses the best available coach, and it has to be a coach at the club's level. When a club takes another club's coach, that club also has to find a new coach. Human coaches and AI coaches are treated the same way.

To be invited, the club must play in the national league. You receive at most 3 invitations between two matches. You can accept or decline: a club you have turned down won't invite you again for a while (on average, about a month).

10.3 Coach News

Coach News is the list of coach changes: the managerial sackings and appointments at the clubs. When results go badly, clubs often change their coach to try to shake up the team.

At the end of each day when coaches changed, the Coach News list appears, with all of that day's sackings, resignations and appointments at every club. It closes by itself after 10 seconds.

When a club changes coach, the team's morale goes back to normal (yellow): it goes up in a team that was doing badly and down in a team that was doing well.

10.4 Resigning

You can resign in Season > Resign, after 10 matches at the club. You lose 50 points in the coach ranking and become unemployed.

Your resignation is only accepted if there is an unemployed AI coach to take your place.

10.5 Coach history

In Season > Coach History you see your last 30 events, season by season: promotions and relegations, exclusions, titles and podium places, and top scorer prizes.

Your achievements are in Achievements and rewards.

10.6 Several coaches on the same device

With Premium you can play with friends on the same device: up to 8 human coaches, who take turns. In ELIFOOT > Coaches you can:

• add profiles to the game (+ button): a coach who joins in the middle of a game starts unemployed and waits for invitations;
• remove profiles from the game: the team gets an AI coach. The profile isn't deleted;
• send a coach on Vacation: the team is managed by the computer, but the coach stays at the club.

You can only remove a coach or send one on vacation when there is more than one active coach.

A coach on vacation earns no ranking points and his results don't count towards achievements, so he won't earn coins or any other kind of reward. Prize money still goes to the club.

11.1 Taking part in the world ranking

When you start a game Elifoot asks whether you want to take part in the coach world ranking. You can turn it on or off later in Options > Game > Coach world ranking. The option applies to all the human coaches on the device: it can't be turned on for just one.

You need an internet connection to send the points you have earned and to see the updated ranking.

The name of each human coach, the team he currently coaches and the points are sent. They are sent at the end of each season.

In Season > Coach World Ranking you see the top 50, the coaches in your game and the friends you follow.

11.2 Ranking points

In each national league or Superleague match you earn:

• home win 2, home draw 1;
• away win 3, away draw 2;
• defeat 0.

Cup matches don't give points match by match, but final positions in cups do. At the end of each competition:

Being excluded from the league counts as a relegation. Resigning takes away 50 points. A coach on vacation earns no points.

Your score adds up over all seasons and all the games you play with the same profile.

11.3 Ranking updates

The points of each saved game are only sent at the end of the season. When they reach the server, the world ranking is updated straight away. The game keeps the ranking you viewed for an hour, so it may take up to an hour before you see the change.

The total you already have in the ranking never goes down: a relegation or a resignation doesn't take away points already recorded, but you have to win them back in that game before you start adding again.

11.4 Following friends

On the world ranking screen use Friend Search to find them by name and follow them. On Android and iOS you can share the ranking.

In Season > Coach ranking you see your game's ranking: the top 20 and the human coaches, in yellow. In this ranking human coaches compete with all the AI coaches in the game.

12.1 Achievements

Achievements are goals for your coach, such as winning matches in a row or scoring lots of goals. You see the list in Finance > Achievements or by tapping the progress bar at the top of the team screen.

Each achievement shows the progress (for example 3 / 5), the prize and your all-time best. The ones closest to being reached appear first.

Progress is counted after each of your team's matches, in any competition. When you reach an achievement, a message appears with the prize.

Achievements belong to each coach in each game: in a new game you start from zero.

12.2 List of achievements

Each achievement has several targets, each with its own prize:

Streaks (wins, matches without losing, clean sheets, no red cards) start again when they are broken. Club Loyalty starts again when you change clubs.

12.3 Achievement prizes

Achievement prizes are:

• coins: from 1 to 5,000, depending on the target;
• Spin the wheel - Coins!: a coin roulette;
• Spin the wheel - Team!: a roulette of locked teams. The team you get is unlocked forever;
• Spin the wheel!: a roulette with teams and coins.

Each achievement only gives its prize once per game, to each coach. If you go back to an earlier saved game and reach the same achievement again, Prize already granted. appears and you don't get a new prize.

Coins and unlocked teams stay on the device and are shared by all coaches and all games. A coach on vacation doesn't progress in achievements.

12.4 Other rewards

Besides achievements, you earn coins:

• from competition prizes, at the end of the season;
• from the Bonus video (Android and iOS);
• in promotions, which appear on the main menu.

13.1 Saving the game

In ELIFOOT > Save choose New File or a file to overwrite. You can have several saved games.

13.2 Deleting a saved game

In the Load list (when continuing a game) or in the Save list (ELIFOOT > Save), tap the delete icon next to the game and confirm Delete file. The file is deleted for good.

13.3 Auto-save

Auto-save is on by default and saves every 5 match days. Each match day is a league round or a cup round, and it counts even if your team doesn't play. So, with several human coaches in different competitions, the count is the same for everyone.

In Options > Save Game you can change the frequency (1 to 10) and also save when the game goes to the background.

After you save or open a named file, auto-save starts saving to that file. Otherwise it saves to Auto-save, which is a single file shared by all games.

13.4 Continuing a saved game

On the main menu tap Play and confirm Continue a previous game?. The Load list shows the saved games, from the most recent to the oldest, with the date, the coaches and the teams. The auto-save, if there is one, appears first.

Only the saved games this version can open are listed.

13.5 Exiting without saving

When you exit (ELIFOOT > Exit), the game asks Save Before Exit?. If you exit without saving, the auto-save is deleted.

The game also suggests saving when some time has passed since you last saved.

14.1 Opening the options

You open Options from the main menu, from the ELIFOOT menu during a game or with the Pause button during match days. The language choice only appears on the main menu.

The options are grouped in sections that you open and close by tapping the title: Game, Screen Orientation, Sound and Music, Save Game, Matches, Match Speed, Usage information, Help and Bug Report. The game remembers the last section you opened.

Your changes are saved when you leave the screen with the back button. Sound, volumes, vibration and language change right away, while you adjust them.

The options apply to the whole device: to all coaches and all games. Each option's initial value is the one it has the first time you open the app after installing it.

14.2 Game

• Choose initial team:
  • On: you pick the team from a list when you add a coach to a new game;
  • Off: a roulette draws one of the teams you can coach (see Choosing your initial team);
  • Initial value: off;
  • When you add the first coach to a new game, the game asks whether you want to choose the team: your answer turns this option on or off. If you untick Ask always on new games, it stops asking.
• Coach world ranking:
  • On: your coaches' points are sent to the world ranking;
  • Off: nothing is sent;
  • Initial value: off;
  • While it is off, when you tap Play in Coach Management the game asks whether you want to take part. If you answer yes, the option is turned on; if you answer no, it asks again next time.
• Pause on application switch (Windows and macOS only):
  • On: the game stops when you switch to another window;
  • Off: the game keeps playing;
  • Initial value: off.

14.3 Screen Orientation

Choose one:

• Auto-rotation: the screen rotates with your phone or tablet. This is the initial value;
• Vertical, Horizontal left or Horizontal right: the screen always stays in that position.

On Windows and macOS this option has no effect.

14.4 Sound and Music

• Activate:
  • On: you hear sounds and music;
  • Off: the game has no sounds or music;
  • Initial value: on.
• Match events notification:
  • On: with Match events music off, the same sound plays for every event (goals, injuries and cards);
  • Off: no such sound. With both off, matches have no event sounds;
  • Initial value: on.
• Match events music:
  • On: specific sounds for goals, injuries and red cards;
  • Off: no such sounds;
  • Initial value: on.
• Sound effects: sound volume, from 0 to 100. Initial value: 100.
• Music: main menu music volume, from 0 to 100. Initial value: 40.
• Vibration (Android and iOS only):
  • On: your phone vibrates on goals and on shootout penalties, even with the sound off. When you turn it on it vibrates once, so you can test it;
  • Off: no vibration;
  • Initial value: off.

Event sounds and vibration only happen in matches with human coaches.

14.5 Save Game

• Auto-save:
  • On: the game saves by itself (see Auto-save);
  • Off: you only save when you choose ELIFOOT > Save;
  • Initial value: on.
• Frequency (matches): how many match days go by between automatic saves, from 1 to 10. Initial value: 5.
• Warn on error:
  • On: shows a warning if auto-save fails;
  • Off: no warning. When you save yourself, the warning always appears;
  • Initial value: on.
• Save on pause:
  • On: saves when the game goes to the background with the team screen open, for example when you switch apps or lock your phone. It has nothing to do with the Pause button during matches;
  • Off: doesn't save at that point;
  • Initial value: off.

14.6 Matches

• Substitutions at halftime:
  • On: at half-time, before extra time and at half-time of extra time it opens your team's substitutions, if you still have substitutions left;
  • Off: they only open when you have to replace or take off a player (injury or sending off), and before a penalty shootout;
  • Initial value: on.
• Summary at end of match:
  • On: at the end of the match day it shows the summary of each match with a human coach; each summary moves on by itself after 10 seconds;
  • Off: summaries aren't shown;
  • Initial value: on.

14.7 Match Speed

There are two speeds, from 1 to 30:

• With human coaches: used on days when a team with a human coach plays. Initial value: 5;
• Without human coaches: when only teams with AI coaches play (for example, with the coaches on vacation or unemployed). Initial value: 30.

The number is how many minutes of play go by per second: at 5, a 90-minute match takes about 18 seconds; at 30, matches run as fast as possible. During match days you change the speed in Pause > Options.

14.8 Usage information

Send usage information sets whether you allow usage information and bug reports to be sent, which help us improve the game. Initial value: on.

In See details you can read the full text and find the reference to the privacy policy.

This section also appears on its own the first time you tap Play after installing the app.

14.9 Help

Open help on the website opens this manual, in the game's language. You can also open it from ELIFOOT > Help.

14.10 Reporting a bug

In Options > Bug Report > Open bug report fill in:

• Name and Email (required; with Remember me they are kept for next time);
• Issue type: Suggestion, Crash, Error, Visual or Complaint;
• Summary and Description (both required);
• Attach save: your saved game, which helps us a lot to find the bug;
• Send event log: the log of coins and purchases, useful if the problem is with coins or purchases;
• Attach images: up to 5 images from your gallery (Android and iOS only).

Then tap Send:

• Android and iOS: your phone's e-mail or share option opens, already addressed to bugs@elifoot.com: you just have to send it. The temporary files are deleted automatically;
• Windows and macOS: the game creates a folder on your Desktop named Elifoot_BugReport_ followed by the date, with the attachments and a README.txt file. Send those files to bugs@elifoot.com. The folder is always created on the Desktop and the game doesn't delete it: once you've sent the report, delete it yourself.

15.1 Editor

On the main menu, the Editor lets you change teams and players, create new teams and share teams by country, region or team. With the Editor you can also open .ef26 files you have received.

A team needs 14 to 50 players, with at least 1 goalkeeper and 10 outfield players.

Sharing creates a .ef26 file (with author, title, description and, if you like, the logos):

• Android and iOS: you send the file using your phone's share option;
• Windows and macOS: you choose the folder where the file is saved (the first time, the Documents folder). Then you send the file however you like.

15.2 Downloading team packs

On the main menu, in Updates, you see the available packs, with the title, author, description and date. Tap a pack to download and open it.

There are official packs, made by the Elifoot team, and packs created by contributors from outside the Elifoot team. Official packs and starred packs have their own icon, and you can sort the list with Sort by.

Packs are updated from time to time: an updated pack shows up again as not downloaded. Some packs are for the Premium version only.

16.1 Coins

Coins are used to unlock teams and to buy extra money for your team (in the store opened during the game).

You earn coins from competition prizes, from achievements, from the Bonus video and in promotions; you can also buy them in the store.

16.2 Bonus video

On Android and iOS, when a video is available, a button appears on the team screen. You watch the video and spin a roulette that gives between 1 and 100 coins.

You can watch up to 5 videos in 24 hours. Each video becomes available again 24 hours after you watched it. The videos for reassessing suspensions and injuries count towards this limit.

16.3 VIP and Premium benefits

VIP:

• you can play with countries that only have teams for one division;
• bigger bank loans;
• no mandatory ads;
• teams 60% cheaper, and free if the price drops to 100 coins or less.

Premium:

• everything VIP has;
• teams 80% cheaper, and free if the price drops to 100 coins or less;
• several human coaches in the same game;
• exclusive team packs.

Mandatory ads are full-screen ads that appear now and then when the team screen opens, on Android and iOS only. Any real-money purchase in the store (coins, Union, Sponsorship, VIP or Premium) removes mandatory ads on that device. The videos you choose to watch are still available.

Purchases can be permanent or subscriptions (7, 30 or 365 days). Depending on the platform, not all options may be available. Subscriptions are cancelled in the store where you bought them, not in Elifoot.

16.4 Union and Sponsorship

Coaches labor union: your human coaches aren't sacked for bad results. It doesn't prevent resigning, or being sacked when the team ends up outside the national league.

Sponsorship: your team receives sponsorship money once per season, when you open the team screen. The amount depends on the team's strength and, if you buy it in the middle of the season, it is proportional to what is left of the season.

16.5 Restoring purchases on another device

If you change devices:

• iOS and macOS: in the app's store, tap the restore button (the icon at the bottom of the store), on a device registered in your name (the same Apple account);
• Android: purchases are linked to your Google Play account and are restored automatically when you open the store with that account.

Permanent purchases and active subscriptions are restored. Coins aren't restored, whether purchased or earned: they stay on the device.

16.6 Cancelling a subscription

To cancel, use the same Apple or Google account you made the purchase with:

• iPhone and iPad: Settings > your name > Subscriptions > Elifoot > Cancel Subscription;
• Mac: App Store > your name (at the bottom of the sidebar) > Subscriptions > Elifoot > Cancel Subscription;
• Apple website: account.apple.com, in the Subscriptions section;
• Android: Google Play app > profile icon > Payments & subscriptions > Subscriptions > Elifoot > Cancel subscription;
• Google Play website: play.google.com/store/account/subscriptions.

When you cancel, you stop paying for future renewals, but the subscription stays valid, with all its benefits, until the end of the period you already paid for. In the store, the subscription then shows the date it ends instead of the renewal date.

If a subscription includes a free trial and you don't want to keep it, cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends: otherwise it renews and you'll be charged.

If you see an end date instead of the cancel button, the subscription is already cancelled.

If you can't find the subscription, it was probably bought with another account: look in your email for the receipt from Apple or Google Play, which shows the account used.

Uninstalling Elifoot or deleting your profile doesn't cancel the subscription.

A subscription to Elifoot 25 or an earlier version doesn't carry over to Elifoot 26 and keeps being charged until you cancel it: if you no longer play that version, cancel it in the store as above.

Refund requests also follow the store's rules (for Apple, at reportaproblem.apple.com).