SEGA initially delayed SEGA Football Club Champions by a couple of months, but the game is officially out today. You can play it on PS5/PS4, iOS, Android, and on PC via Steam. In case you’re not familiar, this is a free-to-play football management sim that many speculated to be a spin-off of Football Manager.
In reality, it’s actually a modern, global release of one of SEGA’s older Japanese series: Saka Tsuku. The idea is that you build and run your own soccer team, managing everything from training to transfers. However, while there are a lot of decisions and management calls at your disposal, the management depth isn’t as exhausting as seen in Football Manager.
This Is Not What You’re Expecting
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While the game is out on major platforms like PS5 and PC, don’t be fooled into thinking this is a proper alternative to Football Manager. I’m not saying the game is bad or anything, as that would be completely foolish; it has only launched today, as of writing this. However, the Steam reviews are negative right now, and that’s likely because of the gacha elements built into the game.
Hearing that will already wave a giant red flag for a lot of people, and I get it. But for those who understand what this is — essentially a cross-platform eFootball meets Football Manager — they’ll be a bit more forgiving. There’s a bit of a story where you manage your own local Japanese club, recruit rising talent, and eventually reach global greatness.
You can also build training facilities, stadiums, and shape your club with impactful choices. The inclusion of real leagues like the J League (Japan) and the K League (Korea) is a nice touch for global players unfamiliar with that world of football. This game also has licenses for real players, so it’s at the very least immersive in that sense.
Are there pay-to-win gacha elements here? Absolutely, no hiding that. But first impressions show that you do have more involvement in the actual matches, which is interesting. Again, this game won’t be for everyone, but it’s worth checking out since it’s free.
