A free soccer game for Android

Dream League Soccer is a mobile soccer simulator similar to games like FIFA and PES. Designed as a mobile game, Dream League Soccer can be played on Android version 4.4 or higher, or on iOS 5.0. Blackberry is not supported, but you can run an emulator on either Mac or PC to play the game on the desktop.

On the surface, DLS is about building the soccer team of your dreams. Choose the fastest, fittest players and lead them to glory, victory after victory. Completely free to download and play, the small file size of the app, and its offline capabilities, make it an excellent way for sports devotees to pass the time and enjoy their favorite sport on the go.

Your dream soccer team in your pocket

With over 40 million downloads, Dream League Soccer is one of the most downloaded soccer game apps for Android, making it a fierce competitor for both FIFA and PES. For the competitive player, there are thousands of opponents online waiting to test you and your team’s mettle. DLS is FIFPro licensed, so you can expect to go toe to toe with some of the best players in the world.

For the more casual player, there’s also an offline mode where you can compete with the AI and train up your team. For many players, this is the better mode as it can be played without any Internet connection. Once you’re proud of the team you’ve built, it’s time to hit the field. See how they stack up in online matches against players from all around the world.

Whether offline or online, you can work your way through the ranks, proving your team is the one to beat. The game features regular events in the form of different tournament formats. Depending on the style, these may play to your strengths or exploit one of your weaknesses. Winning these events can earn you unique medals and prizes.

Selecting your ideal players for your team is only the beginning. Some of the biggest draws about DLS are its extensive customization and its expansive nature. The team you create provides the core of your journey, but with enough time, resources, patience, and victories under your belt, the game can expand into overarching control over a mighty soccer empire.

How your team looks is as much under your control as are the players who comprise it. You can customize your team logo, choose its colors, and upgrade your stadium to whatever aesthetics you like. It’s all done to the beat of an exclusive soundtrack provided by The Luka State, Jack Wins, Sunset Sons, Vistas, and Only The Poets.

At the heart of Dream League Soccer is, of course, the game itself. Despite being a mobile game, the simulator is surprisingly high quality. The graphics are consistently good, the animations are smooth, and it runs at a smooth frame rate, unfazed by the many customizations and team permutations at the player’s command. It holds its own next to PC and console competitors; a rare thing for its free price tag.

Since offline modes are increasingly popular, it was important that Developers First Touch Games improved the AI from previous versions. Now smarter and more responsive to the player’s decisions, they are tactically driven, moving to counter your predicted moves. What makes the experience more challenging (particularly in online matches) is that oftentimes the enemy players will have statistical advantages.

You’ll have to choose which players to prioritize when making up your team’s composition. It makes a huge difference whether you splurge on superstar players like Gareth Bale and Lionel Messi, or opt instead for Isco and Paulo Dybala. Early on it’s smarter to consider how teammates work off each other’s strengths, covering your team’s liabilities. Even Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo can’t carry the match all by themselves.

Outsmarting and outmaneuvering your opponent is the best way to win consistently, and this fine-tuning and micromanaging is where DLS really shines. In matches you can choose your formations and plan your plays, perfecting your style so that you’re an unbreakable force on the field. Once you get the hang of it, you can sit back and enjoy your victories with realistic animations, 60fps of dynamic gameplay, and attention to detail worthy of soccer fans across the globe.

Dream League Soccer vs FIFA

Dream League is an excellent game for any soccer fan, but it’s not perfect. The game can stutter at times when it comes to its online play. Connectivity issues are not uncommon, and matches can frustratingly stop midway through if you or your opponent are having Internet issues. The game has no way of saving online progress (or your game stats) if the match is dropped – something especially disappointing when you’re just a couple goals away from winning.

The connection issues aren’t enough to make DLS unplayable, but they can detract from the experience. So, too, can the predictable onslaught of additional content and in-game purchases. Microtransactions to spend real money have been rightfully condemned by the gaming community, but they are still a major component of mobile gaming. Dream League Soccer is sadly not exempt. Making purchases does, however, disable the in-game ads.

When up against FIFA and PES, Dream League Soccer’s main disadvantage is the degree to which players can control the action on-screen. The complexity of a game like soccer is more conducive to joysticks and multiple buttons than it is to touchscreen controls, so innately FIFA, which is native to Xbox or PlayStation, handles with more sophistication. Besides superior controls, FIFA also has better graphics and a loyal fanbase. Still, FIFA is pricey, while Dream League Soccer is free.

One of the best mobile soccer simulators

Dream League Soccer is easily one of the best mobile gaming apps for sports fans. Free, immersive, expansive, and customizable, it’s an experience comparable to AAA giants FIFA and PES that fits in your pocket. It does fall a bit short when it comes to multiplayer. If DLS finds some way to implement saved XP and game stats in the event of a dropped match, the game would stand to improve as a whole.

The game is not without its flaws, but DLS is a comprehensive, fleshed-out soccer simulator. From creating, building, and maintaining a soccer empire, to running that team through the gauntlet of online adversaries, it’s sure to occupy the time and talent of any soccer fans looking to embrace the game in a new way.