Is eFootball Free? Coins, Player Packs and Dream Team Costs

Konami's free football game, minus the yearly price tag

eFootball is Konami's football series, the successor to Pro Evolution Soccer. It no longer carries a year in its name: the current game is simply eFootball, updated through the season in step with real-life football. It is free on PlayStation, Xbox, Steam (PC), iPhone and Android.

The heart of the game is Dream Team, where you sign current and legendary players from clubs and national teams and play matches with your own squad. Paid edition bundles are sold separately in stores, but none is needed to play.

Nintendo players should note that eFootball Kick-Off on Switch 2 is a different product. Konami's FAQ says it has no items for sale and needs Nintendo Switch Online for online matches.

Coins, GP and eFootball Points: three currencies, one squad

Konami's official overview lists three currencies:

• eFootball Coins: used to sign players and buy items. Acquired in-game or bought in store. On the UK PS Store, packs run from £0.99 for 100 to £87.99 for 15,000 (checked 3 Nov 2026).
• GP: an in-game currency for signing players and managers, earned by meeting conditions in the game.
• eFootball Points: used to sign players and exchange items, earned in-game and through out-of-game campaigns.

Free players can build a squad with GP and Points. Coins are where real money enters, and they open the routes to the most sought-after players more quickly.

Random player packs and the PEGI 16 rating

Konami describes several ways to get players, including Special and Standard player lists, Standard Player Tickets from events, and packs containing players and managers. Some of those packs are random, and they can be bought with Coins.

That is why pegi.info lists eFootball at PEGI 16 with the Paid random items descriptor; PEGI's advice says the rating is because the game features the ability to purchase loot boxes. Older editions such as eFootball 2024 were rated PEGI 3 with the same descriptor, which shows how much PEGI's approach has changed. In June 2026 PEGI introduced criteria that weigh paid random items, and from October 2026 it has been updating existing digital-only games with them to PEGI 16.

Do Coins buy you a better team?

In Dream Team, yes, to a meaningful degree. Players have different card types, with Epic cards described by Konami as having a higher progression ceiling than Legendary ones. Spending Coins gives more chances at those top cards, and you then use them in matches against other people. Konami also notes that signing players who fit a given event gives an advantage in that event.

Skill on the pitch still counts, but squad strength is partly a function of spending. That earns eFootball a 4 out of 5 on our pay-to-win meter, the highest of the games on this page.

Keeping Coin spending in check during big campaigns

The pressure in eFootball tends to spike when a big player campaign launches, often timed with real-world football moments. Editorial suggestions if you want to stay in control:

• Decide your budget per season, not per campaign. Campaigns come round regularly, and a per-campaign budget adds up quickly.
• Prefer fixed purchases to random packs. Where a player list lets you choose who you sign, you know what you are paying for; a random pack does not.
• Bank GP and Points. Free currencies can be saved for players you actually want, rather than spent as soon as they arrive.
• Use console and phone spending limits. They are the only hard stop on Coin purchases.

None of this is needed to enjoy a casual match with friends. It matters most if Dream Team becomes your main mode.

Building a squad without spending

The free route is real. GP and eFootball Points arrive through normal play and events, Standard Player Tickets appear as event rewards, and the Standard Player List lets you pick players with filters. Over a season, a patient free player can put together a competitive side.

The catch is pace: top players rotate through time-limited campaigns, and keeping up with every new release without Coins is slow. We rate the grind 3 out of 5.

Cross-generation play and console subscriptions

On PlayStation, eFootball runs on PS4 and PS5, and the UK listing marks online play as optional. It does not list PS Plus as a requirement; PS Plus members get an optional member bonus. On Xbox, Microsoft dropped the paid subscription requirement for free-to-play multiplayer in April 2021.

For parents, the most useful controls are console and phone spending limits, since Coin packs go up to £87.99 on the UK PS Store.

Who gets the best deal from free eFootball

eFootball works well as a free way to play football with real clubs and players, especially for anyone who enjoys casual matches or building a squad slowly over a season. Smart Assist and similar options help newcomers, and the game is updated through the season in line with real-life football.

It is a tougher deal for players who want to compete at the top of Dream Team without spending, because the strongest cards are often tied to time-limited campaigns. If that sounds like you, set expectations early: a free squad can be competitive, but keeping pace with every new release is a spending game.

Players who want a football game with no random packs at all may prefer to look at football titles sold as a one-off purchase, though those carry their own costs.