About 501FC
Football trivia meets the oche. 501FC is a daily puzzle that asks one simple question: can you check out from 501 using nothing but footballers' career numbers?
501FC was born from two obsessions that turn out to be a perfect match: the maths of darts and the endless trivia of football. In darts, every leg starts at 501 and the race is to subtract your way down to exactly zero. In football, every player carries a lifetime of numbers — goals, appearances, starts, assists, caps. 501FC mashes the two together. Instead of throwing arrows, you name footballers, and their career stat for the day's category is subtracted from your score.
What makes it different
Most football quizzes test whether you can name a player. 501FC tests whether you understand them. It is not enough to know that a striker scored a lot of goals — you need a feel for how many, and how that number fits into the arithmetic of a checkout. A 30-goal season legend and a journeyman with three career goals are both useful; the skill is knowing when to reach for each.
How a round feels
You open with big names to bring 501 tumbling down quickly, then switch to careful, low-scoring picks as you approach zero. Go under and you bust the turn, just like in real darts. Some scores are impossible to finish on in a single visit — the "bogey" numbers — and learning to avoid leaving yourself stranded on one is half the fun.
Ways to play
- Daily Challenge. One shared category every 24 hours, a global leaderboard, and a Wordle-style result you can share with friends.
- Local multiplayer. Pass-and-play on a single device — perfect for the pub or the sofa.
- Online multiplayer. Create a game, share the link, and play against a friend in real time.
Where the numbers come from
The footballer statistics behind 501FC are compiled from publicly available sources and aggregated into the career metrics the game uses. We focus on well-documented competitions so the numbers are as reliable as possible, and we continue to expand the player pool over time. If you spot a stat that looks wrong, we would love to hear about it.
Free to play
501FC is free and supported by advertising on our content pages, plus the occasional coffee from generous players. That keeps the daily puzzle open to everyone. You can read more about how we handle data in our Privacy Policy, and the ground rules in our Terms of Use.
Get in touch
Feedback, bug reports, and ideas for new categories are always welcome. Reach us at hello@501FC.com. New to the game? Start with How to Play.