A simple football countdown game you can play with friends, classmates or family. Pick a category, use real player stats, subtract your way down from 501, and see who can hit the winning finish without busting.
Football 501 is a brilliant DIY game you can play with friends at home, during lunch breaks, after training, or just like darts… at the pub! It mixes football knowledge with darts style scoring, and all you need is a few simple tools to get started.
- A mate or mates – You can play solo, but bragging rights matter.
- A scoreboard – Pen & paper, a notes app, or a spreadsheet.
- A calculator or quick mental maths 🧠 – You’ll be subtracting each turn.
- An internet connection 📱 – To check goals, caps, assists, appearances.
- A category ⚽ – Any stat-based category works. Ideally numbers range from 1 to a few hundred, with some above 180 for added drama.
💥 Bust rule: Any stat above 180 is an instant BUST, just like you can’t score more than 180 with three darts.
📊 Category Ideas
- Premier League goals
- Champions League goals
- International caps
- World Cup goals
- Career league appearances
- Serie A, La Liga or Bundesliga scorers
- Clean sheets
- Champions League appearances
If it has a number, it works.
🎯 How to Play Football 501
Everyone starts on 501 points.
Your aim:
🎉 Finish between 0 and –10 to win the leg.
If you go below –10, you BUST and return to your previous total.
1️⃣ Choose a Category
Everyone answers from the same category for the whole leg.
2️⃣ Take Turns Naming Players
Their real-life stat becomes the number you subtract.
Example:
Category: Premier League goals
You say Harry Kane (213 goals) → 💥 BUST (over 180)
3️⃣ The 180 Rule
Max score in darts = 180 🎯
So any stat 181 or higher = automatic BUST.
4️⃣ Keep Subtracting Until Someone Finishes
Example round: 501 → 388 → 277 → 103 → –4 → WIN 🎉
The finish zone is 0 to –10.
🎯 Extra Darts Rules (Optional for More Drama)
To make Football 501 feel more like real darts, you can include two optional rule sets:
- Impossible scoring totals (3-dart scores you physically cannot hit)
- Impossible checkout totals (bogey numbers you can’t finish on)
Both add tension and more busts.
1️⃣ Impossible 3-Dart Totals
These scores cannot be hit with three darts, because they require a non-existent single-dart value (like 59 or 62).
❌ Impossible 3-dart totals:
163, 166, 169, 172, 173, 175, 176, 178, 179
House rule:
If a player’s stat equals one of these → 💥 instant bust.
2️⃣ Impossible Checkout Totals (Bogey Numbers)
In proper 501 darts (double-out), these totals cannot be finished even with all 3 darts, because no valid combination ends on a double.
❌ Impossible checkout totals (bogey numbers):
159, 162, 163, 165, 166, 168, 169, 171-180
🎯 Note:
Anything above 170 cannot be finished in a single visit, but the famous bogey numbers are the seven listed above.
House rule:
If a player’s stat equals one of these → treat it as a bust 💥.
🔄 Fun Variations
Try adding:
- ⏱️ 15-second timer
- 🔁 No repeated players
- 🎲 New category every leg
- 🏆 Best of 3, best of 5, or first to 7 legs
- 🔢 Different starting points: 301, 701 or 1001
🎉 Final Whistle
That’s all you need — pick a category, gather some friends, and let the countdown begin. Have fun, and enjoy every dramatic finish!
“Football 501” is a registered trademark of Generation Football Media Ltd. This article refers to the term only in a descriptive/editorial context and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the trademark owner.