This Sorare review takes a detailed look at the global fantasy football game, including the different competitions in Sorare 27, making sense of cards and scarcities, as well as some of the main positives and negatives to consider before getting started.
We also have a Sorare sign up offer for new users, enabling you to get up to €100 off your first card purchases when you join through LaLiga Expert.
This review is written from the perspective of a Sorare manager who has been playing since 2020. It focuses on Sorare Football rather than the MLB or NBA games that are also available on the platform.
Disclosure: This article features affiliate links. If you sign up for Sorare using one of them, we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Sorare sign up offer: Get up to €100 off your first cards on Sorare 27

New users can currently sign up to Sorare here and receive a 50% discount in credits on eligible first card purchases, up to a maximum discount of €100 (or $100/£100 depending on your chosen currency).
That means, for example, €100 worth of eligible cards could cost you €50 after credits, while you could receive the full €100 discount if you spend €200.
The offer applies to eligible cards bought directly from Sorare on the Primary Market via Auctions or Instant Buy rather than cards purchased from other managers on the Secondary Market. Terms apply and the offer displayed may vary according to your location and account currency.
Click here to join Sorare and claim the latest welcome offer.
You can create an account for free, explore the game and start playing its casual mode before deciding whether you want to spend any money on Pro cards.
What is Sorare?
Sorare is a global fantasy sports platform where you collect digital player cards and use them to enter fantasy football competitions based on real-life matches.
The concept is relatively simple. If you own a Kylian Mbappe card, for example, his performances for Real Madrid determine how many points that card scores when you use it in a Sorare lineup.
Goals and assists obviously matter, but Sorare goes much deeper than most traditional fantasy football games. Passing, defending, chance creation, duels and numerous other actions contribute to a player’s score.
That creates value in all sorts of different footballers rather than just goalscorers and attacking players.
Sorare covers football across Europe and further afield, with major partnerships and competitions involving leagues such as La Liga, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1, as well as English football.
There are also competitions involving smaller leagues, meaning knowledge of less glamorous teams and players can be just as useful as knowing everything about Real Madrid, Barcelona or the Premier League.
The platform has evolved considerably since launching in 2018. While blockchain technology and digital collectibles remain at its core, it’s now perfectly possible to use Sorare without knowing anything about cryptocurrency or NFTs. You can deposit, buy and sell using regular currencies such as euros, pounds or dollars.
How does Sorare work in 2026?
Sorare has changed its gameplay quite significantly over the years, so older reviews and guides can quickly become out of date.
For the 2026/27 European season, which is referred to as Sorare 27 by the platform, football gameplay is broadly divided into three areas:
- Arcade – the more casual entry point.
- Pro – performance-based Hot Streak competitions.
- Arena – competitions where your score is ranked against other managers.
Arcade – The easiest place to start
Arcade is designed as Sorare’s casual game mode and is the logical starting point if you’ve just created an account.
It includes Sorare Set, where you can collect cards, build lineups and learn how Sorare scoring works without immediately needing to assemble a large gallery of paid Pro cards. New Sets are released periodically rather than running as one continuous season-long fantasy game.
It’s therefore entirely possible to join Sorare for free, learn the basics and decide whether you actually enjoy the gameplay before moving on to the more competitive side of the platform.
Sorare Pro – Beat the target
Pro is built around Hot Streaks.
Rather than competing directly against thousands of other managers on a leaderboard, the aim is to beat a specified points target. Hit the target and you move on to the next step, where a more difficult score is required for a larger potential reward.
Unlike other game modes, you know what score you need rather than having to wait until the end of a Game Week to find out whether 400 points was brilliant, average or nowhere near enough to win anything.
There are six main steps on the Sorare 27 Pro boards, with cash or alternative rewards available as you hit targets and make progress.
Sorare Arena – Compete against other managers
If you prefer traditional fantasy football leaderboards, Arena is where you’ll find them.
Arena is now the umbrella term for Sorare’s player-versus-player competitions and includes:
- In-Season Arenas.
- Classic Arenas.
- Smaller Arena Rooms.
In-Season Arenas use five-player lineups, while Classic Arenas use seven players. The old division system has been removed, so each Arena competition now has one consolidated leaderboard and prize pool rather than managers being separated across different divisions.
There are usually fixed Tuesday and Friday Arena deadlines covering the midweek and weekend football. One of the positive things about Sorare, compared to other fantasy platforms, is that every gameweek starts afresh and brings new opportunities to win rewards.
New on Sorare 27, Arena also has optional substitutes, breaking the platform’s long policy of not having any subs. You can select a goalkeeper and an outfield sub when building your team. If an eligible starter doesn’t play at all, the appropriate substitute will automatically replace him.
Sorare lineups & scoring
The standard five-player Sorare lineup consists of:
- 1 Goalkeeper
- 1 Defender
- 1 Midfielder
- 1 Forward
- 1 Extra Player
The extra player can be an outfielder from any of the three outfield positions.
Classic Arena competitions now use seven-player lineups, adding additional defensive and midfield slots.
You’ll usually also select a captain. Captain, card-season, XP and collection bonuses can increase the score produced by particular cards depending on the competition. However, the player’s real-world performance always forms the base score.
Sorare’s scoring system is much more detailed than those in Fantasy Premier League or in La Liga’s fantasy game. Goals, assists and clean sheets still matter, but so do actions such as tackles, interceptions, clearances, accurate passes, chances created and successful duels. Negative events such as red cards, conceding penalties, missed big chances or costly mistakes can drag a score down.
This is one of the strongest elements of the game. A deep-lying midfielder or centre-back can be a genuinely elite Sorare player without scoring or assisting many goals. Analysing exactly why certain players consistently score well can give knowledgeable managers an edge.
Sorare cards explained
Pro cards are limited digital collectibles that can be bought, sold, traded or won.
There are four main scarcity levels:
- Limited – up to 1,000 regular cards per player per season.
- Rare – up to 100.
- Super Rare – up to 10.
- Unique – one per season only.
Limited cards are comfortably the cheapest and are where most new managers will want to start.
Rare is the next step up and may appeal to anyone with a larger budget, while Super Rares and Uniques can still be extremely expensive, despite a big reduction in the typical value of Sorare cards in recent years.
You don’t need to spend a huge amount to play Sorare seriously though. There are plenty of inexpensive Limited cards available, particularly outside the biggest European clubs, so you can gradually build a playable gallery without putting a huge amount of money into the game.
If you do decide to buy cards, the new-user Sorare offer is worth using before making your first purchases.
In-Season vs Classic cards
One of the most important things for new managers to understand is the difference between In-Season and Classic cards.
An In-Season card is from the current Sorare season. These have the greatest utility in the headline competitions and are generally more expensive as a result.
In the main In-Season Pro and Arena formats at Limited and Rare level, your five-player lineup needs at least four In-Season cards, with one slot available for a Classic card.
That Classic slot is significant because it means cards don’t suddenly become useless when a new season begins.
Classic cards from previous seasons continue to have their own competitions and can also provide useful options in eligible In-Season lineups.
Sorare 27’s dedicated Classic competitions use seven-player teams and offer rewards such as Essence, which can then be used to craft new cards.

The precise utility of an older card can still change according to competition rules, league coverage, transfers and whether that player’s matches continue to be scored by Sorare.
Therefore, you shouldn’t assume that any digital card will retain a particular value forever simply because you bought it at a certain price. In-Season card valuations typically gradually decrease as the campaign progresses, although the reverse can be true for players who suddenly hit form.
Buying & selling Sorare cards
There are several ways to acquire cards.
The Primary Market is where Sorare sells newly issued cards. These are available through timed Auctions or Instant Buy. Your new-user credits can be used on eligible Primary Market purchases.
There is also a Secondary Market, where managers sell cards to one another. This can sometimes be the best place to find value because you’re buying existing cards at prices set by other managers. You can also receive direct offers and trade cards. However, you can’t use your credits on these purchases and there are other small advantages to buying brand new cards in the Primary Market.
Sorare includes market information and recent sales data to help you assess what a card is worth, although third-party Sorare data and scouting websites can also be useful.
Cards can move in price quite dramatically. A cheap reserve player who suddenly earns a starting role can increase significantly in value. The opposite can happen when a regular starter gets injured, dropped or transfers somewhere that reduces his Sorare utility. That market element adds another strategic layer to the game, although it also introduces financial risk.
What is Sorare Essence?
Essence is an in-game resource that can be earned through various competitions and then used to craft cards. Instead of winning a predetermined player card, you can accumulate Essence and use it in Sorare’s crafting system. Different crafting options and clues can influence the type or quality of player you receive.
This provides another progression route for managers who build competitive galleries and regularly enter Classic competitions. It’s also an important source of ongoing utility for older cards, which can be used to chase Essence and ultimately help you acquire new In-Season cards.
Sorare review – Things we like
We’ve played Sorare since 2020, through plenty of highs, lows and major gameplay changes. The game isn’t perfect and anyone considering buying cards should clearly understand that prices can go down as well as up.
Using Sorare as a tool to make money is much harder today than it was during the early years of the NFT boom. However, that’s not to say smart fantasy football managers cannot have success, and it remains an exciting platform that is loved by a large, global community.
There are plenty of things that Sorare does very well.
It is genuinely global
Most fantasy football games concentrate on one league, but that’s not the case on Sorare. You can build around your knowledge of La Liga, go hunting for undervalued players in Japan, follow the English second tier or combine players from a variety of competitions.
That helps keep the game fresh throughout the year. It also means that managers who specialise in a particular country or league can potentially use knowledge that the wider manager base doesn’t have.
Football knowledge actually matters
This is probably the biggest reason we’ve continued playing Sorare. You need to understand which players are likely to start, which teams have favourable fixtures and which footballers are particularly well suited to Sorare’s scoring matrix.
There’s far more depth than simply picking famous goalscorers. A ball-playing centre-back, creative midfielder or busy defensive player may regularly outscore much more glamorous names.
Checking things such as team news, predicted lineups and our fixture difficulty ratings (La Liga) can therefore make a real difference when building your teams.
You can start relatively cheaply
Sorare has had a reputation for being expensive, partly because individual cards sold for enormous sums during the NFT boom. That’s not an accurate reflection of what most new managers need to spend today.
There are thousands of inexpensive Limited cards on the market for less than a euro and it’s possible to gradually build competitive teams on a relatively modest budget.
You can also start with Arcade before spending anything at all. If you do decide to progress to paid cards, using the Sorare welcome offer can reduce the cost of your initial Primary Market purchases.
The rewards are more interesting than most fantasy games
Depending on the competition, Sorare rewards can include cash, Essence and cards. There are also occasional real-world prizes and special events featuring things such as signed shirts, match tickets and VIP football experiences.
You obviously shouldn’t join expecting to win major prizes every week, but there’s much more to chase than there is in most free fantasy football games.
Things new Sorare users should bear in mind
Card prices can fall sharply
This is the biggest financial risk. Sorare cards are not and should never be viewed as fixed-value assets. Their prices are determined by demand, supply, player performance, utility and the wider health of the Sorare market.
A card you buy for €50 could later be worth €75 or more. It could also be worth €20, €10 or €5 in a year’s time. When buying In-Season cards, the latter scenario is much more likely, as Classic cards are much less valuable as a general rule.
The market has experienced significant declines at various points since the huge growth seen during 2021 and 2022. For that reason, it’s best to primarily view Sorare cards as game pieces that you want to use rather than assuming they will appreciate in value as investments.
Never put more money into the platform than you are comfortable having exposed to that risk. Also be aware that selling cards at the higher scarcity levels can take time, due to the relative lack of managers playing at those levels.
The game still changes regularly
Sorare 27 is very different from the platform of three or four years ago. Some of those changes were necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of the game.
However, if there’s one big criticism we’d have of Sorare, it’s that big changes happen far too frequently. Even as a long-term user, it can be hard to keep track of every tweak. Constantly adapting your strategy and getting used to the ever-evolving layouts and terminologies used on the site can get draining.
This is also why many old Sorare articles you’ll find through Google are no longer particularly useful.
There is a learning curve
Sorare is much easier to understand than it used to be, but there’s still quite a lot going on.
You’ve got different card scarcities, In-Season and Classic rules, Pro, Arena, Essence, crafting, bonuses and different competition eligibility requirements. Don’t feel as though you need to understand everything on day one.
The easiest approach is to create your Sorare account, start with the simpler game modes and gradually learn how everything fits together.
Sorare FAQs
Is Sorare free?
You can create a Sorare account for free and there is casual gameplay available without building a paid Pro gallery.
To fully participate in Pro and Arena competitions, you’ll generally need to own eligible Limited, Rare, Super Rare or Unique cards.
Therefore, Sorare can be played for free, but the deeper competitive experience involves buying or winning cards.
Is Sorare legit?
Sorare is an established French company founded in 2018. It has more than three million registered users and partnerships across some of the biggest leagues, clubs and sporting organisations in the world.
Sorare has also raised hundreds of millions of dollars from investors and has worked with high-profile footballers and sportspeople including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Zinedine Zidane.
However, being an established company doesn’t mean Sorare cards are guaranteed to hold their value. The digital card market can be volatile.
Is Sorare gambling?
The regulatory position varies by jurisdiction and remains a developing area. Sorare describes itself as a fantasy sports game rather than a betting operator, but authorities in some countries have examined how its paid digital-card model should be classified.
In Great Britain, Sorare is not licensed by the Gambling Commission and the Commission has brought legal proceedings alleging that the platform provided unlicensed gambling facilities. Sorare disputes that position, with the case still unresolved at the time of writing.
Anyone concerned about the precise legal or regulatory status where they live should check the latest local position before spending money.
Does Sorare use real money?
Yes. Sorare supports regular currencies such as British pounds, US dollars and euros and also supports cryptocurrency functionality. However, you don’t need to buy Ethereum or understand crypto wallets to play the game.
Does Sorare have La Liga?
Yes. La Liga 2026/27 is fully covered and is one of the most prominent competitions on Sorare, with dedicated gameplay and cards from Spanish top-flight players. That’s obviously a large part of our own interest in the platform.
Can you make money on Sorare?
Managers can win cash rewards through fantasy competitions, while successful buying and selling can also generate profits. However, neither is guaranteed.
Card prices can fall and most managers should not approach Sorare expecting it to provide a reliable income. Treating it first and foremost as a fantasy football game is a much more sensible starting point.
How does Sorare compare to FPL?
There are similarities. You select footballers, they earn points from real matches and you’re rewarded for good team selection. However, Sorare is considerably deeper.
You own the cards in your gallery rather than receiving a fixed fantasy budget at the start of every season. You can buy, sell and trade players, while the scoring matrix rewards a far wider range of football actions.
Sorare also covers numerous leagues rather than just the Premier League. In that sense, it’s almost a mixture of fantasy football, collecting and Football Manager-style squad building.
Do old Sorare cards still work?
Yes. Older cards are referred to as Classic cards and still have considerable utility. They can be used in Classic competitions and there is also a Classic slot in many five-player In-Season lineups.
Their exact utility depends on competition rules and whether the player’s real-world matches remain covered.
How do I get started on Sorare?
Joining is straightforward. You can sign up to Sorare here and create your manager account before exploring the available games.
We’d suggest starting slowly rather than immediately buying a large collection. Learn the scoring system, get a feel for which kinds of players perform well and decide which leagues you want to focus on. If you’re ready to buy your first Pro cards, make sure you take advantage of the welcome credits before doing so.
Sorare manager since 2020. Providing Spanish football expertise, Sorare guides, analysis and strategies for LaLiga Expert whilst also trying to compete for prizes each gameweek on the global fantasy football platform.
