Manage an EFL League One club — free in your browser

Every EFL League One club you can take over

The strength column averages each club's best eleven, so the top of this table is the shortlist if you want a challenge and the bottom is the shortlist if you want a project.

EFL League One 2026/27: who to manage

• To win straight away: Leicester City, the strongest best eleven in the division (70.5).
• The deepest squad: Oxford United, whose players 12 to 18 average 67.3, so injuries and rotation hurt least.
• The long project: Barnsley, with the youngest top 18 (average age 23.7).
• A mid-table rebuild: Blackpool FC, right in the middle on paper.
• The survival job: Burton Albion, the weakest squad (64.2). Staying up is a good season.

The best players in EFL League One

The players you will be building around — or trying to prise away from a rival. Ratings follow EA Sports FC 27. BALLKNW is unofficial and not affiliated with EA Sports.

EFL League One wonderkids worth signing early

The under-21s with the widest gap between what they are now and what they could become. Buy early, or watch a rival do it.

Where EFL League One players come from

57% of players here are from England, with the rest drawn from 62 other nations — a home core with a real import market on top.

What EFL League One is like to manage in

Average age sits at 25.5. Nobody's squad is falling apart with age, and nobody's is waiting three seasons to arrive. It is also one of the tightest divisions in the game: only 6.3 rating points separate the strongest first eleven from the weakest, so promotion and relegation are decided by management rather than budget. Look for the 130 under-21s who have not finished developing — the squads span 63 nations, so the pool is wider than the league's size suggests.

You get an objective from the board and a budget that rarely matches it. Everything after that — shape, signings, renewals, youth intake, cup priorities — is your call, and the season simulates on it. No download, no account needed to start, save kept in your browser.

More leagues to manage

Best teams to manage in 2026/27 · Premier League · EFL Championship · Eliteserien · Allsvenskan · Superliga · Chinese Super League · A-League Men · EFL League Two · All 28 leagues

Common questions

Can I manage an EFL League One club for free?

Yes. All 24 EFL League One clubs are playable in Gaffa at no cost — there is no download, no paid tier and no account needed to start. Pick a club, set your tactics, work the transfer market and simulate the season in your browser.

Which EFL League One clubs are in the game?

Every club in the division: Leicester City, Sheffield Wednesday, Oxford United, Luton Town, Milton Keynes Dons, Huddersfield Town and 18 more. Each carries a full squad, so EFL League One has 609 players in total.

Do I need an account to save my EFL League One season?

Not to begin with. Progress is kept in your browser's own storage and is waiting the next time you open the game on that device. After two days of play, starting a new season needs a free account.