What is Starting XI?
Starting XI is a free football lineup builder. Pick a formation, search real players from every major league and history, arrange them on the pitch, and draw how your team should move. Share the finished lineup with a single link; there's no account to create.
Use it to plan your team's next match, settle an argument about the best XI in your club's history, or sketch how a famous side used to play. If you're new to tactics, the guides explain formations, positions and the language coaches use.
How to use the builder
- Choose a formation at the top, or load an example lineup to start from.
- Select a position on the pitch, then search for a player by name and pick them from the results.
- Drag players to fine-tune their positions. Drop one player onto another to swap them.
- Turn on Draw tactics to add passes, runs, lines and zones. Undo removes the last mark.
- Select Share to copy a link. Anyone who opens it sees your exact lineup and drawings.
Formations and tactics
A formation lists outfield players from defence to attack. A 4-3-3 uses four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards, which suits teams that press high and attack down the wings. A 4-2-3-1 adds two holding midfielders for protection behind a playmaker. Back-three systems such as 3-5-2 and 5-3-2 rely on wing-backs to cover the full width of the pitch.
On the tactics board, a solid arrow shows a pass, a dashed curved arrow shows a player's run without the ball, a plain line marks a shape or offside line, and a circle highlights a zone to attack or protect.
Guides
- Football formations explained 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 3-5-2 and the rest: how each lines up and when to use it.
- Football positions explained What every label on the pitch means, from GK to ST, plus the false nine and inverted full-back.
- How to draw football tactics Overlaps, third-man runs, the high press and set pieces, step by step.
- Iconic starting XIs The stories behind Sacchi's Milan, the Invincibles, MSN, the BBC and more.
- A short history of formations From seven forwards in 1872 to the pyramid, the WM, Total Football and today's 3-2-5.
- How to pick your dream XI A five-step method for a dream team that would actually work on a pitch.
- Football tactics glossary Half-space, rest defence, double pivot, pressing trigger and more, in plain English.
See all guides
Frequently asked questions
- Is Starting XI free?
- Yes. Every feature, including the tactics board and share links, is free, and there's no account to create.
- Which players can I add?
- Any professional footballer listed on Wikidata, the free database run by volunteers. That covers current players from leagues around the world and retired players from every era, so you can mix legends with today's stars.
- Why is a player's club or photo out of date?
- Player details come from Wikidata and photos from Wikimedia Commons, and both are edited by volunteers. Recent transfers can take a little while to appear, and some players have no freely licensed photo.
- Is my lineup saved?
- Your current lineup is saved in your browser automatically, so it's still there when you come back on the same device. To keep a lineup for good or open it on another device, select Share and keep the link.
- How do share links work?
- The whole lineup (formation, players, substitutes, positions, drawings and name) is packed into the link itself. We don't store it, so the link works for as long as you keep it, and anyone who opens it sees exactly what you built.
- Can I move players around the pitch?
- Yes. Drag any player to move them, or drop one player onto another to swap them. Changing the formation moves everyone into the new shape and keeps your players in order.
- Can I use it on my phone?
- Yes. The builder works on phones, tablets and computers.