Energy & Rotation
Manage both the energy your players carry between fixtures and the energy they use during a match. Training intensity, substitutions and rest let you prepare for a full season of league and cup football.
Two Types of Energy
| Energy | Where to find it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Season energy | Player page and squad list | Carries between matches. Affects readiness and whether a player can gain training XP. |
| Match energy | Player ring in the match viewer's rating view | Starts from the energy a player brings into the match, then changes as he runs and rests during breaks. Substitution plans read this value. |
Match energy does not simply become season energy at full time. Season energy is calculated separately from playing time, attributes and proximity to retirement.
Match Energy and Performance
Running, pressing and chasing the ball drain match energy. Tired players lose some speed and acceleration, sprint for shorter periods, need longer between sprints and ask for the ball less often. Attribute penalties build gradually, reaching about 13% at zero match energy.
Physical rating helps, but the workload created by a player's role and your tactics matters more. A high press asks more of your players than a compact setup. Fresh substitutes can have an advantage over opponents who have already played an hour.
| Match energy | Viewer label |
|---|---|
| 90–100% | Fresh |
| 70–89% | Showing fatigue |
| 50–69% | Tired |
| 30–49% | Worn out |
| 15–29% | Close to cramping |
| Below 15% | Dead on his feet |
Players recover some match energy at half-time, less before extra time, and less again between the extra-time periods. Recovery depends on how much they have used, and cannot take them above the energy they brought to kickoff. There is no recovery break before penalties.
Season Energy After a Match
A full 90-minute appearance has the same season-energy cost as before Season 17. Outfield players' Physical and goalkeepers' Goalkeeping ratings affect that cost. Shorter appearances reduce it.
| Minutes played | Season-energy effect |
|---|---|
| 10 | Can recover some energy |
| 25 | Finishes at the energy he started with |
| 45 | Uses about one third of a full match's energy cost |
| 65 | Uses about 60% of a full match's energy cost |
| 90 | Full match cost |
| 120 | About 133% of the 90-minute cost |
The neutral point is 25 minutes for players outside their final three seasons. Below it, a player carrying fatigue can recover; above it, he loses energy. This concerns season energy after the match: a short appearance still uses match energy while the player is running.
Sharing a position between two players reduces the combined energy cost. A 65/25, 60/30 or 45/45 split costs about 62% of one player's full 90-minute appearance, before retirement effects.
Extra time counts; stoppage time does not. Beyond 90 minutes, each additional 10 minutes adds about 11% of a full match's energy cost.
Bench or Full Rest?
A player left out of the matchday squad recovers 65% of his missing energy when the match ends. An unused substitute recovers 40% of missing energy, roughly 60% of a full rest. Players nearing retirement recover less.
For a player starting on 70% energy, a full rest takes him to 89.5%, while an unused bench place takes him to 82%, before retirement effects. The bench place also earns a little match XP.
Training and Recovery
Training intensity affects season energy:
- Low: restores 20% of missing energy, with 20% slower training development.
- Normal: no energy change.
- High: costs 1 percentage point plus 10% of missing energy, with 20% faster training development.
At 60% energy or below, a player earns no training XP. He automatically recovers as if in a low intensity group, even if his group is set to normal or high. He must start a later session above 60% to gain training XP again.
Low intensity also restores energy on days the player has a match. Season energy stays between 15% and 100%.
Lineup Eligibility
Five or more starters below 60% energy make a lineup invalid. Bench players do not count toward this check. Keep a valid saved starting XI to avoid a forfeit. Competitions that ignore fatigue do not apply this restriction.
At exactly 60%, a player does not count as a starter below 60%, but still cannot earn training XP that session. These are separate checks.
The Final Three Seasons
Players nearing retirement lose season energy faster and recover less. Their neutral playing-time point also falls:
| Career stage | Minutes before season-energy loss begins |
|---|---|
| Before the retirement warning | 25 |
| First season with the retirement symbol | 20 |
| Following season | 15 |
| Final season | 10 |
Veterans can still contribute through their attributes. Give them shorter appearances and more rest instead of assuming they can carry the same workload as younger teammates.
Plan Your Rotation
Build cover across positions, including a second goalkeeper. An 18-player squad gives you a full starting XI and seven bench options, but you can leave bench slots empty and rest players outside the squad.
Plan league and cup fixtures together. Use substitution plans to share minutes, low intensity sessions to recover, and full rest for players who need more time off. Check suspensions before saving your next lineup.