Dice Football Game: Rules, Match Chart and Odds

Dice football is a paper version of soccer for two players or two teams. Each roll of two dice is one attack: most attacks lose the ball, some lead to a corner, a free kick or a penalty, and a few end in a goal. After two halves, the side with more goals wins. All you need is two dice and a pencil, a match takes about 10 minutes, and the scores look surprisingly like real football. Below is a simple home version with the exact chance of each result.

What you need

• Two six-sided dice, or a dice roller set to two dice.
• A scoresheet with a column for each team and a row for each half.
• Two players, or two teams that take turns rolling.
• A coin flip for the kick-off.

The kick-off

Before the match, one side calls heads or tails on a coin flip. The winner kicks off and takes the first attack. The other side kicks off the second half, so both teams get exactly the same number of attacks and the toss only decides the order.

How to play

1. A match has two halves. In each half, each team has 6 attacks, so 12 in the whole match.
2. On an attack, roll both dice, add them up and look at the chart below.
3. If the chart says to roll one die, roll a single die to see whether the shot goes in.
4. Write down any goal in your team’s column. Then the other team attacks.
5. After both halves, the team with more goals wins. A draw stands, unless you need a winner: then play a penalty shootout as described below.

This chart is a common style of home version, not an official game. Families and teachers often make their own, so agree on it before kick-off.

The match chart and the chance of each result

In the table, “Roll” is the total of the two dice, “Result” is what happens on that attack and “Chance” is the exact probability of that total out of the 36 ways two dice can land.

Two thirds of attacks simply lose the ball, just as most real attacks come to nothing. A seven is the most common total, but it only gives a corner, and a corner goes in only one time in six. Put together, the chance that one attack ends in a goal is exactly 11 in 108, a little more than 1 in 10. You can read more about why some totals come up more often in our guide to dice probability.

How many goals does a team score?

With 12 attacks each, a team scores about 1.2 goals per match on average. Because every attack is independent, the number of goals can be worked out exactly. In the next table, “Goals by one team” is how many goals one side scores in a match and “Chance” is how likely that is.

The next table shows how a whole match ends. “Draw” includes 0-0, which is also listed on its own.

So more than one match in four is a draw and about one in 13 ends 0-0, with about 2.4 goals per match in total. That is roughly in the range of many real football leagues, though real matches vary a lot more from team to team.

Penalty shootout

If you need a winner, each team takes five penalties, taking turns. For each penalty, roll one die: 1 to 4 scores and 5 or 6 is saved, so a penalty goes in two times in three. If the teams are still level after five each, carry on one at a time until one scores and the other misses. With these numbers, about one shootout in four is still level after five penalties each and goes to sudden death. Toss a coin to decide which team shoots first.

Tips

• Keep score after every attack and announce it like a commentator. It makes the game much more fun.
• Give each team a name and a captain; let the captain roll and the rest of the team cheer.
• For a longer game, play 10 attacks per half. A team then scores about 2 goals on average.
• Play a mini league with four teams: everyone plays everyone once, with 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw.

Classroom ideas

• Fractions: pupils work out the chance of a goal from a corner, 6 in 36 times 1 in 6, and compare it with a penalty.
• Tally and graph: each pair plays three matches and the class makes a bar chart of goals per team.
• League table: play a class tournament and keep a real league table with points and goal difference.
• Fair teams: split the class into teams with a random name picker, then do the kick-off with a coin.

Variations

• Home advantage: the home team also scores a free kick on a 5 or 6.
• Goalkeeper: when a corner or free kick goes in, the defending team rolls one die and saves it on a 6.
• Extra time: instead of going straight to penalties, play 2 more attacks each, then penalties if still level.
• Players: give each team five players numbered 2 to 6 and roll one die after a goal to see who scored.

If you like sports played with dice, try dice cricket or dice basketball next.

For a one-on-one game, read our dice tennis game rules, with a point chart, real tennis scoring and the exact odds of each set score.

Like the oval ball better? Read our dice rugby game rules, with an attack chart, tries and conversions, and the exact chance of a try.

FAQ

How do you play football with dice?

Each roll of two dice is one attack. A 12 is a goal; a 2, 11, 7 or 3 gives a penalty, shot, corner or free kick, which you finish with one more die; any other total loses the ball. Each team has 6 attacks per half.

What is the chance of a goal on one attack?

With this chart it is exactly 11 in 108, a little more than 1 in 10.

How many goals are scored in a dice football match?

About 2.4 goals per match on average, or about 1.2 per team. About one match in 13 ends 0-0.

How often is a match a draw?

With 12 attacks each, about 28% of matches are draws.

How do you decide who kicks off?

Toss a coin. The winner kicks off the first half and the other team kicks off the second half.

Can I play it without real dice?

Yes. A dice roller with two dice on a phone or classroom screen works the same, and everyone can see the roll.