6 essential Rematch tips to know before you play

The great thing about Rematch tips is that Sloclap’s new kickabout mirrors real football in many ways – so if you already know how to position yourself during five-a-side, and where to deliver a final pass, then you’re well set. But Rematch offers plenty of nuance too – hence this scouting report. From becoming the perfect sweeper-keeper, to caroming balls off walls, to unlocking treats without spending real cash, we’ve got you covered. Tear defences open like Ronaldinho with our six Rematch tips to know before you play.

1. Know the basics of Rematch

There are Lamine Yamal levels of hype surrounding Rematch, and with good reason. It’s the first sports game by Sifu developer Sloclap, and plays like a mixture of Rocket League, EA FC 25 Rush and old-school Be A Pro modes from FIFA and NHL. Matches are 3-on-3, 4-on-4, or 5-on-5, with all players human controlled – and very little hand-holding.

Adjusting your position in matches (use the radar!) takes time to settle into muscle memory. Everyone has to go in goal at some point – where you’ll concede. Plenty. Shooting is about timing and accuracy and composure. Some teething issues, like the ball randomly warping, grate – but it’s the most refreshing sports experience since College Football 25. You will be hooked.

2. Keepers and sweepers get unlimited stamina

Anyone who grew up playing five-a-side remembers the joy and chaos of rush keepers. For the uninitiated, it means goalies can join outfield play at any time, often sprinting up the pitch leaving their goal unguarded – but only handle the ball when back in their area. Rematch fosters this spirit tidily in two ways. The first is that when a keeper moves out of the area, their gloves disappear and they’re immediately converted into a sweeper. The second is that both these positions are granted unlimited stamina.

An onscreen meter displays your stamina at all times, and you can briefly add extra effort to your runs when it’s full by tapping the sprint button. Each time you sprint in a midfield or forward role the meter depletes, but this doesn’t happen for defenders and goalies. This is great for balancing, as the defensive side always has a chance to charge into last-ditch blocks, or recover during swift counter attacks. Just don’t use it as an excuse to spend the entire match goal hanging, yeah?

3. It’s okay to pass the ball

Like in FC 25 Rush matches, numerous players in Rematch develop hero complexes, especially when their team is a goal behind – going on mazy dribbles (which usually lead to being tackled and opposition counters), or shooting from preposterous angles (with the same result). Rematch may be arcadey, but it does ape real football in myriad ways, and one of these is that sensible passing yields results. Oh, and it yields XP too – expediting your progress towards in-game unlockables. (More on those in point six.)

Passing is especially important in and around the penalty area. Opponents naturally close down the ball in fear of shots, meaning there is often at least one team-mate unmarked close to goal. Instead of shooting from a difficult angle, pass the ball across to that better-placed strike partner and – as a team! – you’re far more likely to score. Simple. Effective. Everyone knows you’re going to ignore this advice completely.

4. Use the walls to advance attacks

The Rematch alley oop achievement tasks you with setting up a team-mate to score via a rebound – and it’s a technique you should persevere with long after that box has been ticked. If you really can’t be doing with passing the ball across the box, deliberately shoot over or wide instead. Often the opposition keeper has committed to dive at your initial shot, leaving an open goal for a team-mate to fire into. (Ranked matches, which are unlocked when you’ve earned enough XP to reach Level 5, feature numerous bicycle-kick finishes using this exact tactic.)

The wall can also be used to ping passes around opponents – literally – to the feet of optimally placed team-mates. Again, the radar at the foot of the screen is your friend. Face the centre of the pitch, wait for a foe to approach, then turn 45 degrees and pass the ball off the wall to trigger an attacking overload. It’s another neat way that Rematch mirrors real-life small-sided games.

5. Don’t hoof with the keeper – unless…

Rematch is in its infancy, but one community complaint is that too many goalkeepers punt the ball downfield rather than play out from the back. It’s a justified gripe. For the most part, by doing this you’re just throwing possession away, so you’re almost always better off playing the simple short pass to a close team-mate.

There is one exception, which is especially pertinent in 3-vs-3 contests. As mentioned above, some opposition keepers will go haring upfield and leave their goal unguarded. If you receive the ball as a keeper and spot an empty net at the other end, by all means shoot immediately with R2/RT. Score and you’ll be a hero, just for a few seconds. For even more net-minding tips, enjoy our Rematch goalkeeper guide.

6. Some store items cost real-life cash

Sloclap has received plenty of much-deserved praise for producing a genuine alternative to FC 25. However, it has followed in the studded footsteps of its big-name rival in one regard: microtransactions. Much like the FC 25 Premium Pass, Rematch’s Captain Pass enables you to unlock Premium items such as a stadium set in space and assortment of shirts, hairstyles and other gear. You can see all the free and paid-for rewards, and how the currency system works, in our Rematch unlockables guide.

Real players are another way in which Sloclap teases your wallet. Ronaldinho is the first of these to be released, and he comes packaged with two Joga Bonito vanity items. The only way to buy him is with 1,000 coins, which equates to roughly £7.99/$9.99. So if you’re thinking of buying Rematch to sample authentic footballers in a casual setting, know that doing so comes at an outlay on top of the initial purchase price.