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While there’s no doubt that the FIFA video game series is by far the most popular soccer simulation game in the world, a classic table soccer game is seeing a resurgence in popularity because of a major factor that even FIFA 18 and mobile phone games can’t touch — the social aspect.
Invented in the 1940s, the classic table soccer game Subbuteo launched in England features eleven miniature players on each team. The game is played on a pitch that sits atop a table. Players then flick their miniature footballers to try to connect with the small plastic ball. Other than a small set of rules that are particular to Subbuteo, the vast majority of the game’s rules are the same as soccer. The end result is a game of skill and strategy that feels like the combination of soccer, chess and pool.
The huge benefit of Subbuteo is that it’s a very social game. It’s a chance for a face-to-face opportunity, to meet people, to have a drink and to talk about the Beautiful Game with fellow like-minded soccer fans.
One such example is <a href="https://www.garagesoccer.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Garage Soccer</a>. Founder Pat O’Brien organizes Garage Soccer league games throughout Florida every two weeks where members gather to play Subbuteo, chat about Premier League and <a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/04/20/mls-loving-subbuteo-fans-combine-soccer-tabletop-gaming" rel="noopener" target="_blank">MLS matches</a> and drink beer. Plus there are several clubs that are affiliated with Garage Soccer in Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and Tennessee.
For me, personally, it had been 30 years since I last played Subbuteo as a teenager before emigrating to South Florida, so to find a local Subbuteo club was a welcome surprise. Now, the game takes on a different meaning. It’s now more a game of skill than I remember it when I used to play it indoors as a teenager in Wales to escape the boredom of rainy days.
In the Garage Soccer league games and tournaments, the players compete with the names of their favorite football clubs. The melting pot of club names gives you a flavor of how varied the support is — Newcastle, Benfica, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Swansea, Atlanta Chiefs, Chelsea, Boca Raton and Manchester City, just to name a few.
The benefit of Subbuteo is that it’s easy to learn and enjoyable to play. O’Brien brings all of the Subbuteo astro-pitches, teams, goals and tables to every location, so all that members or new players have to do is show up and flick away.
For the United States that didn’t have a thriving Subbuteo culture like Britain did in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, it’s eye-opening to see strangers walk over to the games and stand back mesmerised at a spectacle that the population has never seen before. In American football and baseball, there is no game that is kin to Subbuteo. 
That gives Garage Soccer a unique advantage to capture the interest of many Americans. In the States, it’s a new thrill and is gaining popularity. And combined with a beer, it could be just the winning combination that the hobby needs to become more popular in the United States.
To learn more about Subbuteo, to find clubs that are local to you as well as to order Subbuteo merchandise, visit the best source for <a href="http://usasubbuteo.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Subbuteo in the USA</a> —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.garagesoccer.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">GarageSoccer.com</a>.
Full disclosure: I’m a proud member of Garage Soccer.
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Subbuteo in USA is alive and well

Subbuteo in USA is alive and well - World Soccer Talk

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This past week, I did something I haven’t done in 30 years. I played a game of Subbuteo.
The last time I played the table soccer game, I had bought a set from Toys R Us in the 1980s. In that game, my cousin and I picked up the generic red and blue teams that came with the set, and played the game across the green cloth pitch on the carpet in my apartment. That feels like a lifetime ago. So much has changed in my life and around the world since then.
But when I was invited to attend a night of Subbuteo with local soccer fans at a nearby brewery this past week, the memories came flooding back of spending countless hours playing the game when I was even younger, as a child and young teen in Wales. Back then, my friends and cousin had literally played the game for hundreds of hours over countless summers and winter holidays.
When I drove to the local brewery to join in a night of Subbuteo, I didn’t know what to expect. Nor did I know whether I remembered the rules of play. But within two minutes of playing a practice match against Pat O’Brien, the organizer of his <a href="http://garagesoccer.com/">Garage Soccer</a> events that feature&nbsp;Subbuteo events&nbsp;across South Florida, I had nothing to worry about. I was hooked. Once again.
The concept of Garage Soccer is to bring together soccer fans throughout South Florida for a fun night out at a local brewery to play Subbuteo. There’s no membership fee, and it’s free to play. While soccer video games are enjoyable, Subbuteo is more of a purer form of soccer. There’s plenty of tactics, just like in the real game. Sure, there’s plenty of skills required, too, but the game is easy to pick up and understand. Plus, most importantly, it’s fun.
Playing Subbuteo with&nbsp;Garage Soccer, there’s the added bonus of bring able to drink your favorite craft beer (or as my preference, cider). It’s also a great opportunity to meet new people and talk about soccer with like-minded friends.
If you’ve never played Subbuteo before, it’s easy and fun to play.
To learn more about <a href="http://garagesoccer.com/">Garage Soccer</a> and to find out where the upcoming events will be in South Florida, check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/garagesoccer">Garage Soccer on Facebook</a> or <a href="http://garagesoccer.com/" target="_blank">online</a>.

Rolling back the years by playing Subbuteo at a brewery

Rolling back the years by playing Subbuteo at a brewery - World Soccer Talk

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