1. Objective of the Game

In Eleven: International Cup, you are the manager of a football club that has already conquered the domestic league and is now stepping onto the global stage. Your goal is to win the International Cup by advancing through the Cup board, defeating opponents in Cup matches, and finishing as high as possible on the International Cup board. The condition of victory is simply to occupy the highest position on that board at the end of the game; the higher you finish, the more victory points you earn.

2. Preparation (Setup)

1. International Cup board – Place the board near the Transfer Area. Put the Team markers on the spaces marked with the corresponding number of players. Shuffle all the Opponent Team markers and place one of them on each empty space of the board.
2. Opponent cards – Put the Opponent cards from this expansion near the board and leave space for a discard pile.
3. Board Meeting cards – Shuffle the new Board Meeting cards into the Board Meeting deck.
4. Player setup – As usual, draft Director cards. After drafting, each player chooses any one of their Stat markers to increase by 1.
5. Match board – Place each player’s Match board in front of them. They will draw an Opponent card according to their position on the International Cup board and place it on the Opponent space of their Match board.
6. Other components – Ensure all Player cards, Resource markers, Staff cards, and other game pieces are within reach.

3. Flow of the Game

The International Cup adds a new rhythm to the basic game. For the first two weeks, the game proceeds exactly as in the base edition. Starting with the third week, you play two matches per week: one on Wednesday (the Cup Match) and one on the weekend (a normal league match). After resolving the Wednesday match, you immediately move to the Cup Match phase.

During a Cup Match, each player draws an Opponent card based on their current position on the International Cup board. They may assign any Players to the match without placing them on their cards; if they wish to use those Players’ actions, they must still place the appropriate Resource markers. Unused Player cards are set aside.

After the match, the result is checked. If the match ends in a draw, a die roll determines the winner: roll a six‑sided die; if your roll is equal to or higher than the result, you win the match. You may spend a Resource marker to reroll as usual. If you lose, you are eliminated from the Cup but continue in the league.

The Finale is resolved like any other Cup match, except you draw a Final Opponent card instead of a regular Opponent card. After the match, move the winner’s Team marker one space up on the International Cup board and gain the corresponding bonus. Then resolve matches between neutral teams, roll for match consequences, and handle Player card costs as described in the manual.

4. Actions and How to Play

During a Cup match, you follow the same action sequence as in a normal match: assign Players, play Tactic cards (except in player‑vs‑player matches), resolve Player card effects, and compare Sections. The main differences are:

• You may assign any Players to the match without placing them on their cards; if you want to use their actions, you must still place the required Resource markers.
• Unused Player cards are set aside for the rest of the match.
• After the match, you discard the same cards you would discard in a league match.

In player‑vs‑player matches, the flow is slightly altered: the Host reveals their formation first, then both players secretly arrange their Jersey markers. The Visitor then reveals their formation. Players alternately resolve After Revealing the Opponent Card and Before the Match effects, starting with the Host. Tactic cards are not used in these matches.

5. End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when the Cup board reaches its final position (usually after the Finale). At that point, each player gains victory points according to their final position on the International Cup board. The exact point values for each position are listed in the manual; consult the rulebook for the precise scoring table.

In a solo game, place an unused Team marker on the space marked with the number 2 on the International Cup board. This opponent uses Final Opponent cards only. After the Finale, subtract 4 victory points from your final total, as specified in the solo rules.

6. Tips for Winning

• Use Board Meeting cards wisely. Some cards allow you to exhaust Player or Staff cards to gain immediate benefits (e.g., gaining Resource markers or freeing up Player cards for the match). Timing these can give you a crucial edge.
• Plan your Cup Match assignments. Since you can assign any Players without placing them on their cards, consider which Players’ actions you truly need for the Cup match and reserve the rest for league matches.
• Leverage the die roll in draws. When a Cup match ends in a draw, you can spend a Resource marker to reroll. Use this strategically when the stakes are high.