Football Tenable is a viral football trivia format based on the hit ITV game show Tenable, where players must identify all 10 items in a specific category (e.g., “The 10 all-time Premier League top scorers” or “The 10 most expensive Brazilian transfers”). Unlike standard quizzes that require just one correct answer, Football Tenable demands depth of knowledge, as players must clear the entire board—often tripping up on the obscure 9th or 10th answers—to win. It has exploded in popularity through daily browser games (like Tenable on Lineup Builder) and YouTube challenge videos.
Football knowledge is usually tested in binaries: Who won the 1966 World Cup? England. Who scored the “Hand of God”? Maradona. But Football Tenable is different. It doesn’t just ask who is number one; it asks who is number ten.
This format exposes the gaps in your knowledge like no other quiz. You might know that Alan Shearer is the Premier League’s top scorer, but can you name the player sitting at number 9? You know Real Madrid has won the most Champions Leagues, but can you name the other 9 clubs in the top 10?
This guide covers everything you need to know about Football Tenable: how to play the daily online games, strategies for clearing the board, and a massive vault of Tenable-style lists you can use to torture your friends on quiz night.
What is Football Tenable?
Football Tenable is a quiz format where the answer to every question is a list of exactly 10 items. It is derived from the British daytime game show Tenable, hosted by Warwick Davis and Sally Lindsay.
In the football version, the “Top 10” criteria are usually based on statistics, history, or geography.
- Example Question: Name the 10 stadiums in the 2024/25 Premier League with a capacity over 40,000.
- The Challenge: You cannot just name the obvious ones (Old Trafford, Anfield). You need to name all of them. Missing one often means losing the game.
The Rise of the Daily Game
Much like Wordle or Immaculate Grid, Football Tenable has found a home as a daily browser game. Sites like Lineup Builder and PlayFootball.Games host a daily challenge where users across the world try to guess the same Top 10 list, sharing their scores on social media.
How to Play: The Rules
Whether you are playing online or hosting a pub quiz, the rules are simple but brutal.
1. The Category
A specific category is announced. It must have a definitive, factual top 10 (or a finite list of 10).
- Bad Category: “10 Best Strikers” (Subjective).
- Good Category: “Top 10 Strikers by Goals Scored in the 90s” (Factual).
2. The Guessing Phase
- Online Mode: You type in answers. If the answer is on the list, it fills in the slot. If it is wrong, you lose a “life.” Usually, you get 3 lives.
- Tabletop/Pub Mode: Teams take turns giving one answer at a time. If a team gives an incorrect answer, they are eliminated (or “Overruled”). The last team standing—or the team that completes the list—wins.
3. The “Obscure” Factor
The game is won or lost in the bottom half of the list. The top 3 answers are usually easy (e.g., Shearer, Kane, Rooney). The bottom 3 (e.g., Les Ferdinand, Teddy Sheringham) require deep knowledge (“ball knowledge”).
Where to Play Football Tenable Online
If you want to test yourself daily, these are the best free platforms:
1. Lineup Builder (The Classic)
This is the most popular destination for the “Daily Tenable.”
- Format: One unique list every 24 hours.
- Features: Clean interface, strict acceptance of spellings, and a “lives” system.
- Best For: Purists who want a straightforward stat challenge.
2. Sporcle
While not branded strictly as “Tenable,” Sporcle is the grandfather of list quizzes.
- Best For: Binge-playing. You don’t have to wait 24 hours for a new game. Search “Premier League Top 10” to find thousands of user-generated Tenable boards.
3. YouTube Channels
Many creators play Tenable as a versus mode. Watching these is a great way to learn obscure trivia.
- The Flat Chat: Regularly features “Football Tenable” battles.
- LukePingu: Hosts high-stakes Tenable challenges against other YouTubers.
Strategy: How to Win Football Tenable
Clearing a Tenable board isn’t just about memory; it’s about strategy. Here is how to survive the “zone of obscurity.”
1. The “Big Six” Bias
In Premier League quizzes, always check the “Big Six” clubs first. If the category is “Players with 100+ PL Assists,” start by mentally scanning legends from Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea. 80% of list answers usually come from top-tier clubs.
2. The “Recency Bias” Trap
Don’t forget the current season. If the question is “Top 10 French Scorers,” players often forget current stars like Kylian Mbappé or Christopher Nkunku because they are focused on legends like Thierry Henry. Always scan the current table mentally.
3. The “Yo-Yo” Club Rule
For categories like “Teams that have played in the Premier League,” remember the “Yo-Yo” clubs—teams that get promoted and relegated often.
- Key Clubs: Norwich City, West Bromwich Albion, Watford, Fulham. These are frequently the answer to “obscure” stat questions.
4. Grouping
When trying to name a list of 10, group your thoughts:
- By Geography: (North West, London, Midlands).
- By Era: (90s, 2000s, 2010s, Present).
- By Position: (Goalkeepers, Defenders, Midfielders, Strikers).
The Football Tenable Vault: 20 Lists to Test Your Friends
Below is a “Mega” collection of Tenable-style lists you can use. The answers are factual as of the 2024/25 season.
Category 1: Premier League Icons
1. The Top 10 All-Time Premier League Goalscorers
Can you name the ten most prolific scorers in PL history?
- Alan Shearer (260)
- Harry Kane (213)
- Wayne Rooney (208)
- Andy Cole (187)
- Sergio Agüero (184)
- Frank Lampard (177)
- Thierry Henry (175)
- Mohamed Salah (160+)* (Active – stats vary weekly)
- Robbie Fowler (163)
- Jermain Defoe (162)
2. The 10 Frenchmen with the Most Premier League Goals
Thierry Henry is obvious. Who are the rest?
- Thierry Henry
- Nicolas Anelka
- Olivier Giroud
- Louis Saha
- Anthony Martial
- Eric Cantona
- Robert Pires
- Sylvain Wiltord
- Alexandre Lacazette
- Neal Maupay (Surprise entry!)
Category 2: The Champions League
3. The 10 Clubs with the Most Champions League/European Cup Titles
Real Madrid is #1. Who completes the top 10?
- Real Madrid
- AC Milan
- Liverpool
- Bayern Munich
- Barcelona
- Ajax
- Inter Milan
- Manchester United
- Juventus (2 Titles)
- Benfica (2 Titles – Note: Chelsea, Forest, and Porto also have 2, making this a “Name any 10 of the winners” list usually)
4. The Top 10 Champions League All-Time Top Scorers
Ronaldo and Messi are givens. The midfield legends are harder.
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Lionel Messi
- Robert Lewandowski
- Karim Benzema
- Raúl
- Ruud van Nistelrooy
- Thomas Müller
- Thierry Henry
- Kylian Mbappé
- Andriy Shevchenko / Zlatan Ibrahimović (Close contest depending on qualifying rounds inclusion)
Category 3: World Football
5. The Last 10 Winners of the FIFA World Cup
Working backwards from 2022.
- Argentina (2022)
- France (2018)
- Germany (2014)
- Spain (2010)
- Italy (2006)
- Brazil (2002)
- France (1998)
- Brazil (1994)
- West Germany (1990)
- Argentina (1986)
6. The 10 Most Expensive Transfers of All Time (Global)
Neymar is top. Who else broke the bank?
- Neymar (Barca to PSG)
- Kylian Mbappé (Monaco to PSG)
- Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool to Barca)
- Ousmane Dembélé (Dortmund to Barca)
- João Félix (Benfica to Atletico)
- Enzo Fernández (Benfica to Chelsea)
- Antoine Griezmann (Atletico to Barca)
- Jack Grealish (Villa to Man City)
- Declan Rice (West Ham to Arsenal)
- Moises Caicedo (Brighton to Chelsea) (Note: Fees vary slightly by currency reporting, but these are the consensus top 10).
Category 4: Geography & Stadiums
7. The 10 Largest Premier League Stadiums (2024/25 Season)
Capacity is key here.
- Old Trafford (Man Utd)
- Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (Spurs)
- London Stadium (West Ham)
- Anfield (Liverpool)
- Emirates Stadium (Arsenal)
- Etihad Stadium (Man City)
- St James’ Park (Newcastle)
- Villa Park (Aston Villa)
- Stamford Bridge (Chelsea)
- Goodison Park (Everton)
8. The 10 English Cities with Two or More Professional Clubs (Top 4 Tiers)
London and Manchester are easy. The rest require geography skills.
- London (Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, West Ham, Palace, Brentford, Fulham, QPR, Millwall, etc.)
- Manchester (United, City, Salford)
- Liverpool (Liverpool, Everton)
- Birmingham (Villa, Birmingham City)
- Sheffield (United, Wednesday)
- Bristol (City, Rovers)
- Nottingham (Forest, Notts County)
- Stoke-on-Trent (Stoke City, Port Vale)
- Glasgow (Rangers, Celtic, Partick Thistle – Bonus if including Scotland)
- Dundee (Dundee, Dundee United – Bonus) (Strictly English list usually includes fewer cities, often counting distinct boroughs).
Hosting Your Own Football Tenable Night
Want to bring the viral game to your local pub or living room? Here is how to host a “Tenable” round effectively.
The Setup
You need a “Board” (a screen or a whiteboard) and a Quizmaster.
- Visuals: Tenable works best visually. Draw a ladder with 10 rungs. Reveal answers as they are guessed.
The Rules for Groups
- The Captain: Nominate a captain for the team. Only the captain can give the final answer.
- The Lifeline: Allow the team 3 “Passes” or “Lives.” If they guess an answer not on the list, they lose a life. 3 strikes and they are out.
- The Overrule: If playing team-vs-team, allow the opposing team to “Steal” if the playing team wipes out.
Creating Questions
To make your own lists, use reliable data sources:
- Transfermarkt: For transfer fees and squad values.
- PremierLeague.com: For all-time PL stats.
- Wikipedia: For lists of cup winners.
- Tip: Avoid subjective lists like “Top 10 Best Kits.” Stick to cold, hard stats.
Practical Information and Planning
Best Apps for Football Tenable
If you don’t want to write questions yourself, use these tools:
- Lineup Builder (Web): Free, daily updated.
- Sporcle (Web/App): Search “Tenable”.
- Football Quiz! Ultimate Trivia (Android/iOS): Offers picture-based guessing which is a variation of the format.
Difficulty Levels
- Easy: “Top 10 Premier League Winners” (Only 7 clubs have won it, so you add runners-up).
- Medium: “Top 10 Nationalities of Chelsea Players.”
- Hard: “Top 10 Players with Most Yellow Cards in PL History.” (The “Gareth Barry” and “Lee Cattermole” territory).
Timely/Seasonal Section
- Transfer Window: During January or Summer, do “Top 10 Most Expensive Signings of the Window.”
- End of Season: “Top 10 Goalscorers of the 2024/25 Season.”
- International Break: “Top 10 Active International Goalscorers.”
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is there an official Football Tenable app? No, there is no official app from the ITV show Tenable dedicated to football. The most popular version is the browser-based game on Lineup-Builder.co.uk or fan-made quizzes on Sporcle.
2. How many lives do you get in Football Tenable? In the standard daily online version, you typically get 3 lives. This means you can make 3 incorrect guesses before the game ends.
3. What happens if I can’t name all 10? In the daily game, you simply lose and the missing answers are revealed. In a pub quiz format, you usually score 1 point for every correct answer, with a bonus for getting a “Full House” (all 10).
4. Where do the stats come from? Most reputable Football Tenable games use data from Opta, Transfermarkt, or the official Premier League website to ensure accuracy. Always check the date of the quiz, as stats (like goal tallies) change weekly.
5. Can I play past daily games? On sites like Lineup Builder, you can usually access an archive of previous days’ quizzes. Sporcle allows you to play unlimited quizzes at any time.
6. Who is the best player of Football Tenable on YouTube? Channels like The Flat Chat and LukePingu are famous for their high-level knowledge battles. Watching them is a great way to learn obscure “Tenable answers” (like knowing Peter Crouch played for nearly everyone).
7. What is the hardest Football Tenable category? “One-Club Men” or “Keepers with Assists” are notoriously difficult. Also, lists involving “Relegated Teams” often trip people up because we tend to forget teams that were in the league for only one season (e.g., Barnsley or Blackpool).
8. Are the lists always “Top 10”? Yes, that is the format. However, some variations play “Top 5” for quicker rounds, or “Starting XI” (which is 11 answers) for lineup quizzes.
9. Is Football Tenable free? Yes, the browser games and apps mentioned are free to play, supported by ads.
10. How can I get better at Football Tenable? Learn the “outliers.” Everyone knows the top scorers. Memorize the players who are 8th, 9th, and 10th on major lists. For example, knowing that Les Ferdinand is high on the all-time PL scorers list is a classic “Tenable cheat code.”
The ULTIMATE Football Tenable Quiz!
This video showcases a group of friends playing the game, demonstrating the tension and fun of trying to name that elusive 10th answer.
