Foundation Games Brings Back Jeff Stelling For Online TV Show

The work, by Ace of Hearts, challenges football fans to run their own club

By Creative Salon

21 August 2026

Think you could run a football club better? New creative by independent games studio Formation Games and Ace of Hearts for CLUB game, dares the nation to prove it. Starring a returning Jeff Stelling, the show brings to life every fan’s belief that they could manage a football club better than the owners.

In "Football shaped thoughts and feelings on football club owners and other football things”, Stelling tracks down football's loudest voices and puts their opinions back to them, inviting the fans with the strongest views on club ownership to prove they could do better.

Jeff Stelling, commented: “We’re yet to see how the 2026/27 season plays out, but pre-season hasn’t disappointed - big transfers, new managers, and boardroom drama! The question is, could you do a better job of running a football club? That’s what we’re putting to the test with Club Game, where fans can prove if they can run a club better!!”.

For a long time Jeff has been the presenter fans built their Saturdays around, and his return to screens has landed as expected. Teased on his own X channel last week, here, the teaser garnered 1.5M views in the first day, and featured top in Trending. The show already has fans counting down to his comeback, with reactions including:

"This is where you belong. Wherever you are, I'll be watching like I was for almost 30 years."

"Jeff Stelling might have single-handedly saved 2026. 💪😍"

Every football fan has an opinion on their club's owners. People certain they'd have managed their club better, from manager appointments to the players that should never have been sold. Formation Games and Ace of Hearts have decided to take them up on it, offering Formation Games’ free-to-play game, CLUB, as the place they can step into an owner's shoes.

The new format sees Stelling popping up unexpectedly around the country to hear fans' hottest opinions. From there the series turns reactive, seeking out supporters with particularly strong views on how their clubs are run and putting them on the spot.

CLUB goes beyond the standard fantasy football framework. Fans build their dream club from their phone, taking control of stadium upgrades, managing transfers and loans, investing in backroom staff and designing the club crest, with their side scoring points based on real players' performances. Football ownership has never been more of a talking point, from Wrexham's Hollywood fairytale to KSI's recent involvement at Dagenham & Redbridge, which CLUB sponsors this season. CLUB simply gives fans at home the chance to have a go themselves.

Throughout the Premier League and after, Ace of Hearts and Formation Games will keep the conversation running, reporting back on fans' thoughts and feelings on club ownership through a steady stream of content across social and contextual OOH.

Tom Russell, Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer at Formation Games, said: “The most interesting shift in football isn't happening on the pitch, it's in the boardroom. Every fan has a view on the wage structure, transfer strategy, stadium plans and the staff hires. Jeff’s online tv show captures the ownership zeitgeist with a bit of levity and there’s no better place than CLUB for fans to prove they can do it better.”

Rasmus Smith Bech, Executive Creative Director & Partner at Ace of Hearts, added: "Football runs on the unshakeable belief that you, personally, could do it better. So rather than argue with that, we thought we'd let everyone prove it, and put Jeff Stelling behind a desk to do the asking, because if anyone has earned the right to call football's noisiest voices out, it's him. It’s a little bonkers, and lands somewhere between Sky Sports and Anchorman.”

Credits:

Client: Formation Games

Tom Russell, Co-Founder & CMO

Alex Horne, Co-Founder & Chairman

Joe Lightfoot, Content Manager

Matt Solomons, Marketing Coordinator

Creative Agency: Ace of Hearts

Polly McMorrow, Co-Founder & CEO

Richard Brim, Co-Founder & CCO

Martin Beverley, Co-Founder & CSO

Rasmus Smith Bech, Executive Creative Director & Partner

Matteo Alabiso, Creative Director of Design