Help

Within Soccer Manager a player will become cup-tied dependent on the competition and type of Game World that your are participating in. This prevents a strong team from gaining an unfair advantage by signing talented players from clubs that may have lost out in earlier rounds, in an attempt to increase their cup chances.

The rule applies to individual cup competitions, in that a player who plays in the English Cup, but not the English Shield, is cup-tied only in the former competition. If the player signs for a new club in the same season, he is eligible for the English Shield but not the English Cup.

The following examples are in reference to the Gold Championship game worlds.

Any player who makes an appearance for a club at any stage of one of the domestic cup competitions within one of the national leagues is cup tied for all future matches during that season in the same competition. This means that if the player transfers clubs during the same season he will not be eligible to represent his new club in that competition for the duration of the season in that national league.

For example a player represents club "x" in the Italian Cup and then transfers to club "y" within the Italian League. The player in question will be cup-tied in relation to the Italian Cup but will be eligible to represent his new club in the Italian Shield. If a player represents club "x" in the Italian Cup and then transfers to club "y" within the Spanish League. The player in question will not be cup-tied in relation to the Spanish Cup and he will also be eligible to represent his new club in the Spanish Shield.

Any player who makes an appearance for a club at any stage of the SMFA Shield is cup-tied for all future matches during that season in the same competition. This means that if the player transfers clubs during the same season he will not be eligible to represent his new club in that competition for the duration of the season.

For example a player represents club "x" in the SMFA Shield and then transfers to club "y". The player in question will be cup-tied in relation to the SMFA Shield for the duration of the tournament.

Any player who makes an appearance for a club at any stage of the SMFA Cup is cup-tied for all future matches during that season in the same competition. This means that if the player transfers clubs during the same season he will not be eligible to represent his new club in that competition for the duration of the season. However, the cup-tied status is removed after the group stages and he is eligible to represent another club unless he makes further appearances during the knock-out stages.

For example a player represents club "x" in the SMFA Cup and then transfers to club y during the group stages. The player in question will be cup-tied in relation to the SMFA Cup for the duration of the group stage, and will be eligible to represent his new club during the knock-out stages. Or a player represents club "x" in the SMFA Cup during the knock-out stages and then transfers to club "y". The player in question will be cup-tied in relation to the SMFA Cup for the duration of the tournament.