IOSoccer Server Not Showing or Players Cannot Join (Fix)

If your IOSoccer server is not in the in game browser, check three things in order: sv_lan must be 0 in iosoccer/cfg/server.cfg, the server must be on the same IOSoccer version as the players (the browser hides servers on another version), and UDP port 27015 must reach it from the internet. If players can see it but cannot join, the usual culprits are the wrong port (27005 is the client port, not the server's), a password, mp_blockjoin_during_live stopping joins mid match, or custom assets without a download source. A direct connect ip:27015 from the console tells you which half of the problem you have.

Start with a direct connect

Enable the console in IOSoccer (Options, Keyboard, Advanced, tick Enable Developer Console), press ~, and type:

connect 203.0.113.10:27015

If the connection drops for no clear reason, type retry to try the same address again.

Missing from the browser

sv_lan is 1

With sv_lan 1 the server never registers with Steam's master server, so only players on your local network see it. Put this near the top of iosoccer/cfg/server.cfg:

sv_lan 0
hostname "Your Club | 8v8 | 100 tick"
sv_region 255

Type sv_lan in the server console to read back the current value after a restart. If it still says 1, the file is not being read: check it is in iosoccer/cfg/ and not saved as server.cfg.txt.

IOSoccer does not use a Steam game server login token, so there is no token to create. sv_lan 0 is all the server needs to register.

Different version from the players

The Internet tab filters out servers on a different game version. After an IOSoccer update, players' clients patch through Steam right away, while a self hosted server stays on the old build until you update it, so it silently vanishes from their list. See the update section below.

Browser filters and patience

Clear any filters in the browser (not full, not empty, ping, map) and search by your exact hostname. A freshly started server can also take a few minutes to appear. For your own club, skip the browser: in Steam, open View, Game Servers, Favorites, click + and add ip:27015, and post the address in your Discord.

Nobody can connect

A timeout means packets never reach the server or never come back.

1. Check it is running. The server console should show the map loaded with no crash loop. Started with -condebug, it writes everything to iosoccer/console.log.
2. Check the port. The start line's -port is the game port, 27015 by default. If another program held that port, srcds moves to 27016 or higher and prints the port it took. Port 27005 is the client port and never the one to connect to.
3. Firewall. Allow srcds.exe (Windows) or UDP 27015 (sudo ufw allow 27015/udp on Linux).
4. Router. Forward UDP 27015, plus TCP 27015 if you want RCON from outside, to the server PC's local IP. The port forwarding guide has the steps.
5. Right address. Friends need your public IP. You, on the same network, use the local 192.168.x.x address, because many routers cannot loop back to their own public IP.
6. CGNAT. If the WAN IP on your router differs from what an IP lookup site shows, your provider shares your public address and forwarding cannot work. A hosted server sidesteps this; see hosting without port forwarding.

Players connect but get refused

Custom content is where small clubs get caught. With sv_custom_assets 1 in iosoccer/cfg/autoexec.cfg, players pull your kits and pitches from the server, which is slow and can time out. Upload compressed copies to a web host and point sv_downloadurl at it, or keep to the official pitches.

After an IOSoccer update

When IOSoccer patches, update the server before anyone tries to play:

steamcmd +force_install_dir iosoccer +login anonymous +app_update 673990 validate +quit

Restart the server afterwards. If you use format configs or a server.cfg you edited, back them up first, because validate can restore stock versions of files that ship with the game. A player who opted into a beta branch in IOSoccer's Steam Properties, Betas will not match a normal server either; have them pick "None".

Still stuck

Collect these before asking for help on the IOSoccer Discord or anywhere else: the output of status from the server console, the exact message the player sees, the start line, and whether a local connect 127.0.0.1:27015 on the server machine works. That last test separates a broken server from a broken network in one step.

The hands off version

An IOSoccer server on GamezServers takes the network half of this page away: it has its own address with DDoS protection and no router to configure, and the Auto update setting in the panel updates the game every time the server starts, so it keeps pace with patches. Map, Slots, Tickrate and the RCON password are in the panel, and server.cfg is in the file manager. For match admin once players are in, see IOSoccer server commands and RCON, and for a fresh install, how to host an IOSoccer server.

FAQ

Why is my IOSoccer server not in the server list?

Most often sv_lan is 1 or the server is on an older version than the players. Set sv_lan 0 in iosoccer/cfg/server.cfg, update the server with SteamCMD app 673990, and restart.

Does an IOSoccer server need a Steam login token?

No. IOSoccer servers do not use a game server login token. sv_lan 0 lets the server register with Steam on its own.

Which port do players use to join an IOSoccer server?

The game port, 27015 by default, as in connect ip:27015. Do not use 27005, which is the client port.

Why can players join spectators but not a team?

The team is full for the current format, or mp_blockjoin_during_live is on during a live match. Raise mp_maxplayers, exec a bigger format, or set mp_blockjoin_during_live 0.