Finding ten people who actually use their attacks in Clan War Leagues is harder than it looks. Honestly, if you’ve ever sat in an empty global chat—well, the ghost of global chat—wondering why your clan has been stuck at 34 members for three months, you aren't alone. Clash of Clans recruiting changed forever when Supercell axed the global chat back in 2019. It felt like a breakup. We lost the ability to recruit in real-time, replaced by a "find new members" tool that, frankly, often feels like shouting into a void filled with inactive accounts and "hopper" players.
Supercell’s internal logic was sound: global was a moderation nightmare. But for the average Clan Leader or Co-Leader, it meant the burden of growth shifted from spontaneity to strategy. You can't just spam "Join here for free Elder" anymore. It doesn't work. High-level players see right through it. To build a clan that doesn't crumble after one bad war log, you have to treat recruiting like a marketing funnel.
The Broken State of In-Game Recruiting
The built-in recruitment tool is basically Tinder for Town Halls, but the algorithm is wonky. When you hit that "Find Members" button, you’re presented with a list of players that the game thinks are looking for a home. The reality? Many of those players are already in clans, or they haven't logged on since the last Winter Update.
It’s frustrating. You send out fifty invites, and maybe one person joins. Then they leave three minutes later because no one said "hi" fast enough. This "hopper" culture is a byproduct of the system. Because it's so easy to click an invite, there’s no friction. No friction means no loyalty.
Successful clans—the ones you see in Champions League or those specialized FWA (Farm War Alliance) groups—don't really rely on the green button. They’ve moved their operations to Discord and Reddit. If you’re still relying solely on the in-game "Find New Members" tab, you’re essentially fishing in a pond that’s already been cleared out by bigger boats.
Where the Real Players Actually Hang Out
If you want the "whales" or the three-star specialists, you have to go where the conversation happens. Reddit is the undisputed heavyweight here. The subreddit r/ClashOfClansRecruit is a massive ecosystem with very strict rules. If you mess up your title format once, the bot deletes your post. It's brutal but effective.
The Reddit Strategy
Most leaders just post their clan tag and a list of requirements. That's boring. Everyone wants a Town Hall 15 or 16. Everyone says they are "active and friendly." To actually stand out, you need to lead with what makes you weird or specific.
💡 You might also like: Why Batman Arkham City Still Matters More Than Any Other Superhero Game
- Are you a "No Heroes, No War" clan?
- Do you focus exclusively on Capital Raids?
- Is your clan specifically for parents who can only play after 9 PM?
Specifics win. A player looking for a "chill" environment will ignore a generic post but might click on one that says "We don't care if you fail an attack, just don't miss it."
Discord: The Barrier to Entry
Discord isn't just for chatting; it's a filter. If a player is willing to join a Discord server, link their player tag using a bot like Sidekick or Clashperks, and read a set of rules, they are already 10 times more valuable than a random invite from the in-game tool. They’ve shown they can follow instructions.
I’ve seen clans that refuse to accept anyone who isn't on Discord. It seems elitist, but it saves hours of headache. When a war starts, pining a "ping" for everyone to hit their targets is much more effective than hoping they see the in-game mail.
Visuals and the "Clan Resume"
The first thing a potential recruit looks at isn't your war win streak. It’s your Clan Capital level and your Clan War League (CWL) rank. Since the introduction of the Clan Capital, players are looking for those Raid Medals. They are a literal currency for progress. If your Capital is lagging, you’re losing out on the most mobile segment of the player base.
Think of your clan description like a billboard. You have about three seconds.
- Delete the fluff. "Welcome to the best clan" is wasted space.
- State the CWL League. People want to know if they’ll get those medals.
- Mention the donation speed. If you have "donations 24/7," prove it with the donation numbers next to your top members' names.
The Psychology of Retention
Recruiting is only half the battle. Retaining is the other 90%. Yeah, the math doesn't add up, but that's how it feels.
📖 Related: Will My Computer Play It? What People Get Wrong About System Requirements
When a new person joins, the "Golden Hour" begins. If they join and the chat is dead for sixty minutes, they are gone. It doesn't matter how good your war log is. They want to see life. Leaders often make the mistake of being too rigid. You don't need a drill sergeant; you need a community manager.
Mistakes that kill your recruiting efforts:
- Promoting too fast: If you give Co-Leader to someone just because they donated 1,000 troops, you’re asking for a clan wipe. We’ve all seen it—the disgruntled Co-Leader who kicks everyone and leaves.
- Ignoring the lower TH levels: While everyone wants TH16s, a loyal TH12 who grows with the clan is worth five "pro" players who leave the second they don't get put in a war.
- Setting unrealistic expectations: If you claim to be "Hardcore War" but half your members have their war shields on red, you’ll lose the serious players you worked so hard to recruit.
Using External Tools and Professionalism
There are websites like Clash of Stats that act as a massive database for every player. Professional recruiters use these to vet people. You can see a player’s history—how many clans they’ve been in during the last month, their hit rate in wars, and their donation patterns.
It sounds intense for a mobile game, but for high-level competitive play, it’s the standard. If someone has hopped through five clans in two weeks, they aren't going to stay in yours. Don't waste the invite.
Leveraging YouTube and Social Media
Some of the most successful "family" clans (groups of 5-10 clans under one banner) have their own TikToks or YouTube shorts. They show off crazy war finishes or funny base designs. It creates a "brand." You don't need 100,000 followers. You just need enough of a presence so that when a player Googles your clan name, they see you’re a real organization.
Actionable Steps for Clan Growth
If your clan is currently sitting at 25 members and feeling stagnant, here is a logical path forward that avoids the "pray for a joiner" strategy.
👉 See also: First Name in Country Crossword: Why These Clues Trip You Up
Audit your current roster. Look at your "Last Active" list if you have a bot, or just check the "C" in the league shield. Anyone with 0 attacks and 0 donations after a week of a new season is dead weight. They are taking up space that could be filled by someone the algorithm might actually show your clan to. A clan that looks 50/50 but has 20 inactive players looks "full" and unattractive to new seekers. Aim for a clean 40/50. It shows you’re successful but have room for a newcomer.
Standardize your Discord. Set up a "Welcome" channel. Use a bot like Tickets so new recruits can post their base screenshots and hero levels. This creates a "vetting" process that makes the player feel like they are joining something exclusive. Humans want to belong to exclusive groups.
Optimize the In-Game Description. Include your Discord link (shorten it with a URL shortener if needed) and your primary war schedule. For example: "War starts 6 PM EST Mon/Wed/Fri." This attracts people on your schedule.
The "Mercenary" Tactic. During CWL, many players are looking for "one-off" clans to get their hits in because their home clan is too high or low in the leagues. Be the "mercenary" hub. Some of these players will end up liking the vibe and staying. It’s a "try before you buy" model for recruiting.
Diversify your reach. Don't just post on Reddit. Check the Clash of Clans Recruitment Discord (the official one). Use the "Clan Seeking Members" channels. Avoid the "copy-paste" blocks of text. Write a three-line hook that addresses a specific pain point, like "Tired of missed war attacks? We haven't missed a hit in 4 months. Join [Clan Name]."
Success in Clash of Clans recruiting in 2026 requires a shift from being a "leader" to being a "marketer." The game is older now. Most players are veterans. They’ve seen every "Active/Friendly/Donations" clan in the book. Give them a reason to choose your tag over the 10,000 others. Show them stability, show them a clear path to progression, and most importantly, show them that there's a human on the other side of the screen.