Planning a football party for your little one? You’re in the right place!
In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to throw a fun, stress-free kids’ football party that’ll be a total winner – whether your child is football-mad or just loves a good kickabout with their friends.
To make things easy, we’ve broken it all down into simple, stress-free steps.
Let’s get started!
Find the Party Space
The first thing to consider is where you’ll be hosting the party.
For a football party, you’re obviously going to need a ‘football field’. This could be your garden, a nearby green space, or a proper football pitch.
If you don’t have the space nearby, you can book an indoor or outdoor field for the occasion.
Just keep in mind that many venues will only be available for a set time slot – so you’ll either need to continue the party elsewhere or wrap things up once your booking ends.
It’s also a good idea to have a separate space for food, cake, and presents (especially if it’s a birthday party). This way, you can set everything up in advance and avoid any last-minute rushing around.
Most venues offer a dedicated area for this, and if you’re not hosting at home, hiring a function room is another simple option. These blank spaces can be decorated however you like to suit your party theme.
Choose a date
Now that you’ve sorted the location, it’s time to decide when to host your football party.
If you’re booking a venue or function room, check availability early because popular spots can get snapped up quickly. If you’re hosting at home, just go with a date that works best for your family and is close to your child’s birthday.
At PartyWizz, we often recommend not ruling out Sundays. While Saturdays are the go-to, they’re also the busiest.
If you’re planning during a hectic time of year, Sundays can be much calmer – meaning you’re more likely to secure your preferred booking and get a better turnout from guests.
Make a guest list
For a birthday party, the ideal number of guests will depend on your child’s age, personality, and preferences. Some kids love a big group, while others prefer something smaller – it’s all about what makes them feel comfortable.
For football parties, it’s usually best to invite a slightly larger group so there are enough players for a proper match. For example, 12 kids gives you two teams of six.
If you’ll be travelling during the party (like heading to a pitch), make sure to plan carpooling in advance so everyone has a lift and things run smoothly.
Plan the activities
When it comes to football activities, you can either run them yourself or book a football entertainer to make it really easy and stress-free on the day. The great thing about booking an entertainer is that they’ll bring all the equipment and know exactly how to keep the kids engaged while teaching them a few new tricks along the way.
We recommend going beyond just a football match. Try mixing in a few fun activities to keep things varied, and finish the session with a game at the end.
For example:
- Dribble obstacle course
- Penalties
- Team warm-ups or mini skills games
After about 30 minutes of running around, most kids will start to tire, so it’s best to ease in with lighter games before moving into the big match.
If you’re hosting older kids, you can extend the playing time and adjust the pitch size accordingly. Just remember, for younger players, smaller pitches work best: they’ll enjoy the scoring far more than the long-distance running!
Get some decorations
Now it’s time to decorate your home or venue to match the theme of your event.
At PartyWizz, we usually suggest not going overboard – the football theme will already be front and centre with all the games and activities.
Instead, focus on setting up a fun, football-themed table and adding a few simple touches to bring the space to life. Here are a few easy decoration ideas to consider:
- Football balloons or bunting in your child’s favourite team colours
- A scoreboard-style welcome sign
- Mini trophies as table centrepieces or party favours
- Green tablecloths to look like a football pitch
- Football cupcake toppers or themed cake stands
- Name cards shaped like football shirts for the food table
Football-themed tableware is also easy to find in shops or online and adds a great finishing touch to your setup!
Plan the food
The two most common timings are either starting the party in the early afternoon and serving cake before presents, or hosting it late morning with lunch and cake in the mix. It’s totally up to you and what suits your schedule best.
For general party food ideas, feel free to check out our dedicated article on party food for kids.
If you want to go the extra mile, why not serve football-themed treats? Think cupcakes with football-icing, sandwiches cut into football shirt shapes, or snacks served in little “goal nets” (aka baskets!). You could even set up a mini “concession stand” for a stadium vibe.
And if you’d rather skip the stress altogether, check out our guide on how to hire a caterer – it’s full of tips to make the food side of things effortless.
Don’t forget the party bags
Party bags have become a staple at kids’ parties – and football parties are no exception!
For ideas on what to put inside a party bag, check out our dedicated blog.
It’s always a good idea to let other parents know if you’ve included anything “special” – especially things like slime or messy sweets. Nobody wants surprise stains on the sofa or carpet!
You don’t need to go overboard – a few themed bits like mini footballs, stickers, or whistle keyrings can go down a treat.
Send the invitations
Now it’s time to create and send out your invitations. We recommend sending them around 3–4 weeks before the party – from experience, that tends to be the sweet spot.
You can go digital (the easiest option), or send physical invites if you want something that feels a bit more special.
Whichever you choose, stick to digital RSVPs – it’ll save you time and hassle. For small groups, WhatsApp or a quick message works fine. For larger groups (10+), an online RSVP tool can make things much simpler.
For designing your invitations, we recommend using Canva – it’s a free, easy-to-use tool with loads of pre-made kids’ party templates.
Need help with wording? We’ve got you covered with our invitation wording guide – packed with examples you can copy and tweak for your own party.
Have a schedule
While it doesn’t need to be super strict, having a simple schedule can really help the day run smoothly and keep everyone (including you!) relaxed. Here’s an example:
- 10:30 – Welcome the guests
- 11:00 – Football activities
- 11:30 – Football match
- 12:00 – Lunch
- 12:30 – Cake and presents
- 13:00 – Free play
- 14:00 – Parents arrive, and perhaps stay for a cup of coffee
A football party tends to have clear parts to the day – structured activities, game time, food, and celebration – so having a loose plan makes it easier to keep the energy flowing and make sure nothing gets missed.
You can always tweak things based on your timings. Some parents prefer to do the games after lunch, or leave more space for chill time.
Note: We’ve allowed 30 minutes for lunch and 30 minutes for cake and presents, which is usually just right.
PartyWizz helps you book the best kid’s entertainers and party services in UK and Ireland. From magicians and face painters to party packages and photographers, you’ll find those in your area on our easy-to-use platform. Whether you’re planning a birthday party, christening, communion or a corporate family day, go to PartyWizz to find the perfect service providers hassle-free!
