Low cost "football" theme party ideas

[ForAFriend123]

DS will be 9 in a month and is football mad.

We are pretty tight financially but lucky enough to have a large garden.

Looking for low cost inspiration on how we can hold a footie themed party for approx 10 kids whilst keeping them well entertained.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Can you hire a 3G they are usually around £25/hr. Also our local sports centre used to charge around £50/hr for indoor court plus a young lad to run a session.

Could you take them to local match which is around £3 to get in plus some chips & a drink?

Buy some pop up goals & do some mini matches & some games like penalty shoot out? Maybe go to local park?

Do u have a goal post?

Maybe make some sort of ' get the ball on target' theme like a pin tail on donkey?

Penalty shoot outs.

Just get a few football themed plates etc. Or look at diy ones?

As the football season is starting earlier than usual, there will be pre-season friendlies that could be a possible way to celebrate your DSs birthday. Often a team from outside the football league will be playing a league team.

The best party my DS says he ever had, was when we went to the local park with all of his friends.
We had a mini football tournament. We had Portable goals.
Recruited a friend's teen sons as referees.
Portable bbqs, burgers, crisps, juice and cake.
It was a huge success.
He is now 20 and still talks of it.

Treasure hunt for Match Attax or Panini cards
Football themed quiz
Watch ‘The Unbeatables’ film
You could make DIY football tables out of cardboard boxes, dowel and pegs. Perhaps like this

Tesco sell a little bumper pack of football themed note book, pen and rubber for party bag, very cheap.

Same, official party cancelled by venue the day before. We took the lads to the local park and brought picnic stuff and various bits of sports equipment, brought them chips and icecream, they spent the whole afternoon there and didn't want to leave.

I was going to suggest something similar to @peepee123 . If you know any football-mad mid-to-late teens who would help out you could ask them for help organising a mini-match or penalty shoot-out, in your garden if big enough or a park.

We did this for several years. We took a proper bbq and someone who knew what they were doing, did the reffing. Ask at the local football club if you need to hire someone.

Gazebo with decorations hung.
The plastic footballs from Poundland as the party bag one year.

Parents welcome to stay with beer and wine, but you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.

Great, cheap parties.

Sounds like a great idea. It would be easy to make a football pinata take a balloon and cover with paper mache , dry and paint. Lots of ball skills perhaps using balloons ..keepy uppy , balloon heading. Run out with a tray of water bottles at half time ! Everyone goes home with a cheap football and cake ( oblong iced with green add goal and football players) the guests could all sign each others footballs.Game of blow football for a quiet bit there must be some clips of football games with what happened next? Quiz as appropriate to sons team/interest. Memory game - show a tray of items cover and have to remember what's on tray - could all be football related e.g. ref whistle, football sock) certificates at the end for best goal , man of the match, best hairstyle, brightest trainers..??

Agree with organising a game in the park with football themed picnic. Asda definitely have football themed party ware e.g. plates, cups etc.

Or you could do the same at home, but I'd make them eat outside to reduce the mess! haha!