Advice, 7 year old son and best friend

[Horseskeepmesane]

My son is 7, lovely, happy very likeable boy with friends.

since beginning of school has had one best friend very close to, always arranged and reciprocated play dates with his mum. She initiated it. Now for the past 9 months roughly, his mum has not asked him for a play date but she’s been more than happy for him to still come to ours still. She is a very popular mum, and so is her son my boys friend. I’m feeling like does she not want to facilitate the friendship? They are a very football/ lots of holidays type family and the boy is getting more and more into football, maybe she is trying to steer him towards that and away from non football friendships?? It’s upsetting me and my son is so so loyal to him as a friend and I
like it’s case of fucking usual football crowd crap taking over??

Try not to think about it.
There may be a reason that is entirely personal to her.
Example : I have a vomiting bug phobia therefore at times it's V difficult for me to have people in my house.
Irrational yes but a real phobia.
Could be something like that going on.
She's happy for her son to come to yours ,I'd say that is a good sign her son wants the friendship and she is happy too.
Try not to overthink.

Maybe you are overthinking.

Does this kid have lots of other playdates at home with other kids? You don't say.

Maybe she doesn't want the responsibility of playdates for some reason. You don't know if she's embarrassed by her house or something. Maybe she has a lot going on at home. Does she work from home?

The fact that she is allowing her son to come to playdates at your house doesn't strike me as trying to kill the friendship. If she was doing that, she'd make excuses for him not to come on a playdate.

Should I ask her why she hasn’t invited him for a while? Sorry I am not the most socially aware person

No. It wouldn't be good etiquette and she may feel under attack.

Just keep doing what you are doing if you think it's in your child's best interests.

She may actually really appreciate it, and the fact you don't necessarily feel she HAS to reciprocate.