Football

Football is a simple game which involves two even teams (up to 11v11) kicking a ball into a rectangular goal with a net. Players will generally score with their feet but can use any part of their body, apart from their hands and arms. Matches are played over two even time periods of ‘halves’ but games can be played straight through in mini-soccer and festival formats.

Football has a range of offers and formats available to help ensure all players have a positive experience of competition, whether they are experienced and have played before or are trying the sport for the first time. Our traditional primary and secondary competition formats can be found in the downloads below, along with a few alternative opportunities that will help engage new players by building up their competence and confidence in a fun and enjoyable way. 

Pokémon Futsal Festival

This festival has been designed to engage pupils from KS2, KS3 and beyond with the purpose of targeting the least active to encourage participation in competition through a fun and accessible format, encouraging a combination of individual and team progress as success. 

Shooting Stars SEND Festival

This festival has been developed with the purpose of introducing children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to meaningful competition, with the purpose of providing a positive experience for participants and ensure they can have fun and achieve.

Project B1 (Blind Football)

This opportunity helps to develop the skills required for blind football in a structured and safe introductory format. A resource has been created to help schools engage more visually impaired and blind young people in football and enable them to have a positive experience of the School Games competition. It provides a level playing field for fully sighted and visually impaired players as everyone will play wearing blindfolds. Players will need a number of informal sessions, to build up confidence and competence, before being introduced to competition.

There are a number of training workshops available, as well as an online module to help upskill school staff. For more information, please contact your lead inclusion school.

Equipment needed

• Footballs
• Goals
• Bibs
• Cones
• A suitable playing space 
• Audible footballs and blindfolds (Project B1 only)