How To Organise A Charity Football Match

Love football and want to raise some cash for a charity close to your heart? Why not organise a charity football match to combine your love of the beautiful game and desire to do some good?

"But I don't know how?!?"

Don't sweat it.

Stick with us, and in just a few minutes, you'll know everything you need to organise a fun event and raise a sack full of cash for good causes.

Why Organise a Charity Football Match?

Why not?

If you think it's a bad idea to organise a football match that raises much-needed funds, promotes teamwork, kindness, and an opportunity to create awareness of your business, club, or organisation, then this blog (and fantastic ideas in general) probably isn't for you.

But enough of the fluff ... let's get started organising your game.

Setting Goals and Objectives

First things first, you need to have a goal for your event. If you don't know what you want to achieve, how will you know if your event has been a rousing success?

Is your goal a monetary value? If so, what's your target? Are you looking to raise awareness? How many people do you want to reach?

Writing these goals down before you start anything else will help you remember what you're striving towards and keep you focused on the task at hand.

Will It Be an Indoor or Outdoor Charity Football Match?

Before you start choosing dates and venues, you need to decide whether you want your charity game to be an indoor or outdoor match. Five-a-side or eleven-a-side.

Typically, indoor matches are easier to organise as they need fewer players, only one official, and they can't be hamstrung by the Great British weather.

Choosing a Date and Venue

Selecting the correct date and venue is crucial. Consider factors such as time of year, weather, availability of local sports facilities, and potential conflicts with other events. To find a suitable venue, reach out to local schools, community centres, sports clubs and local councils.

When you're talking to different venues, mention that you're looking to hire their pitch for a charity football match, as they might offer you a discount or even let you use their facilities for free.

Organising Teams and Volunteers

You’ll need players, referees, and volunteers to help with various tasks. Encourage local businesses, schools, and community groups to form teams. Volunteers can assist with setup, ticket sales, refreshments, and crowd control.

Look For Sponsors For Your Charity Match

Securing sponsorship is one of the most time-consuming and probably frustrating parts of organising your own charity football match.

Now, it's not essential to have sponsorship for your event, but if you can find some local businesses to invest in it, not only will your match be more of a community event, but it'll also reduce your overheads and ensure that more money goes to your chosen charity.

And that's the whole reason you're doing this, right?

It's easier to secure sponsorship if you've got something to offer local businesses. Offering to display their company logo on flyers, banners, and custom kits is a surefire way to grab (and keep) their attention.

Promoting Your Charity Football Match

If you don't properly promote your event, people will likely not show up, leaving you and your dog standing on the sidelines.

Effective promotion is key to attracting participants and spectators. Use social media, local newspapers, radio stations, and community bulletin boards to spread the word. Create eye-catching posters and flyers to distribute in high-traffic areas.

People are more receptive to helping out charities (especially for local events), so don't be scared of getting cheeky and asking for some promotional freebies. What's the worst they can say?

First Aid & Safety

It's extremely important to ensure the safety of all your players, volunteers, and attendees at your football match. So, you'll need to consult local councils and event venues on charity football match regulations.

Some venues might provide the required medical assistance level, while others may need you to provide your own.

Game Day - Setting Up

When the big day arrives, you'll probably be pretty anxious, hoping things will go as you always imagined.

So, use your nervous energy to get an early start to ensure everything is in place at your venue before everyone arrives. Make a few calls to ensure players, officials, and volunteers are still going to make it.

Real life often has a habit of throwing a spanner in the works, so getting an early start gives you a chance to repair any unforeseen holes in your plan.

Things you'll need to check:

• Pitch
• Players
• Officials
• Volunteers
• Goals & Nets
• Donation Stations
• Refreshments
• Medical

While raising money for charity is the name of the game, the beautiful game brought everyone together to watch an entertaining game of football.

However, speaking with both teams is probably a good idea to ensure the match is played in the right spirit. There should be plenty of show-boating, fantastic play, and, most importantly, no overzealous or mean-spirited tackles.

Fundraising Activities

Don't limit your fundraising to ticket sales; take advantage of a fun atmosphere on game day. While people are caught up in the moment, they'll be more likely to open their purses and wallets to:

• Buy raffle tickets
• Buy custom pins & keyrings
• Take part in auctions
• Play competitions to guess the score/scorers/number of corners

Don't forget to set up donation stations and pass buckets around the venue to help people get rid of the loose change in their pockets.

After The Game

After the match, you can hold a ceremony to hand out winners' and losers' medals, thank participants, volunteers, and sponsors, announce the total amount raised, and present any awards or prizes. This is also an excellent time to remind everyone of the cause they supported and how their contributions will make a difference.

Tips For Success - Plan Early

Organising a charity football match is incredibly rewarding but takes time and patience. Start planning at least a few months in advance. This gives you ample time to secure a venue, recruit volunteers, and promote the event.

Communicate Clearly

The easiest way to ensure your event is a disaster is by not communicating with players and volunteers properly.

Use email, messaging apps, and social media to send regular updates and make sure everyone is on track with their roles and responsibilities.

Hold regular meetings or send updates to keep everyone on the same page.

Be Prepared for Challenges

"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face." Mike Tyson

Life rarely goes the way you want it to, so concoct multiple plans so you can seamlessly circumnavigate the inevitable bumps in the road.

Be ready to handle unexpected issues such as bad weather, no-shows, or equipment problems. Have backup plans in place to keep the event running smoothly.

After The Event - Thank You Notes

It takes a village to host a successful charity football match, so to speak. You'll need the (unpaid) help of a small army of your friends and family to pull this off, so be sure to show your gratitude after the event has ended.

A handwritten thank you note, a box of chocolates, a fortnight in the Bahamas - any token of appreciation will show people how much their help means to you.

Evaluate Your Charity Football Match

Take time to reflect on what went well and what could be improved. Gather feedback from participants and volunteers to improve your next charity football match.

Share the Success

Share the results of your event on social media, local newspapers, and other platforms. Highlight the impact of the funds raised and thank everyone who contributed to the event's success.

It's Time to Start Planning - Key Takeaways

Organising a charity football match requires careful planning and coordination, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Following these steps, you can create a successful event that raises money for a good cause and brings your community together.

And remember, we're here to help you create custom football kits so you can get on with planning the rest of your event.

So, lace up your boots, rally your team, and get ready to make a difference!