Football club fundraising ideas at a glance

Compare these popular options to find an activity that suits your players, supporters, available volunteers, budget and fundraising goal.

Football fundraising idea	Best for	Upfront cost	Effort
Online shopping donations	Year-round club fundraising	Free	Low
Sponsored penalty challenge	Players and youth teams	Very low	Low
Matchday raffle	Spectators and local sponsors	Low	Medium
Football quiz night	Players, families and supporters	Low	Medium
Kit or pitch-side sponsorship	Local business support	Free	Medium
Five-a-side tournament	Larger fundraising targets	Medium	High

How to plan a football club fundraiser

Set a clear fundraising target

Decide what the club needs, how much it will cost and when the money is required. A specific goal, such as new kit, pitch improvements, equipment, travel or reduced player fees, helps supporters understand what their contribution will achieve.

Choose an idea that suits your club

Consider the age of the players, facilities, fixtures, available volunteers and likely costs. Simple matchday activities may be easier to repeat, while tournaments and larger events can support a bigger target but require more preparation.

Promote the fundraiser

Tell players, families and supporters what you are raising money for, how they can help and when the activity will happen. Use the club's usual communication channels, including:

Team and parent messaging groups
Club emails and newsletters
Social media and the club website
Posters in the clubhouse or around the ground
Announcements before matches and training
Local business and community networks

Share useful progress updates, thank everyone who helps and report the final amount raised.

Raise free football club donations through online shopping

Best for: free, year-round fundraising. Register your football club with easyfundraising, then invite players, coaches, committee members, families and supporters to join. When they start eligible online purchases through easyfundraising, participating retailers provide a donation to the club at no extra cost to the shopper.

Supporters can raise retailer-funded donations on everyday purchases such as groceries, clothing, insurance, travel and equipment. Find out how easyfundraising works.

Top tip: Use the ready-made messages, images, video and printable crib sheet in the football club promotional toolkit to recruit supporters through team chats, matchdays and club emails.

Matchday fundraising ideas

Beat the goalkeeper challenge

Best for: matchdays, open days and club events. Charge participants for a set number of penalties against a goalkeeper. Use separate age or ability groups where appropriate and offer a donated prize for the highest score.

Matchday raffle

Best for: spectators and donated local prizes. Ask businesses and supporters to provide appropriate prizes, then sell entries during the match. Check the relevant rules before promotion and make the draw and collection arrangements clear.

Signed shirt or football auction

Best for: clubs with signed items or memorable experiences. Auction an authenticated shirt, football, photograph or club experience online or during an event. Explain what is included, how bids will be recorded and when payment and collection are required.

Half-time competition

Best for: a quick activity during a well-attended fixture. Run a penalty, crossbar or target challenge for a small entry fee. Keep the activity short, provide suitable supervision and use separate age groups where needed.

Half-time and end-of-match catering

Best for: clubs with regular spectators. Sell drinks and food directly or work with an approved local caterer in exchange for a pitch fee or agreed share of sales. Confirm food hygiene, allergy, waste and payment arrangements in advance.

Matchday car wash

Best for: supporters who drive to the ground. Offer car washing while spectators watch the match and charge a fixed or suggested contribution. Obtain permission and organise suitable supervision, water access, cleaning products and vehicle movement.

Second-hand boots and kit sale

Best for: youth clubs and growing players. Ask families to donate clean, usable boots, training wear and equipment, then sell them at affordable prices. Check every item and provide a clear system for donations, payments and unsold stock.

Football fundraising events and challenges

Football quiz night

Best for: players, families, former players and supporters. Hold a football-themed quiz at the clubhouse or another suitable venue and charge an entry fee per team. Increase the amount raised with refreshments or a suitable raffle.

Fancy-dress charity match

Best for: a light-hearted fixture involving players and supporters. Agree a theme, charge participants or spectators and invite each team to raise sponsorship. Costumes must allow players to move, see and play safely; homemade or reusable outfits can keep costs down.

Five-a-side tournament

Best for: a larger event involving several teams. Charge an entry fee per team and raise additional money through refreshments, sponsorship and spectator activities. Confirm fixtures, referees, pitch access, age groups, first aid and bad-weather arrangements.

Parents, supporters or coaches match

Best for: bringing the wider club community onto the pitch. Organise a friendly match and raise money through player entry, spectator contributions and refreshments. Use club coaches or players to support the event and match participants by ability where possible.

School-holiday coaching session

Best for: clubs with suitable facilities and qualified coaches. Run an age-appropriate coaching session or short football camp and charge a participation fee. Confirm safeguarding, consent, staffing, insurance, medical information and emergency procedures.

Club games night

Best for: an indoor social event away from the pitch. Hold a pool, darts, board-game or console tournament with an entry fee and donated prizes. Choose activities appropriate for the audience and venue, and set clear rules and timings.

End-of-season awards event

Best for: combining club recognition with fundraising. Sell tickets for an awards evening and raise additional money through refreshments, an auction or donated prizes. Keep awards inclusive and explain how the event supports the club's funding goal.

How can local businesses support a football club?

Local businesses may be able to provide financial sponsorship, donated prizes, equipment, services or promotional support. Explain what the club needs, who it serves and how the proposed partnership will be acknowledged.

Kit or training-wear sponsorship

Best for: businesses seeking visible, season-long recognition. Agree which team and items are covered, the contribution, logo placement, production costs and length of the arrangement. Check competition, league and safeguarding requirements before printing branded kit.

Pitch-side or match sponsorship

Best for: clubs with a regular home crowd. Offer agreed recognition on pitch-side signage, match communications, programmes or digital channels. Confirm the placement, duration, price and maintenance responsibilities in writing.

Prizes, equipment and services

Best for: reducing the cost of events and club operations. Ask businesses to provide raffle prizes, printing, food, venue support or useful equipment. Agree how the contribution will be described and obtain permission before using business branding.

Before running an activity: Check pitch or venue permission, insurance, safeguarding, supervision, first aid, accessibility, food hygiene and safe handling of money. Confirm the current rules before running a raffle, lottery or paid prize competition.

Frequently asked questions about football club fundraising

What are the easiest football club fundraising ideas?

Simple options include online shopping donations, matchday raffles, sponsored penalty challenges, second-hand kit sales and small quiz nights. They use existing club communications, fixtures and facilities and can often be organised without specialist equipment.

How can a football club raise money with no upfront cost?

Online shopping donations have no upfront cost to the club or supporter. Other low-cost options include sponsored challenges, donated-prize raffles, business sponsorship and sales based on donated boots or kit.

What are good matchday fundraising ideas?

Popular matchday activities include raffles, penalty challenges, signed-item auctions, refreshment sales, car washes and second-hand kit stalls. Choose activities that fit the available space, volunteers and time around the fixture.

How can a youth football team raise money?

Youth teams can use sponsored skill challenges, family tournaments, holiday coaching sessions, kit sales and online shopping donations. Keep every activity age-appropriate and confirm parent or carer consent, safeguarding, supervision and payment arrangements.

How can local businesses sponsor a football club?

Businesses can support kit, pitch-side signage, individual matches, tournaments, equipment or prizes. Provide a clear proposal describing the club, audience, cost, duration and recognition offered, then confirm the agreement in writing.

What should a club check before running a fundraiser?

Confirm venue permission, insurance, safeguarding, first aid, accessibility, supervision and safe handling of money. Depending on the activity, the club may also need to check food hygiene, raffle rules, supplier documents and league requirements.

Start raising money for your football club

Combine matchday activities with year-round online shopping donations to give players, families and supporters more than one way to help. Register your club with easyfundraising and share your cause page throughout the season.

Football Club Fundraising Ideasfor Grassroots Teams

Football Club Fundraising Ideas
for Grassroots Teams