Starting your own community football team

Start by deciding who your team is for, such as children or adults, and checking there’s local interest. Then plan your budget and funding, find a qualified coach, put safeguarding in place and find somewhere to play. Once you have players, become FA-affiliated through your County FA so you can join a local league

Costs depend on how many teams you run. They typically include training equipment such as balls, cones and bibs, coaching, pitch hire, kits, staffing and travel to away games. You can keep early costs down by borrowing equipment from local schools or leisure centres and training in a local park.

This community action plan from Local Trust takes you through setting up a community football team, from deciding who it’s for to joining a league and growing your club. It draws on the experience of the Woolavington Wanderers in Somerset, and Clarksfield & Glodwick Football Club in Oldham. It also points you to resources from the FA and other national sporting organisations.

This guide will be useful to community groups, residents, parents and volunteers who want to start a football team for children, young people or adults, whether that’s a kickabout in the park or a club with several teams in a local league.

• Deciding who your team is for and testing local interest
• Budgeting and funding through grants, sponsorship and attendance fees
• Finding a qualified coach or training volunteers to coach
• Running training sessions, with or without a coach
• Safeguarding and making your club inclusive
• Finding a place to train and play
• Recruiting players and running taster sessions
• Becoming FA-affiliated and joining a local league
• Naming your club and setting up social media
• Growing your club with new teams and activities
• And much more, including a quick-start checklist