How to start a 5-a-side group from scratch

1. Find your first players

You need about a dozen names to get ten on the night. Start with the people you already know, then ask each of them to bring one more:

• Work: a work game is the easiest to fill, and you already see everyone.
• Old teammates: school, uni or Sunday league. Most people miss playing.
• Friends of friends: one message in a group chat asking "anyone want a weekly game?" goes further than you'd think.
• Local groups: neighbourhood groups and local community pages often have people looking for a game.

2. Find a pitch

Look for 5-a-side centres, leisure centres and schools near most of your players. Check the price per hour, whether they take a weekly block booking, and how much notice they need to cancel.

Pick a slot most people can make most weeks. A weekday evening after work is the classic.

3. Work out the price

Divide the pitch fee by ten and round up a little: the spare covers a new ball and bibs. Tell everyone the per-person price before the first game, so nobody's surprised.

4. Get the first game on

Pick a date two or three weeks away, invite around 14 people, and ask them to say in or out by a deadline. One link to reply to beats a long thread of thumbs-up emojis.

On the night, bring a ball and bibs, make the teams fair, and keep it friendly. Nobody comes back to a game where the same side wins 12–1.

5. Make it weekly

Straight after the first game, ask who wants the same time next week. If eight or more say yes, book the block. From there, it's about keeping it going: see how to organise a weekly 5-a-side and collecting pitch money.

Squadcard does the weekly part: players say if they're in from a link, the app picks fair teams, and after the game everyone rates everyone else, so there's a reason to come back next week.

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