How Much Does Kids Football Really Cost? (A Transparent Breakdown)

	Football Development Centre	Football FUNatics	JFTC	Loves Football	Robbos	Rising Stars
Locations	West Heath Studley Worcester	Kings Heath Sutton Coldfield Moseley	Moseley	Kings Heath Moseley Acocks Green	Kings Norton	Aston Selly Oak Hodge Hill
Ages Catered For	Upto 16 years	4-14 years	4-12 years	4-16 years	3-12 years	4-16 years
Free Trial	🤷‍♂️	❌ £7.50 – £9	🤷‍♂️	✅	❌ £5	🤷‍♂️
Sign-Up Fee	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	No	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Price p/m	£46	£26-£33	🤷‍♂️	£34.34	£25	🤷‍♂️
Discounts	✅ Siblings ❌ Multiple sessions	✅ Siblings ❌ Multi-sessions	🤷‍♂️	✅ Siblings ✅ Multiple Sessions	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Structured Training Syllabus	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Skills Programme	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Individual Player Feedback	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Team Pathway	✅	🤷‍♂️	✅	✅	🤷‍♂️	✅
Girls Only Sessions	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	✅
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Facebook, Trustpilot, Google)	20	49	32	189	32	5
⭐️ (Facebook, Trustpilot, Google)	None	None	None	3	None	3
Values	?	?	?	?	?	?

How Much Does Kids Football Really Cost?

(A Transparent Breakdown)

Are you feeling overwhelmed, confused, or in-the-dark about where to start?

(Maybe even all 3!)

You are not alone – it is TOTALLY normal for you to feel really anxious about the entire process!

I promise that this article will help to ‘pull back the curtains’ on grassroots football, and leave you better informed to make buying decisions that are right for you AND your child 🙂

But it’s important that you understand, (through no fault of its own), the grassroots football industry is not set up to help you.

Here's Why...

Grassroots Football * is traditionally run by volunteers who do their best in difficult circumstances.

(N.B. ‘Grassroots Football’ is the lowest level of the entire game, with International Football e.g. the World Cup, Euros etc sitting at the top of the tree. For simplicity, it includes EVERYTHING that isn’t associated with professional football)

Most grassroots football coaches are not professional coaches and all have a 9-5 job in addition to running a team!

The Wild West

These poor coaches have been thrust into coaching roles, largely because no-one else wanted to do it!

Overnight, they become responsible for the development of a group of kids, buying kits / equipment, insurance /compliance, setting up team bank accounts, venue hire, training plans, picking teams, sourcing referees, coaching qualifications and managing child (and parent !) emotions and aspirations…

(Wait what? How did THAT happen!)

Just keeping it all together is often an achievement in itself – trust me!!!

It can feel a bit like The Wild West, for everyone involved.

600 kids (and counting)

I’m James, the Founder of Loves Football, and I’m obsessed with grassroots football!

In addition to Loves Football, I’m Club Chairman for Kings Heath Sports FC, U18s Manager with Solihull Moors and…

…most importantly, dad to 2x football-daft boys.

I’m UEFA qualified in Football & Futsal, have coached at every age group from 4-18 years, and have helped over 600 kids join football teams since launching Loves Football!

(N.B. they are just the ones I know about!)

So I promise you, I have a deep understanding and empathy of the challenges you face in navigating grassroots football.

The Big Questions About Cost in Football

Before we get into specific numbers, it’s crucial to understand the landscape.

Prices vary wildly!

And, crucially, there are several different types of clubs…

Not All Club Are the Same

90% of kids start with the Commercial Coaching Clubs and then progress to Grassroots teams and behind. Some kids jump straight into Grassroots teams, but this becomes increasingly difficult to do as they get older:

Commercial Coaching Clubs (e.g. Loves Football) – perfect for beginners / intermediate kids who want to develop in a no-pressure environment, or kids / parents who have no interest in joining a team
Grassroots Football Teams (e.g. Kings Heath Sports FC) – i.e. playing organised matches other teams on the weekend
Commercial Development Centres (e.g. Football Development Centre “FDC”)- designed for higher ability kids who want to push themselves AND be pushed to join an academy
Academy Development Teams (e.g. “AVFC Development Team”)- these are on an invitation or trial basis only, and set up for kids who play at a very high level, and the club are assessing whether to sign them for the academy
Academy Football (e.g. Aston Villa FC Academy) – these are exclusively reserved for the kids of the highest level of technical ability / potential. Introduction tends to come after being ‘scouted’ or successfully progressed through the Academy Development Sessions

Which Club REALLY suits you?

We've analysed 6 commercial football clubs in south Birmingham.

Take the 115 second test and find out!

Which Club REALLY suits you?

We've analysed 6 commercial football clubs in south Birmingham.

Take the 115 second test and find out!

What Drives The Price UP?

Regardless whether your child is playing football in a development club or competitively in a league, there a list of factors that drive the price up:

Aspirations – most kids who want to progress to an academy (e.g. Aston Villa FC), train and play at least twice a week for 2 different teams, and attend 121 training.
Club Fees – Referees fees (yes they get paid!), pitch rental, goalposts, nets, club insurance, league affiliation, social, balls, bibs, cones, and First Aid kit, to name a few!
Demand – the UK has a chronic shortage of all-weather pitches with an estimated 100,000 games lost on grass pitches each year to the weather, so demand is sky-high during the winter months!
Facilities – construction of a new 3G/4G pitch from a ‘Brown-field site’ will cost upwards of £1.2million to build! Even relaying a 3G pitch (usually every 8-12 years) costs in the the region of £300,000.
Child Development – higher quality coaching clubs tend to have set training programmes, and offer individual child feedback. This focus on child development often leads to lower Coach:Child ratios meaning more attention for your kids.
Coach compliance – coaches are all required to hold a FA DBS, FA First Aid and have completed FA Safeguarding training – the FA do not recognise any other compliance.

What Drives The Price DOWN?

Most competitive grassroots clubs are run by volunteers which is an enormous help in bringing cost down.

Fortunately, we’re not in an industry where external factors causes the cost to fluctuate hugely, and in the simplest form, it’s pretty easy to play football = football + somewhere to play

Grant-funding – clubs with the appetite or ability to source funding tend to offer lower cost solutions, particularly for kids from under-represented demographic groups. Some clubs also offer discretionary discounts for kids from financially-disadvantaged homes… you just need to ask 🙂
Pitch share – many clubs play on cricket pitches, and others share the cost of a home venue (such as school facilities) with other clubs.
Sibling discount – most clubs offer some sort of discount for parents of kids who all play at the same club
Hand-me-downs – kids tend to grow out of boots, rather than wear them out, and it pretty normal for the same pair of boots to be passed around and down to siblings and teammates! The same is for shinpads – a good pair tend to last for years.
Facebook Groups – there are a couple of online groups who offer discounted footballs boots (e.g. check out BootXChange)

Why Are Some Clubs So Expensive?

Clubs who charge premium prices tend to offer a comprehensive development experience. Simply, you are more likely to experience a more structured, cohesive, professional environment for you and your child.

Brand & Outcome – playing for an academy is HUGELY attractive for kids (and parents!), and clubs who offer this pathway tend to charge more as there is a perception of getting the ‘best bang for your buck’ Bear in mind, that many academy coaches tend to work with other clubs, so you might find the same level of coaching for cheaper elsewhere!
Money Buys Time – time enables clubs to hone in, develop and embed values, ethos, philosophy, coaching style etc. This tends to result in a more consistent quality of coaching

Infrastructure – larger clubs use grassroots income to fund other parts of their organisation, with money flowing upward towards the first team and internal processes – e.g. sales, marketing, IT, HR
Facilities – higher quality (3G/4G) pitches to train and play on, with minimal disruption by the weather (i.e. usually only snowfall stops play). Some clubs
Coaching – Access to the professional coaches – money talks, and whilst there are lots of AMAZING voluntary coaches, professional coaches who devote themselves to continued professional development are in huge demand and expect to be paid! Many clubs provide financial support to coaches and a clear development programme to complete their FA & UEFA qualifications.
Training Syllabus – expect a multi-season, week-by-week training programme which has been tried and tested over time.
Child Development Programme – some clubs offer specific training plans to each child, and regular feedback and reviews.
Specialist Staff – in some cases, clubs provide access to Physiotherapists, Nutritionists, Child Psychologists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches
Opportunity – clubs playing at a higher technical level tend to have more training sessions and matches each week, and play regular games against academies or academy development groups, in academy facilities.
League – some leagues charge more than others, with the Junior Premier League / Midlands Junior Premier League regularly generally being the most expensive
Kits – training kit, match kit, club clothing are occasionally included in the cost to parents, although many parents have reported being asked to pay an additional amount
Compliance – whilst there is a minimum required for all grassroots coaches, some clubs aim for best-practice as the benchmark, with an expectation that coaches have a higher level of training, e.g. in safeguarding and first aid
Coach Clothing – all coaches will wear club clothing
End of Season – social events, trophies, presentation evenings

Why Are Some So Cheap? (And What's The REAL cost?)

It’s certainly possible to find a very affordable football club for your child (and some grassroots coaches are outstanding), but it’s important you understand that, in most cases, there is a trade-off:

Training venue – no Loves Football sessions are held in local parks, simply because of a combination of poor quality pitches, animal mess/debris, uncertainty around availability (events etc), unsuitability for winter training (poor pitch and light conditions), lack of access to toilet/ water and reduced security. A lack of an all-weather training pitch often leads to cancelled sessions.
Compliance – clubs meet the minimum level required for First Aid and safeguarding
Mentality – many clubs put more important into the result of the game and less into the player development. With no controls in place, this can lead to coaches making decision they feel will benefit the result and often means players are left on the subs bench with reduced game time (indeed Loves Football was created for this VERY reason!)
Values – there is often very little thought given to values and even less to making decisions based on those values. This leads to a mix of aspirations and expectations, causing confusion and frustration for both kids and parents.
Coaching standard – teams rely on well-meaning parents as volunteers. Through no fault of their own, this often leads to a complete absence of a structured training programme, or training is regularly ill thought-out or off the cuff. The delivery and content of the sessions is often hit and miss, with limited evidence that is linked to an overall programme. Combined, this results in a plateauing of kids development.
Group size – clubs often have no restrictions in group size, and attract more kids to help cover the bills. This leads to less individual attention
Feedback – little or no individual feedback or development tracking—so you’re left guessing how your child is really doing.
Less Signposting – parent-coaches often have fewer connections in football and are unable to(or unwilling) to recommend children in their groups
Bias – often, selection or opportunities may favour certain children, especially if coaches’ own kids are involved.
Hidden Fees & Fundraising – “cheaper” football clubs often ask parents to cover unexpected costs later (tournaments, socials, trophies, end of season events), and in some cases parents are required to fund (or fundraise) in order to purchase key equipment such as (football kits, footballs, bibs, cones, first aid kit)

How Do We Compare On Price?

Click for a full comparison

You will find cheaper clubs in south Birmingham than Loves Football for your child.

You’ll also find much more expensive ones as well!

We sit somewhere in the middle, but the table offers a handy comparison.

(N.B. The figures shown are for commercial football coaching companies in South Birmingham and not ‘volunteer-led’ grassroots clubs. All information sourced on Google and on company websites, and correct as of November 2025).

	Football Development Centre	Football FUNatics	JFTC	Loves Football	Robbos	Rising Stars
Free Trial	🤷‍♂️	❌ £7.50 – £9	🤷‍♂️	✅	❌ £5	🤷‍♂️
Sign-Up Fee	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	No	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Price p/m	£46	£26-£33	🤷‍♂️	£34.34	£25	🤷‍♂️
Discounts	✅ Siblings ❌ Multiple sessions	✅ Siblings ❌ Multi-sessions	🤷‍♂️	✅ Siblings ✅ Multiple Sessions	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️

Reviews

	Football Development Centre	Football FUNatics	JFTC	Loves Football	Robbos	Rising Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Facebook, Trustpilot, Google)	20	49	32	189	32	5
⭐️ (Facebook, Trustpilot, Google)	None	None	None	3	None	3

Development & Pathway

	Football Development Centre	Football FUNatics	JFTC	Loves Football	Robbos	Rising Stars
Structured Training Syllabus	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Skills Programme	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Individual Player Feedback	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Team Pathway	✅	🤷‍♂️	✅	✅	🤷‍♂️	✅

Suitability

	Football Development Centre	Football FUNatics	JFTC	Loves Football	Robbos	Rising Stars
Locations	West Heath Studley Worcester	Kings Heath Sutton Coldfield Moseley	Moseley	Kings Heath Moseley Acocks Green	Kings Norton	Aston Selly Oak Hodge Hill
Ages Catered For	Upto 16 years	4-14 years	4-12 years	4-16 years	3-12 years	4-16 years
Girls Only Sessions	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	✅

Ethos, Values, Philosophy

	Philosophy
Football Development Centre	“The Football Development Centre and Academy Schools began in 2005 and now hold over 400 players in our Centre. These centres are primarily for children showing a keen interest in developing their football skills. Ultimately the idea is to reach the standard required to join our Academy Level/MJPL teams as of October 2021 the elite players will have an opportunity to go in to Aston Villa Academy. The overall aim of the Football Development Centre is to work on technique, speed, agility, and quickness sessions progressing finally onto team play”.
Football FUNatics	“At Football Funatics, we believe in promoting gender equality and creating an inclusive environment for all children who are interested in learning and playing football. Therefore, our regular football classes are mixed in gender, allowing boys and girls to train and play together, which we believe helps to break down gender barriers and promotes equal opportunities for all. However, we understand that some girls may feel more comfortable in a girls-only class, especially during their early years. Therefore, we also offer a girls-only class for ages 8 to 11, where girls can develop their skills in a more tailored and supportive environment. We strive to provide a safe and inclusive space for all children to learn and play football, regardless of their gender or background”
JFTC	“We use a positive approach to help young kids to get active in playing and enjoying football. As FA qualified coaches we use the FA four corner model (Technical/ Tactical, Psychological, Physical & Social) to coach kids. All our players have enjoyed their journey and have gone on to join Sunday league teams in the Central Warwickshire Youth Football League and play competitive football weekly. Coaching kids of all levels our aim is to ensure they are all given a chance to show off their skills and learn new ones whilst on their journey to becoming an FA registered football player”.
Loves Football	“Our 4 values govern EVERYTHING we do! From the type of coaches we recruit… to the sessions we deliver… and the customers we want to attract! ‘Have Fun’, ‘Build Confidence”, ‘Child First”, ‘Development focused” We passionately believe in one simple coaching principle: “Maximise the number of touches on the ball”
Robbos	“We feel that starting coaching children at such a young age provides the children with confidence and discipline. We find that many children stay until they have sufficient confidence to progress to play for a local football team. We are a proud associate with Birmingham City Football Academy in assisting in the recruitment of elite players through its own programme. Whilst we work in co-operation, we are a separate entity and are not operated by Birmingham City Football Club. Robbo’s Football Coaching’s policies, procedures and views are explicitly our own and are in no way endorsed by Birmingham City Football Club”
Rising Stars	“Rising Stars Sports Academy was established in 2013 in the heart of Birmingham, we are the fasting growing grass roots sports academy in the city with over 700 active members who use our services regularly. The academy specialises in football coaching for boys and girls aged 4-16, we have development centres across Birmingham providing professional coaching to young people from all walks of life”

Football Development Centre (FDC)
“The Football Development Centre and Academy Schools began in 2005 and now hold over 400 players in our Centre. These centres are primarily for children showing a keen interest in developing their football skills. Ultimately the idea is to reach the standard required to join our Academy Level/MJPL teams as of October 2021 the elite players will have an opportunity to go in to Aston Villa Academy. The overall aim of the Football Development Centre is to work on technique, speed, agility, and quickness sessions progressing finally onto team play”.

Football FUNatics
“At Football Funatics, we believe in promoting gender equality and creating an inclusive environment for all children who are interested in learning and playing football. Therefore, our regular football classes are mixed in gender, allowing boys and girls to train and play together, which we believe helps to break down gender barriers and promotes equal opportunities for all. However, we understand that some girls may feel more comfortable in a girls-only class, especially during their early years. Therefore, we also offer a girls-only class for ages 8 to 11, where girls can develop their skills in a more tailored and supportive environment. We strive to provide a safe and inclusive space for all children to learn and play football, regardless of their gender or background”

JFTC
“We use a positive approach to help young kids to get active in playing and enjoying football. As FA qualified coaches we use the FA four corner model (Technical/ Tactical, Psychological, Physical & Social) to coach kids. All our players have enjoyed their journey and have gone on to join Sunday league teams in the Central Warwickshire Youth Football League and play competitive football weekly. Coaching kids of all levels our aim is to ensure they are all given a chance to show off their skills and learn new ones whilst on their journey to becoming an FA registered football player”.

Loves Football
“Our 4 values govern EVERYTHING we do! From the type of coaches we recruit, to the sessions we deliver… and the customers we want to attract! ‘Have Fun’, ‘Build Confidence”, ‘Child First”, ‘Development focused”. We passionately believe in one simple coaching principle: “Maximise the number of touches on the ball”

Robbos
“We feel that starting coaching children at such a young age provides the children with confidence and discipline. We find that many children stay until they have sufficient confidence to progress to play for a local football team. We are a proud associate with Birmingham City Football Academy in assisting in the recruitment of elite players through its own programme. Whilst we work in co-operation, we are a separate entity and are not operated by Birmingham City Football Club. Robbo’s Football Coaching’s policies, procedures and views are explicitly our own and are in no way endorsed by Birmingham City Football Club”

Rising Stars
“Rising Stars Sports Academy was established in 2013 in the heart of Birmingham, we are the fasting growing grass roots sports academy in the city with over 700 active members who use our services regularly. The academy specialises in football coaching for boys and girls aged 4-16, we have development centres across Birmingham providing professional coaching to young people from all walks of life”

	Football Development Centre	Football FUNatics	JFTC	Loves Football	Robbos	Rising Stars
Locations	West Heath Studley Worcester	Kings Heath Sutton Coldfield Moseley	Moseley	Kings Heath Moseley Acocks Green	Kings Norton	Aston Selly Oak Hodge Hill
Ages Catered For	Upto 16 years	4-14 years	4-12 years	4-16 years	3-12 years	4-16 years
Free Trial	🤷‍♂️	❌ £7.50 – £9	🤷‍♂️	✅	❌ £5	🤷‍♂️
Sign-Up Fee	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	No	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Price p/m	£46	£26-£33	🤷‍♂️	£34.34	£25	🤷‍♂️
Discounts	✅ Siblings ❌ Multiple sessions	✅ Siblings ❌ Multi-sessions	🤷‍♂️	✅ Siblings ✅ Multiple Sessions	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Structured Training Syllabus	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Skills Programme	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Individual Player Feedback	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	🤷‍♂️
Team Pathway	✅	🤷‍♂️	✅	✅	🤷‍♂️	✅
Girls Only Sessions	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	✅	🤷‍♂️	✅
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Facebook, Trustpilot, Google)	20	49	32	189	32	5
⭐️ (Facebook, Trustpilot, Google)	None	None	None	3	None	3
Values	?	?	?	?	?	?

How Much Do Grassroots Teams Charge To Play?

(N.B. The figures shown are from a poll of Grassroots Managers @ U15s Age Group and are correct as of November 2025).

But What Is The TRUE Lifetime Cost To Parents?

Assumptions

25 matches per year (15 mile round trip)
45 training sessions per year (5 mile round trip)
1 pair of football boots every 2x years (starting @ £25, increasing £5 each purchase)
New training jacket every other year (£35)
New gloves ad base layers each year (£20)
3x water bottles each year (they get lost that often!!)
Stop for food / drinks at every other game
Volunteer coaches (unpaid)

Cost Estimates

Petrol is 16p per mile
Annual registration £40
Subs £351 (£31.90 p/m for 11 months)
Inflation 2.83% (average over last 10 years)

	U6	U7	U8	U9	U10	U11	U12	U13	U14	U15	U16	U17	U18
Travel	81	97	100	103	105	108	112	115	118	121	125	128	132
Key – kit, reg, subs, boots	471	402	498	425	527	449	557	480	589	513	622	546	656
Optional – food/drink, jacket, water bottle, gloves, base layers	95	286	329	302	346	320	364	338	383	358	403	378	424
Total	647	785	927	830	979	878	1033	933	1089	991	1149	1053	1212
Cumulative	–	1407	2334	3164	4143	5021	6053	6986	8076	1067	10217	11269	12481

Is It Really Worth It?

It’s a huge commitment, but it can be an amazing experience – watching my sons play football is the highlight of my week, and becoming a coach changed my life!

But whether ‘it’s worth it” really boils down to what your expectations are and what your motivations are.

Professional Footballer – if you think ‘Project Mbappe’ in your head, and the underlying reason for getting your child into grassroots football is for them to become a professional footballer, then you will (with 99.9% certainty) be hugely disappointed.

However…if these sound like you:

“I just want my son to be a better footballer”
I ant my daugher to make friends”
“Id like my kids to fall in love with sport”
“I want my child to build their confidence”

Then, there is every chance you and your child will have a great time!

Birmingham's Highest-Rated Football Coaching Group for Kids!

How Much Does Kids Football Really Cost? (A Transparent Breakdown)