The definitive list of things every pick-up football organizer should bring (yes, includes beer)
10/12/2025
Organizing a friendly football match isn't a hobby: it's a suicide mission.
You're alone against:
those who confirm and don't show up,
those who don't confirm and do show up,
those who arrive late "because there was traffic",
and those who sign up without boots... as if boots were optional!
So if you want to survive this wild ecosystem, you better be equipped. Here's the official list for the organizer who won't be stepped on.
- ⚽ 1. The ball (yes, yours, because nobody else brings one)
Everyone says "I have one at home".
Spoiler: lie.
Either it's deflated or it's from when we watched Captain Tsubasa.
Bring a good one and that's it. You'll avoid starting the match playing with a ball that bounces less than your group on a Monday morning. - 👕 2. Bibs to differentiate teams
Because we already know how this works:
— "But weren't you on my team?"
— "Bro, we're all wearing black shirts."
Bibs are the border between order and absolute chaos.
They also serve to slightly humiliate the one who fails the most: fluorescent bib for him. - 💦 3. Water... and beer for the third half
Water is to not die.
Beer is to live.
Take both.
And if the beers are cold on top of that, the others will treat you like you scored in a Champions League final. Even if you made a fool of yourself the whole match. - 🍟 4. Snacks for afterwards
Sunflower seeds, chips, doritos, peanuts... the basics to go with the beers and analyze why your mate Juan thinks he plays like Pirlo, when we all know he's more like a Gravesen but without cardio. - 🩹 5. Heat cream, cold spray and other survival kit +35
Here we don't run anymore: we manage.
Your arsenal:
Heat cream so your legs don't sound like an old door.
Cold spray for when you take a silly but intense hit, typical of those that leave you reflecting on life.
A bandage to add drama when you want to justify that you've been walking since minute 7. - 🕹️ 6. And most importantly: a method so they don't drive you crazy with teams
After years of unbalanced teams, Excel spreadsheets, and philosophical debates like "this one doesn't defend, this one doesn't pass the ball,...", there's finally a solution:
futbalance.comNext time you pack your backpack, put in bibs, beer, sprays...
The tool you needed to set up matches without crying:
✔️ Create balanced teams according to level
✔️ Save statistics as if you were playing Champions League
✔️ Record matches
✔️ Reduce arguments in the group (well, some)
✔️ Turns you into a respected organizer. Or at least feared.
and open futbalance.com.
Your group will thank you. Your organization too.
And your muscles... well, we'll see about those.