Best football equipment: kits, goals, corner flags, balls – everything you need for organising your own match

football equipment, corner flag
(Image credit: PA)

All the football equipment you really need to play is a ball. That's why we love the game.

But if you're looking to put on a proper game with your mates, 11 against 11, getting some proper equipment does help. We're talking kits, corner flags, maybe some proper nets to avoid the confusion of which way past the post the ball just went. 

Check out our guide of what to buy if you're looking to put on your own match. We can't find you some mates to play with, but you're more than welcome to have a kickabout with us. 

OTHER GUIDES

GOALS The best football goals for your garden and training
NIKE FLIGHT Get the Premier League ball for 2020/21 season
BEST FOOTBALLS Nike, Adidas or Mitre? Now you're allowed out, these are the top balls for training, matches – or playing in the park
SHIN PADS Adidas, Nike, Under Armour, Mitre and the best on the market
FACE MASKS Whether you're playing or just showing your support, here's how football fans can stay safe
KEEPER GLOVES Top Adidas, Nike, Sondico and Puma gloves for best performance

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Nike Legend shirt

The 2002 World Cup shirt template: reimagined for park football

Specifications

RRP: £11.78-£38.34
Colour: Black/White/White, Midnight Navy/White/White, University Red/White/White, Royal Blue/White/White, White/Black/Black

Reasons to buy

+
Classic design
+
Dry-fit technology
+
Still has the modern Nike feel

Reasons to avoid

-
Limited colour options

The Nike Legend is pure nostalgia. Do you remember getting up at the crack of dawn to watch England play Brazil in Japan, in 2002? Do you remember getting your hopes up when Michael Owen scored, then the feeling of your heart dropping through your chest when Ronaldinho scored that flukey free kick?

If you can bear to kit your team out on the same design of that Brazil shirt, this jersey is a beautiful option for your side. It's the same template used by Portsmouth and Preston more recently. Just don't think about 2002. 

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Adidas Campeon shirt

Ball like Germany of 1990 - or Rodgers' Leicester - in this get-up

Specifications

RRP: £15.61-£38.63
Colour: Pink/Black

Reasons to buy

+
Retro Adidas design
+
Super classy look
+
Great feel to the shirt

Reasons to avoid

-
Feels like quite a rehashed design now

Up against Nike's World Cup kit throwback, we've got Adidas's Campeon effort: the pattern that the company reworked for Germany's ill-fated campaign in Russia.

More recently it's been used by Leicester - in a bright pink shade - but Adidas also offer this design in black, white, red, grey and a beautiful navy. This is a seriously stylish option for your team. 

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Umbro Tempest shirt

A strong option from Umbro - if you want your team to be collared

Specifications

RRP: £20.05
Colour: Blue/white

Reasons to buy

+
Fantastic design
+
Traditional collar
+
Has a "Proper football" feel

Reasons to avoid

-
Not as lightweight as the Nike and Adidas efforts

The Tempest is a classic option. With recent kits for the likes of Bournemouth and Everton, Umbro has proved themselves to still be in the top tier when it comes to simple, effective design. This jersey is no different. 

With a defined collar and thick trim on the sleeve, this feels classic without going down the "let's reap retro kits" line. Your team will look awesome in this. 

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FORZA Alu60 Football Goals

It's a goal... and it comes in all shapes and sizes

Specifications

RRP: £249.99-£899.99
Colour: White
Sizes: 12ft x 4ft, 12ft x 6ft, 16ft x 4ft, 16ft x 7ft, 18.5ft x 6.5ft, 21ft x 7ft, 24ft x 8ft, 3m x 2m, 6ft x 4ft

Reasons to buy

+
Range of sizes
+
Fairly portable
+
Excellent quality

Reasons to avoid

-
Quite expensive

FORZA goals are fantastic. If you want to hold a proper football match, getting a proper net and posts isn't something you can afford not to invest in - honestly, your keeper will thank you for it.

These nets are considerably more expensive than a pair of jumpers but given that they're available in all sizes, there's an option there for everyone. Hey, why not buy a smaller one for your team and a bigger one for the opposition? Just remember to switch them when you swap sides at half time.

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Freestanding UEFA Box Goal

And it's another goal... this one comes on wheels

Specifications

RRP: £2,000
Colour: White
Size: 24ft x 8ft

Reasons to buy

+
Very portable
+
UEFA and FA-approved
+
Supreme quality

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive

There's always one guy who's a little bit more serious than everyone else in a casual kickabout - they tend to turn up with the Freestanding UEFA Box Goal.

If that's you and you have £4K to spend - £2K for each goal - then siding with the official goal supplier of the FA, which meets all UEFA regulation, might be your cup of tea. Unfortunately, we don't know how to produce that lovely "clang" sound that the Dortmund nets make when they ripple. 

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Sondico corner flag

Stop flagging and invest in some of these

Specifications

RRP: £20
Colour: Orange

Reasons to buy

+
Easy to install
+
Good quality
+
Durable
+
Carry case

The Sondico corner flag is a must-have. If you've got Roger Milla on your team, what's he going to dance around when he scores?

These corner flags are good quality, clear and visible to see and they come in a bag to pack away at the end of the match. You perhaps didn't know you needed these. 

BEST BOOTS The latest releases from Nike, Adidas, Puma and Umbro

Nike Flight New Premier League ball 2020/21

(Image credit: Nike)

Nike Premier League Flight

This is the official Premier League ball - you need it!

Specifications

RRP: £124.95
Colour: White/red/black

Reasons to buy

+
Beautiful design
+
Honed over eight years and thousands of hours of testing
+
Grooves within the ball to make it fly

Reasons to avoid

-
Becomes out of fashion very quickly

OK - so what's left for this game? The most important thing of all - the Nike Flight ball.

If you want this to feel really official, there's no better way than to invest in the official Premier League ball. It's obviously the best quality ball on the market, it flies through the air - just ask Kevin de Bruyne - and the design is quite possibly the coolest that Nike have come up with for the Prem.

Of course, other balls are available - and we've covered them here.