A grassroots football tournament is remembered for the football, but it is judged on the organisation. That means fixtures starting on time, medals being ready, the car park flowing, the result desk knowing the score, and the final presentation feeling organised rather than rushed.
Whether you are running a junior summer tournament, a club festival, a charity competition or an end-of-season event, the same rule applies. Plan the boring things early, because they become the stressful things on the day.
This guide is written for England-based grassroots clubs and organisers. Rules and processes may differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and requirements can vary by County FA, so always check your local governing body before publishing fixtures or taking team entries.
The five-step tournament plan
To run a grassroots football tournament smoothly:
- Sanction the event with your local County FA.
- Choose the format before building the fixture list.
- Prepare the fixtures, result cards and emergency backup plan (many use apps like Tournify)
- Order medals and trophies from the maximum squad numbers.
- Brief volunteers, coaches and referees before the first game.
That simple sequence prevents most tournament-day problems. Do not start with the medals, the posters or the WhatsApp group. Start with the permission, the format and the plan.
This is on assumption of the basics being covered of:
- Make sure you can get the pitches needed (there is a reason most tournaments are run by clubs with their own pitch)
- Get the team sign-ups in early! (a lot seem to come out in December and if you leave it too late it’s harder to fill if teams have met their “quota”)
Quick grassroots tournament checklist
| Area | What to check |
| Sanctioning | County FA approval, tournament rules, affiliated teams, insurance |
| Budget | Pitch hire, referees, medals, trophies, first aid, toilets, waste, signage |
| Venue | Pitch bookings, parking, toilets, first aid area, accessibility, emergency access |
| Fixtures | Age groups, formats, match lengths, rest times, emergency fixture list |
| Medals and trophies | Winners, runners-up, participation medals, individual awards, engraving |
| Team admin | Registration forms, team sheets, coach pack, arrival times |
| Volunteers | Referees, result desk, pitch marshals, car park team, welfare lead |
| Match-day control | Manager briefing, result cards, pitch numbers, signage, scoreboards |
| Safety | Risk assessment, first aid, safeguarding, emergency action plan, defibrillator location |
| Weather | Pitch inspection, cancellation process, refund policy, contact plan |
| Final day | Presentation table, announcer, photos, sponsor thanks, medal order |
| After the event | Thank-you message, feedback, lost property, budget review |
Start with sanctioning, insurance and tournament rules
Before you order medals or publish fixtures, make sure the tournament is properly sanctioned. It’s number one of things to do on the official FA documents.
County FA guidance is clear that one-off tournaments and small-sided competitions need approval. Leicestershire & Rutland CFA says all one-off or small-sided competitions in its area, including tournaments, festivals and charity matches, must be sanctioned, and that clubs and referees may not be covered by insurance if this is not done. Middlesex FA gives similar guidance, warning that insurance for the organiser, clubs and match officials may be invalid if a tournament is not sanctioned with the local County FA.
Your first checklist should therefore be administrative:
- Contact your local County FA.
- Confirm whether the event needs sanctioning.
- Submit tournament rules.
- Check team affiliation requirements.
- Confirm referee eligibility.
- Check public liability and personal accident insurance.
- Confirm safeguarding expectations.
- Keep written confirmation of approval.
Oxfordshire FA says sanctioning helps with public liability and personal accident insurance, County FA approval of rules, registered referees and safeguarding requirements.
This is the part spectators do not see, but it protects the organisers, players, volunteers and match officials.
Build the budget before you promise the day
A tournament budget is not just medals and pitch hire. The hidden costs are often what catch organisers out.
Your budget should include:
| Cost | Notes |
| Pitch hire | Include setup and clear-down time |
| Referees | Match fees, food, drinks and travel where agreed |
| Medals and trophies | Winners, runners-up, participation medals, engraving, spares |
| First aid | External provider or qualified cover |
| Toilets | Venue facilities or temporary toilets |
| Waste disposal | Bins, bags, litter pickers, post-event clear-up |
| Printing | Fixtures, maps, result cards, team sheets |
| Signage | Pitch numbers, parking, toilets, registration, first aid |
| Card machine / cash float | Entry fees, raffle, refreshments, programmes |
| Contingency | Weather, extra medals, damaged equipment, late changes |
A useful rule is to separate the budget into must-pay costs and nice-to-have costs. Must-pay costs include sanctioning, pitch hire, insurance requirements, first aid and referees. Nice-to-have costs include upgraded trophies, programmes, PA systems and branded banners.
Do not rely on matchday income alone to cover essential costs. A wet day, parking issue or low turnout can reduce takings quickly.
Build the format before the fixture list
A good fixture list starts with a clear tournament format. Decide the shape of the day before you start filling in teams.
Confirm:
- Age groups
- Number of teams per age group
- Number of pitches
- Match length
- Rest time between games
- Group stage or round robin
- Semi-finals and finals, if used
- Whether every age group needs a winner
- Maximum playing time for each age group
- Whether the format matches current FA or County FA rules
For younger age groups, this matters even more. The FA’s 2025/26 mini-soccer handbook says U7–U8 children do not play in leagues (although 50% of the tournaments at U8 I’ve been too this summer seem to be!), but they can play in a maximum of three trophy events during the season, where trophies can be awarded and results of the mini-event can be published. England Football gives the same trophy-event principle for U9–U10 football.
Youth formats are also changing. England Football’s FutureFit hub says changes are coming ahead of the 2026/27 season, including new 3v3, 5v5 and 7v7 playing formats. The FutureFit schools guidance also says 3v3 will be introduced as an introductory format for the youngest and newest players (although that just seems to have pushed a lot of the new U& teams to play a year up!), with smaller formats maintained for longer.
If you are planning future youth tournaments, check the current format before confirming pitch sizes, goal sizes, match lengths or fixture templates.
Fixture planning: the detail that keeps the day moving
The fixture list is the engine of the tournament. If it fails, everything else gets dragged with it: referees, medals, finals, food stalls, parents, car parking and presentations.
The FA’s tournament guide recommends avoiding unnecessary pitch moves because they can delay fixtures. It also recommends emergency fixture lists in case teams do not turn up, so organisers are not left with empty pitches and waiting teams.
A good fixture sheet should include:
| Fixture detail | Why it matters |
| Age group | Avoids confusion across multiple competitions |
| Group name | Keeps tables and results clean |
| Pitch number | Gets teams to the right place quickly |
| Kick-off time | Keeps the day moving |
| Team A vs Team B | The basic match instruction |
| Referee slot | Helps referee coordinators plan breaks |
| Result column | Makes paper backup easy |
| Rest gap | Protects player welfare and fairness |
| Semi-final / final route | Avoids disputes at the result desk |
Build in more time than you think. If a game lasts eight minutes, do not schedule the next one nine minutes later. Teams need to leave the pitch, the next teams need to get ready, the referee may need to record the score, and the pitch marshal needs a little breathing space.
One field-tested detail helps: keep a spare printed fixture list at every pitch, not just at the result desk. A marshal with the right sheet can solve problems before they become announcements.
Prepare an emergency fixture list
Teams drop out. Coaches get stuck in traffic. A squad that confirmed on Wednesday may not appear on Sunday morning.
That is why every grassroots tournament needs a backup fixture plan. The FA’s tournament guide specifically says emergency fixture lists are important when teams do not turn up, so organisers can avoid empty pitches and unnecessary waiting.
Your emergency plan should answer:
- What happens if one team does not arrive?
- What happens if two teams do not arrive?
- Will match lengths change?
- Will teams still play the same total minutes?
- How will managers be told?
- Who has authority to change the fixtures?
- How will the result desk update tables?
Make this part of the manager briefing. If teams in one group play fewer minutes because of a no-show, explain how the competition will stay fair before the games begin.
Medals and trophies: order more carefully than you think
The final whistle should not be the moment you start looking for the medals.
Medals and trophies are simple when they are planned early and painful when they are left late. Decide what you are awarding before you publish the tournament entry details.
You may need:
- Winners’ trophies
- Runners-up trophies
- Winners’ medals
- Runners-up medals
- Participation medals
- Player of the tournament awards
- Golden boot awards
- Golden glove awards
- Fair play or respect awards
- Referee appreciation awards
- Volunteer awards
- Sponsor-branded medals
- Engraved plaques
The FA tournament guide prompts organisers to decide whether teams are playing for a cup and whether everyone receives a medal, and it includes medals and trophies in its planning checklist.
For junior tournaments, participation medals can matter just as much as winners’ medals. For older competitive age groups, winners’ and runners-up awards may be enough. The right choice depends on the age group, the tournament format and the purpose of the event.
Once your age groups and squad caps are confirmed, calculate participation medals, winners’ medals and runners-up medals before ordering. That prevents rushed re-orders and avoids disappointment on presentation day.
How many medals do you need?
Order medals from the maximum squad number, not the number you hope each team brings.
Use this simple calculation:
Participation medals = number of teams × maximum squad size
Winners’ medals = squad cap for the winning team
Runners-up medals = squad cap for the finalist team
Spare medals = 5–10% extra
Individual awards = one per award category
For example, if you have 24 teams and a squad cap of 10, you need 240 participation medals before adding spares. If you are also awarding winners’ and runners-up medals, calculate those separately from the final-stage squad cap, not just the starting line-up.
A small spare allowance is sensible. Late squad changes, missing boxes, extra players, presentation mistakes and sponsor requests all happen. Spare medals are cheaper than disappointed children.
Medal and trophy ordering timeline
Leave more time than you think, especially if trophies need engraving.
Even with good planning, tournaments often need last-minute extras. Maybe you’ve remembered that the non-competitive age groups all need a medal. Or a late team entry, a replacement trophy, an extra runners-up medal set, or a sponsor award that was not on the original list. If the presentation is close, there are next-day delivery trophies and medals that can save the day before changing the awards plan.
| When | What to do |
| 6–8 weeks before | Confirm award categories and sponsor requirements |
| 4–6 weeks before | Order engraved trophies and custom awards |
| 2–4 weeks before | Order standard medals and participation medals |
| 1 week before | Count medals against team entries and squad caps |
| 48 hours before | Sort medals into labelled boxes by age group |
| Tournament morning | Place presentation medals in running order |
Use labelled boxes. For example: “U9 Winners,” “U9 Runners-Up,” “U9 Participation,” “U9 Spare.” Do not rely on someone remembering which medals are in which carrier bag.
Keep a permanent marker, tape and spare labels at the presentation table. These are tiny details, but they save time when a trophy box is opened in the wrong order.
Create a proper coach and team pack
A well-run tournament starts before teams arrive.
The FA tournament guide recommends sending teams a coach or team pack before the event, including fixtures, tournament rules, maps, team sheets and codes of conduct. It also suggests sharing the pack digitally so coaches can keep the information on their phones.
Your coach pack should include:
- Venue address and postcode
- What3Words or emergency access point
- Parking instructions
- Arrival time
- Registration process
- Team sheet
- Fixture list
- Tournament rules
- Tie-break rules
- Pitch map
- Toilet locations
- First aid location
- Welfare / safeguarding contact
- Photography policy
- Code of conduct
- Result-reporting instructions
- Final presentation time
- Emergency contact number
Send it early, then confirm attendance during the week of the tournament. A quick call or message to team managers can prevent no-shows and misunderstandings.
Use team sheets and result cards
Team sheets help with registration, safeguarding, eligibility and misconduct. The FA tournament guide says a team list is needed if misconduct occurs and suggests sending it out before the event so clubs can arrive with the information ready.
At minimum, your team sheet should record:
- Club name
- Team name
- Age group
- County FA
- Contact name
- Contact phone number
- Player names
- Coach or manager name
Result cards are just as useful. The FA guide recommends result cards for referees or team managers to report scores to the result desk, and notes that written scores help if there is a dispute.
A simple result card should include:
Age group:
Group:
Pitch:
Kick-off time:
Team A:
Team B:
Score:
Referee / manager signature:
For multi-age tournaments, colour-code result cards by age group. It makes life easier for the result desk and reduces the chance of scores being entered into the wrong table.
Assign roles before the day
A tournament cannot run from one person’s phone.
The FA tournament guide lists a wide range of on-site roles, including entrance, car parking, registration, food kiosk, referees, result desk, first aid, welfare/safeguarding, cleaning, radios or mobile numbers, emergency contacts and timings.
Use a simple role plan:
| Role | Job |
| Tournament lead | Overall decisions and County FA / venue contact |
| Fixtures secretary | Fixture changes, tables and final routes |
| Result desk | Collects scores and updates standings |
| Pitch marshals | Keep teams ready and games on time |
| Referee coordinator | Allocates referees and manages breaks |
| Welfare / safeguarding lead | Handles welfare concerns |
| First aid lead | Manages injuries and accident reports |
| Car park lead | Keeps arrival smooth and avoids queues |
| Presentation lead | Sorts medals, trophies and announcements |
| Volunteer runner | Handles problems nobody planned for |
Give volunteers clear timings, high-vis if appropriate, and a named person to report to. Do not assume people will know what to do because they are “helping out.”
One practical tip: create a laminated contact sheet with the tournament lead, first aid lead, welfare lead, result desk and car park lead. Give it to every key volunteer.
Run a manager briefing before the first game
A short manager briefing can prevent a long list of arguments later, and it’s always worth clarify key rules for younger teams, including kick-ins, headers, fly kicks, etc.
The FA tournament guide recommends a briefing with team managers before the first game, covering safeguarding, a positive matchday environment, how results will be collected and what managers should do if they have questions.
Cover:
- Fixture format
- Tie-break rules
- No-show procedure
- Result card process
- Referee respect
- Spectator behaviour
- First aid location
- Safeguarding contact
- Pitch numbers
- Presentation time
- Who makes final decisions
Keep it short, but make it clear. The most important line is: if something changes, managers must hear it from the organiser, not from the touchline.
Safety, safeguarding and emergency planning
Safeguarding should not be treated as a box to tick at the end.
The FA says affiliated clubs must have a Safeguarding Children Policy and a Club Welfare Officer who is DBS-checked and safeguarding-trained. It also says coaches must be named against the team they are involved with, DBS-checked and safeguarding-trained. The FA also says clubs and leagues are responsible for ensuring people who need a DBS check hold an FA-accepted, in-date DBS disclosure issued within the last three years.
Your tournament plan should include:
- Safeguarding lead
- First aid cover
- Risk assessment
- Accident report form
- Incident report form
- Filming and photo consent process
- Code of conduct
- Emergency action plan
- Emergency vehicle access
- Defibrillator location
- Welfare point
- Clear reporting route for concerns
The FA tournament guide recommends an Emergency Action Plan and says it should include the location of a defibrillator and What3Words information.
This does not need to make the tournament feel formal or frightening. It simply means the adults know what to do if something goes wrong.
Plan for weather, postponement and cancellation
Weather is one of the most common grassroots tournament problems. A wet week can affect parking, pitches, spectator areas and whether the event can run at all.
Your weather plan should cover:
- Who inspects the pitches
- When the decision is made
- Who has final authority to cancel
- How teams are contacted
- Whether entry fees are refunded
- Whether the event is rescheduled
- What happens to medals and trophies
- How vendors, referees and first aid providers are updated
- Whether parking fields remain usable
- Where the cancellation message is published
Write the cancellation policy before entries open. If you wait until the weather turns, every decision feels personal.
A simple line works:
If the tournament is cancelled before the event because the venue is unplayable, the club will confirm the refund or rescheduling process by email and team-manager WhatsApp.
Make sure your policy matches your actual costs. If you have already paid non-refundable venue, first aid or supplier costs, say so clearly in the tournament terms.
Final-day details that make the event feel professional
The final presentation is the emotional finish of the tournament. It is also where poor planning becomes most visible.
Before the finals begin, check:
- Trophy table set up
- Medals sorted by age group
- Winners’ medals separated
- Runners-up medals separated
- Participation medals ready
- Engraved plaques checked
- Spare medals available
- Individual awards separated
- Announcer briefed
- Sponsor or club representative ready
- Photographer position agreed
- Safeguarding/photo consent checked
- Team name pronunciation checked
- Referees and volunteers thanked
- Lost property area announced
Keep the presentation area away from active pitches if possible. If another age group is still playing, do not let medal queues spill onto the touchline.
The order should be simple: runners-up first, winners second, then individual or fair play awards if used. Thank the referees, volunteers and visiting teams before everyone disappears to the car park.
After the tournament
The tournament is not finished when the last medal is handed out.
The FA guide recommends thanking teams after the event, asking for feedback and holding a club committee review within a week while the lessons are still fresh.
After the event:
- Send a thank-you message.
- Share photos if consent allows.
- Thank sponsors publicly.
- Thank referees and volunteers.
- Return lost property.
- Complete incident or accident reports.
- Reconcile the budget.
- Ask coaches for feedback.
- Hold a short committee review.
- Save fixture templates for next year.
Ask three questions in the review: what worked, what slowed us down, and what would we change next time?
Final checklist: medals, fixtures and final-day details
Fixtures
- Fixture list completed
- Emergency fixture list prepared
- Pitch numbers assigned
- Match lengths confirmed
- Rest periods checked
- Referee slots planned
- Result cards printed
- Result desk ready
- Manager briefing prepared
- Tie-break rules written down
Medals and trophies
- Winners’ trophies ready
- Runners-up trophies ready
- Participation medals counted
- Winners’ medals counted
- Runners-up medals counted
- Spare medals packed
- Individual awards labelled
- Engraving checked
- Medal boxes labelled by age group
- Presentation table planned
- Sponsor awards separated
Final-day operations
- Coach packs sent
- Team sheets ready
- Parking plan confirmed
- Weather plan confirmed
- First aid point marked
- Safeguarding lead named
- Emergency action plan printed
- Defibrillator location known
- Pitch marshals briefed
- Result desk staffed
- Final presentation running order agreed
Frequently asked questions
Do grassroots football tournaments need to be sanctioned?
In England, grassroots tournaments usually need County FA sanctioning. County FA guidance says one-off tournaments, festivals and small-sided competitions must be sanctioned, and that unsanctioned events can affect insurance, referee eligibility and disciplinary protection.
Can U7 and U8 teams play for trophies?
The FA’s 2025/26 mini-soccer handbook says U7 and U8 children do not play in leagues, but they can play in a maximum of three trophy events during the season. Trophies can be awarded to winners and results of the mini-event can be published.
What should be in a grassroots tournament coach pack?
A coach pack should include fixtures, tournament rules, pitch map, team sheets, code of conduct, arrival time, parking details, emergency contact and result-reporting instructions. The FA tournament guide recommends sending these details in advance and says digital sharing can help coaches keep the information on their phones.
How do you stop a tournament running late?
Use realistic kick-off gaps, avoid unnecessary pitch moves, appoint pitch coordinators, collect result cards quickly and prepare emergency fixture lists for no-shows. The FA tournament guide highlights emergency fixture lists and pitch coordinators as practical ways to keep games moving.
How many medals should you order for a football tournament?
Order medals based on the maximum squad size for each team, then add a small spare allowance. If 24 teams enter with a squad cap of 10, order at least 240 participation medals before adding spares, winners’ medals, runners-up medals and individual awards.
What should happen at the final presentation?
Set up the trophy table early, separate medals by age group, brief the announcer, check sponsor names, confirm photo consent, thank volunteers and referees, then present runners-up medals before winners’ medals. Keep spare medals close to the presentation table so small mistakes do not become big delays.
