Football (Soccer)
Eleven-a-side or small-sided football.
How to start
Join a beginner or social league, or a recreational small-sided group. Start with a few weeks of practice and short games.
How to progress
Play weekly, add training, and build up to full matches.
What the evidence says
Evidence: moderate
A 2026 pooled analysis of 17 trials (588 people with long-term health conditions) found that recreational football improved fitness (VO2peak), lowered diastolic blood pressure and resting heart rate, and reduced body fat. It did not clearly change weight, BMI, HbA1c or fasting glucose. The people studied had health conditions, not the general public, and the trials were small. We did not find trials of full 11-a-side football in the general population.
Take care: Football brings knee, ankle and hamstring injuries. Warm up, wear shin guards and build up gradually.
Sources
12-week starter plan
A weekly game plus one training session.
Tick each week as you finish it; your ticks are saved on this device only. Repeat a week if it felt hard. Weeks 4, 8 and 12 hold steady so you can settle. This is a general plan, not medical advice.
Add reminders to your calendar
Pick your days and time. You will download a calendar file that adds 12 weeks of reminders to Google, Apple or Outlook calendar.
Calories and weekly minutes
Enter your details for a rough estimate. Based on about 7 METs (Typical effort for this activity (estimated)). Real figures vary by 20% or more between people.
Tips and common mistakes
Tips
- Do a proper warm-up.
- Wear shin guards.
- Build up match time.
Common mistakes
- Playing a full match unfit.
- Skipping warm-up.
- Ignoring knee pain.
Kit and cost
Low to moderate Approximate UK prices.
- Boots (about £25 to £80)
- Shin guards
- A club or league fee
Frequently asked questions
Is football good exercise?
A pooled analysis of recreational football found improvements in fitness and blood pressure, in people with chronic conditions.
Do I need to be fit?
Start with small-sided games.
Is it safe?
There is a risk of knee and ankle injuries. Warm up and build up.
Good for: Heart & fitness Fun & social Endurance
Compare with similar options
| Football (Soccer) | Futsal | Basketball | Field Hockey | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical session | 90 min × 2/wk | 60 min × 1/wk | 60 min × 2/wk | 70 min × 2/wk |
| Effort | ●●●●○ | ●●●●○ | ●●●●○ | ●●●●○ |
| Cost | Low cost | Low cost | Low cost | Low cost |
| Equipment | Basic kit | Basic kit | Basic kit | Some equipment |
| Impact | High impact | Medium impact | High impact | Medium impact |
| Fitness needed | Moderate fitness | Some fitness | Moderate fitness | Moderate fitness |
| Evidence | moderate | limited | limited | limited |