The best football goal for gardens: keep the kids happy on their own pitch

Add the best football goal to your garden so kids – and grown-ups – can have fun and improve their skills

Best football goal for gardens
(Image credit: Future)

Investing in the best football goal is a top addition to a family garden. It’ll turn a lawn into something more like a real pitch so kids and grown-ups can play. If one of your children is serious about the game, it can also provide them with the opportunity to work on their skills at home.

But what is the best football goal for kids of different ages? We’re here to make choosing easy with designs for younger and older children. They’ll suit gardens of different sizes, too, so you can add a goal even when yours is modest in dimensions.

We’ve listed our top choices below, and you can also scroll down for a guide to what to look for when you’re buying. Want more ideas for keeping the kids active in the garden too? Head over to our best trampolines buying guide for more top picks. 

The best football goal for gardens 2021

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Football goal from Amazon

(Image credit: Amazon)

1. QUICKPLAY Kickster Academy Football Goal

Best football goal: easy to set up and to store, this design is available in a range of sizes

Specifications

Best for: Gardens of all sizes
Dimensions: From 6 x 4ft to 13 x 3ft

Reasons to buy

+
Quick set-up
+
Portable
+
Bag for storage and carrying

Reasons to avoid

-
Could rust if left out in rain 

If you’re looking for a goal you can use in the garden or take to the park or on holiday, this one will fit the bill.

High speed

The poles and base frame of this goal are pre-attached to make assembly easy and set-up in just two minutes is promised.

Tidy away

You can get the goal off the lawn and into its carry bag to store it when it’s not being used. Or take it along with you to play away from home.

Flexible posts

Bear in mind that the posts of this design deform and return to shape when they’re hit with the ball, so it’s for fun and training rather than a football pitch experience.

small football goal for the garden

(Image credit: Robert Dyas)

2. Pilsan Miniature Football Goal

Best football goal for young kids: for three-year-olds and up, this colourful design will keep little ones busy

Specifications

Best for: Fun for the youngest
Dimensions: H86 x W119 x D65cm

Reasons to buy

+
Neat size
+
Easy to assemble
+
Lightweight
+
Fun colour combination

Reasons to avoid

-
They’ll outgrow it 

The youngest members of the family can practise shooting or goalkeeping in even a small garden with this model.

Early start

As it’s suitable for kids of three and up, this goal will bring an extra dimension to garden play when they’re small.

Self assembly

Yes, you will need to put this together yourself, but it’s not difficult to do. Moving it into place is simple, too, because it’s light.

Garden colour

In bold blue and red, this design won’t be hard to co-ordinate with other garden play equipment.

football goal for the garden from Amazon

(Image credit: Amazon)

3. SAMBA Locking Football Goal

Best football goal for serious garden games: this sturdy model will suit the keenest home players

Specifications

Best for: High usage
Dimensions: From 6 x 4ft to 12 x 6ft

Reasons to buy

+
Heavy duty uPVC posts
+
Locking parts
+
2.5mm twine net
+
12 month guarantee

Reasons to avoid

-
You might end up giving up a large chunk of garden

Football a regular garden activity for your household? This goal can stay out – and you can move it to mow the lawn.

Post strength

Designed to withstand hard shots, the goal posts are made from weatherproof high impact 68mm diameter heavy duty uPVC.

Lock down

The locking system of this goal is designed to keep its parts in place, but they can be unlocked easily as necessary.

Lawn care

The goal is light enough to reposition easily to give the area where it’s situated a break from wear and tear or to cut the grass. 

football goal from John Lewis

(Image credit: John Lewis)

4. Bestway 2 Pop Up Goals

Best football goal for value: get two goals at a great price and make your garden a pitch

Specifications

Best for: Play without a big spend
Dimensions: H80 x W80 x L120cm

Reasons to buy

+
Quick assembly
+
For three-year-olds and up
+
Easy to store

Reasons to avoid

-
Adults need to put these up

Make a game easy by opting for this two goal package, which will result in just a modest dent in your bank account.

Be competitive

A family of players will be all set up to divide into teams if you opt for this design which offers two goals rather than just one.

Tidy up

If you don’t want a goal sitting on the grass all the time, you’ll like the fact that these are pop-up goals that can be stashed in a bag when they’re not in use.

All the family

Kids as young as three years old can start to enjoy playing football with this design, but you will have to upgrade as they grow if they stick with the game.

football goal for the garden from Argos

(Image credit: Argos)

5. Opti 3.5 x 3ft 2 in 1 Pop Up Target Training Football Goal

Best football goal for practice: younger kids can improve their accuracy with this training goal

Specifications

Best for: Training
Dimensions: H76.2 x W106.68 x D76.2cm

Reasons to buy

+
Quick assembly
+
Can be used indoors, too
+
Foldable for storage
+
Carry bag included

Reasons to avoid

-
Won’t suit older children

Want your children out in the fresh air? This goal will encourage the youngest players to improve their skills.

Quick start

This goal is a pop-up design, so you can get the kids outside and occupied quickly, and clear your lawn again at the end of the day.

All in

You’ll get a ball and pump along with the goal if you choose this design. There are also ground pegs for anchoring it to the lawn, and a bag to store or take it away with you.

Stay home

The design’s suitable for inside your home, too, so they can carry on playing when the weather precludes going into the garden.

football goal for the garden

(Image credit: Amazon)

6. FORZA Steel42 Football Goal

Best football goal for durability: made from steel, this design is strong and weatherproof

Specifications

Best for: Leaving out
Dimensions: From 8 x 6ft to 16 x 7ft

Reasons to buy

+
Steel posts
+
Locking system
+
Freestanding
+
Tool-free assembly

Reasons to avoid

-
Pricier option

This all-weather design can be left out in your garden and promises to neither rust nor corrode.

Year round

The goal is made with 42mm galvanised steel posts for strength and durability, and a 3mm twisted outside diameter HDPE UV-stabilised football net to allow you to avoid putting it away.

No holes

If you prefer not to put pegs into the ground, this goal could suit as it’s freestanding. It can be lifted and moved as necessary, but it’ll take two to do it.

Quick fix

Assembly doesn’t require any tools, and locking is built in in order to absorb the impact of the ball. 

How to choose the best football goal

The age of the goal’s users, the size of your garden, and whether you want the goal up permanently will all influence which model works for you – as will your budget.

Age range

Think about whether you want a goal that’s designed specially for young children or something with more enduring credentials. Those for little ones could fit better with other garden equipment, and some are designed for simple and compact storage. 

One or two?

Generally, goals are sold as single items and this may be all you can fit in any case but some come as a pair, which you might prefer.

Permanent fixture

Don’t judge a goal by its looks. A design may appear as if it could stay out whatever the conditions, but it may not be meant to be left out all the time, and to do so could invalidate the warranty. Make sure you buy an all-weather design if you don’t want to have to store the goal away.

Portability

Some goals are designed to be easy to take down and pack, so you can add them to your holiday kit, or use them at the park. 

Size matters

Don’t just think about whether the goal fits when you’re buying. You may want to move it around to give the grass in that area a chance to recover, making a smaller design more convenient. Look at the weight, too, if that’s the case.

More garden ideas for kids: 

Sarah Warwick
Freelance writer

Sarah is a freelance journalist and editor writing for websites, national newspapers, and magazines. She’s spent most of her journalistic career specialising in homes and gardens and loves investigating the benefits, costs and practicalities of home improvement. It's no big surprise that she likes to put what she writes about into practice, and is a serial house revamper.