The appeal
For two football fans, a match sounds like the perfect first date. You share the thing you both love, there is no awkward silence because there is always something happening, and you get to see how someone behaves when their team concedes in the ninetieth minute. That last part is genuinely useful information.
But a match is also loud, crowded, long and expensive, and it is hard to have a proper conversation while twenty thousand people sing around you. So decide carefully: some matches suit a first meeting, many suit a later one, and all of them need planning.
Is a match a good first date?
Sometimes. It tends to work best when:
- you have already chatted a lot and know you get on
- you both genuinely enjoy going to games, rather than one person tagging along
- you support the same club, or neither of you is too invested in the result
- the match is low-stakes, so a bad result will not ruin the mood
It tends to work less well when:
- you have never met, and the match would be your first conversation in person
- one of you is not really into football
- it is a derby or a big game, where emotions run high
- you would be in the home end and your date supports the away team
Plenty of couples keep the match for date two or three. Meet for a coffee or a drink first. If that goes well, the match becomes something to look forward to rather than a three-hour gamble.
Choosing the match
Pick something relaxed. A mid-table league game, a cup tie against lower-league opposition or a pre-season friendly takes the pressure off.
Consider the lower leagues. Non-league and lower-league football is cheaper, tickets are easier to get, the grounds are smaller and you can usually stand and chat. Many have a clubhouse bar where you can talk before and after.
Try the women's game. Women's league fixtures are often relaxed and welcoming, with good views and room to talk.
Think about the time. An afternoon kick-off leaves the evening open if things go well and gives an easy exit if they do not. A late kick-off with a long journey home is harder.
Tickets
Buy tickets from the club itself or the resale scheme the club runs. Do not buy from people you do not know on social media, and do not let a new match buy tickets for you through a private arrangement before you have met. If your date offers to sell you a ticket before you have even had coffee, treat it as a red flag. Our safety page explains common ticket scams.
If you are a season ticket holder, check your club's rules on guest tickets or ticket exchanges. Seats together are better than a shout across a row.
Where to sit
On a first date, comfort beats atmosphere. The loudest part of the ground is great for singing and terrible for talking. A quieter stand, a family area or a seat near the end of a row gives you space. If you want to stand, smaller grounds often let you move around a bit.
Planning the day
Meet before the match. An hour beforehand, in a café or a pub a little away from the ground, gives you a chance to chat before the noise starts.
Agree a meeting point. Crowds and poor phone signal make it easy to lose each other.
Check the route home. Trains, trams and buses fill up after the final whistle, and roads near the ground close. Plan how you will each get home before you go.
Keep the drinking sensible. A pre-match pint is part of the tradition. Several are not a great idea on a first date.
Have an exit. If it is not working, leaving at half time is perfectly acceptable. A polite "I've had a lovely time, but I'm going to head off" is fine.
How to behave
Your date will learn a lot about you from how you watch football. A few things to keep in mind:
- Explain, do not lecture. If your date asks a question, answer it kindly. Do not test them.
- Celebrate, but check in. Jumping up for a goal is part of the fun. Make sure they are enjoying it too.
- Lose gracefully. Grumbling about the referee is normal. Sulking for the rest of the day is not.
- Keep your language in check. Every ground has its share of colourful words. Abuse aimed at players, referees or other fans is not attractive, and discriminatory chanting is never acceptable.
- Put the phone away. Checking other scores is tempting. Talking to the person next to you is better.
If your date is not a fan
If you are bringing someone who does not usually watch football, choose a game with a good atmosphere but low stakes, talk them through the basics beforehand and check in on how they are finding it. Food helps. So does a ground with something else to look at, such as a historic stand or a view across the city. Mixed couples should also read when your partner hates football.
Alternatives to a live match
If a game feels like too much for a first date, try:
- watching a match in a quieter pub or a café with a screen
- a stadium tour on a non-match day
- a football museum
- a walk around the ground followed by lunch nearby
- a five-a-side kickabout with friends, if you both play
Our date ideas for football fans has many more.
Cost and who pays
Matchday is not cheap once you add tickets, travel, food and drinks. On a first or second date, agree early who is paying for what. Splitting the cost, or one person getting the tickets and the other the food, keeps things relaxed.
Safety in the crowd
Big crowds can be disorientating. Keep your phone charged, know where the nearest exits and stewards are, and do not leave your drink unattended in the concourse.
After the final whistle
If it went well, suggest a drink or something to eat while the crowds clear. If it did not, thank them and head home. Either way, send a message later to say you got back safely and that you enjoyed meeting them, if you did.
City tips
Matchday travel varies enormously between cities. The Manchester, London and Liverpool pages set out public transport on matchdays and ideas for before and after the game.
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What to wear
Practical beats fashionable on matchday. Grounds can be cold even in early autumn, and concourses are often draughty. Layers, comfortable shoes and something waterproof are sensible. Wear your colours if you are in the home end and want to, but on a first date with someone who supports a different club, consider leaving the shirt at home and keeping things neutral. If you are going to a lower-league ground with uncovered terracing, a hat may be the most useful thing you bring.
Food and half time
Ground food varies enormously, from excellent local pies to queues that last the whole interval. Eat before you go, or plan a meal afterwards, so the half-time scramble does not become the main event of your date. Lower-league grounds often have the friendliest tea bars.