Five steps, no jargon
Online dating can feel complicated, especially if you have not done it for a while. From your first profile to your first date in person, it comes down to five steps. Nothing here needs you to be a football expert, and none of it needs you to rush.
Step 1: make your profile
Start with the basics: your first name or a nickname, your age, where you live and who you want to meet. Next, add a few photos. Recent ones work best, with your face clearly visible in at least one. If you have a good picture from a matchday, use it, but include one or two away from football as well so people get a sense of the whole person.
Your bio is where you can be yourself. A couple of honest sentences beat a long list of adjectives. "Cardiff City season ticket, terrible at five-a-side, good at Sunday roasts" tells a reader far more than "fun, outgoing, loves sport."
Step 2: tell people how football fits your week
This is the part that makes the site different. Say which club you support, if you have one, and how you follow them. Are you there every home game, do you travel away, or do you mostly watch at home or in the pub? Do you play? Is football the centre of your weekend or a nice extra?
There are no right answers. A partner who goes to every match and a partner who watches the highlights on Saturday night can both be great company, but it helps to know which one you are talking to before you plan a date for the same afternoon as a home game.
If your football life is a bit unusual, say so. Maybe you referee on Sundays, coach a youth side, follow a non-league club five minutes from your house or support a team in a different country. Those details make you easier to remember.
Step 3: choose who you would like to meet
Think about the kind of person you hope to meet before you start browsing. You might want someone close by so that midweek dates are easy, or you might be happy to travel for the right person. Some supporters like the idea of dating someone from the same club; others think a bit of rivalry keeps things interesting. Read profiles properly and look for the things that matter to you, whether that is a shared love of the game or a shared sense of humour about it.
Step 4: message, then plan a first date
When someone catches your eye, send a message. Mention something specific from their profile. If they say they have been to every ground in the Championship, ask which one has the best pies. If they play Sunday league, ask what position they play and whether they are the one who complains to the referee.
Chat for as long as you need to. There is no deadline. When you both feel ready, suggest meeting somewhere public: a café, a pub that is not showing a big match, or a walk in a park. Some people love the idea of a match as a first date; the first date at a football match article explains why it often works better as a second or third date, and how to make it go well if you do try it.
Step 5: stay safe
Before you meet, share the plan and your date's name with a friend. Travel there and back on your own terms. Keep your drinks in sight. If something feels wrong, leave. On matchdays, plan your route home in advance, because trains and buses fill up and roads close around grounds.
Do not send money to anyone you have only met online, and be wary of anyone offering to sell you match tickets through private messages. Our safety page has the full checklist and explains how to block and report a profile.
Choosing a membership
When you are ready to get more out of the site, you can choose a VIP or VIP Plus plan. VIP costs £14.99 for a week, £24.95 for a month, £59.95 for three months, £74.70 for six months or £119.88 for a year. VIP Plus costs £15.99 for a week, £34.24 for a month, £77.01 for three months, £128.31 for six months or £208.05 for a year. The weekly to six-monthly plans keep going until cancelled; the annual ones finish by themselves. All of this is set out on the pricing page.
Getting the most out of the site
A few habits make a big difference:
Keep your profile current. If you move, change teams or take out a new season ticket, update your profile. People notice when details are fresh.
Be clear about time. If you go to every away game, say so. If Sunday afternoons are usually open but never on Saturdays, say that too. Honesty saves everyone time.
Look beyond the badge. Supporting the same club is fun, but it is not a personality. The person who supports a team you have never heard of might be exactly who you are looking for.
Reply, even to say no. A short, polite message is kinder than silence.
A typical first month
To give you a feel for it, here is how a first month often goes. In week one, people write a profile, add photos and read a few others to see how fellow fans describe themselves. In week two, conversations start; some fizzle out, a couple keep going. By week three, one of those chats may have moved on to a phone or video call. And around week four, if it feels right, comes a first meeting over coffee or a drink. There is no timetable you have to follow. Some people meet sooner, many take longer, and both are fine.
When the season pauses
Dating does not stop in June. The weeks between the last game and pre-season are often the easiest time to arrange dates, because nobody is checking the fixture list. If you are new to the site in summer, use the break to get to know people before August fills the diary again.
If you are new to football
You do not have to be an expert to sign up. If you are dating because you like the idea of someone who loves the game, say so on your profile. Plenty of supporters would be delighted to take a curious newcomer to their first match. The article on partners who hate football looks at mixed couples from both sides.
Ready to start?
Five steps, one club and an honest line about your Saturdays. Signup Here, or Sign in to pick up where you left off.
What happens after a first date
If the first date goes well, say so in a message the next day. If it did not, a short, kind note is better than vanishing. Second dates are where football can come in more fully: a match, a pub screening or a walk around a ground. Keep talking about time and expectations as things develop, especially before the busy winter fixture list.
Pausing or stepping back
Life changes. If you meet someone, take a break from dating or simply want a quieter spell during a busy run of fixtures, you can stop messaging new people and update your profile accordingly.